I love a spicy margarita. I've had habanero margaritas at a local Mexican restaurant. No idea what they use. For my wedding in July we are going to have special cocktails available, bride's recipe and groom's recipe. Mine will be the diablo margarita. I have some habaneros but I have no idea what a good tequila for just mixing will be. I want to experiment infusing now so I get the heat and flavor close before the wedding.

My favorite all time tequila is Sauza Hornitos. I prefer the Resposado.

Congratulations and post your recipe!

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
I love a spicy margarita. I've had habanero margaritas at a local Mexican restaurant. No idea what they use. For my wedding in July we are going to have special cocktails available, bride's recipe and groom's recipe. Mine will be the diablo margarita. I have some habaneros but I have no idea what a good tequila for just mixing will be. I want to experiment infusing now so I get the heat and flavor close before the wedding.

I would just use what you like to drink.

There's a restaurant in Houston that does a phenomenal spicy margarita. They actually use regular tequila - they make the margarita with an ancho-infused simple syrup and then shake it in a cocktail shaker with ice and sliced jalapenos. The more jalapeno slices and the longer they shake it, the spicier it is.

I've also had very good not-exactly-margaritas made with Ancho Reyes, an ancho-flavored spirit.

Personally, I don't think the tequila makes a huge difference in a margarita, as long as it isn't garbage like Jose Cuervo.

When I make margaritas, I tend to make not-quite-margaritas with mezcal rather than tequila because there's more flavor and I think it goes well in a margarita.

One thing I DO think makes a significant difference in a traditional margarita is the orange liqueur (although a lot of spicy margaritas don't use orange liqueur at all).

The cheap, artificially flavored triple sec a lot of places use is nasty. Something like Cointreau, Van Der Hum (a South African tangerine liqueur), or Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao (the original "triple sec"), all of which are made with actual fruit, is a HUGE improvement.

quote:

Originally posted by trigger treat:
I would just use what you like to drink.

Maybe, unless you like a pretty expensive tequila to sip. Do you drink tequila regularly? Have you been making margs of some kind before this?

I like tequila. I’ve had many different ones over the years I’ve been an aficionado. I’d love to help you serve the margarita you have in mind.

I will add that most often I use Espolon reposado in my margaritas. It’s not terribly expensive, but is 100% agave and available in a 1.75 L bottle. I like repo a little more in a margarita than a blanco, but that would be fine too.

I like a medium-price tequila, Corazon (Blanco), $31.49 at (commie) Total Wine, although a lesser price Blanco would be fine. Margaritas should be made with Blanco.

Hmm I like the idea of spicing up simple syrup rather than the booze because the liquor store will take back everything we don’t open. Problem is my margarita recipe doesn’t use simple syrup. Just lime juice, Cointreau and tequila. I don’t make them at home much but when I do it’s always with Patron because we have it on hand (a friend that visits drinks it). I think it’s probably expensive for margaritas for the masses.

Costco has several Tequila products, you can get the Tequila Silver, a 100% Agave product. At $19 for a 750ml it's a deal, and it's good for making Margaritas.

Link

HRK, I bought a bottle of Kirkland Blanco Tequila and I thought it was absolutely undrinkable...unless they changed distilleries since I tried it. I put the bottle on the floor in our storage room, I’ll go check the NOM a little latter.

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Originally posted by TMats:
HRK, I bought a bottle of Kirkland Blanco Tequila and I thought it was absolutely undrinkable...unless they changed distilleries since I tried it. I put the bottle on the floor in our storage room, I’ll go check the NOM a little latter.

We use it (Silver) to make margaritas, haven't chilled it and done shots/sipping so couldn't attest to that, reviews indicate it's a mixing level Tequila so you're probably spot on if used straight.

At $19 a 750 it's not a bank breaker, which was the thought process when you are mixing lots of margaritas for a wedding. Cost per drink becomes something you have to manage, so that was the thought.

Kirkland currently offers three types tequilas, from Reposado, Silver and Anejo. I've not tried any of the others they sell.


Tequilla Reviews -Kirkland Signature Silver Tequila

Among the Reposado, Silver and Anejo Costco tequila, the Anejo is a good tequila for under $30, the Reposado has received excellent reviews and the Silver has an aroma and flavor profile containing strong alcohol notes, citrus and agave. The Kirkland Silver Signature Tequila is better for making cocktails than shooting straight. Kirkland Silver is also ideal for making large batches of margaritas. It is worth noting tequila can help ensure a morning free of hangovers, can help decrease cholesterol and may be beneficial for digestion. This can be accomplished just by making simple cocktails with Kirkland Silver.

Kirkland’s blanco is NOM 1142

I’ve heard the repo and añejo are both from a different distiller and markedly better. I still think the blanco is awful.

quote:

Originally posted by frayedends:
Hmm I like the idea of spicing up simple syrup rather than the booze because the liquor store will take back everything we don’t open. Problem is my margarita recipe doesn’t use simple syrup. Just lime juice, Cointreau and tequila. I don’t make them at home much but when I do it’s always with Patron because we have it on hand (a friend that visits drinks it). I think it’s probably expensive for margaritas for the masses.

Given that Simple Syrup is just supersaturated sugar water (flavorless koolaid, sort of), and you're going to be using ice and orange liqueur and limes anyway (flavored limeade, sort of), I'd try experimenting with making "spicy orange limeade" with your normal ingredients, basically a homemade "Mixer" as an alternative.

My feeling is that using an expensive tequila with a pronounced flavor in a Margarita is a waste of good tequila. The flavors of the other ingredients overwhelm the tequila to insignificance. I usually use a cheap bulk white tequila such as Aristocrat or Montezuma for my Margaritas and save the Herradura for sipping. I imagine that a Habanero Margarita would exhibit this even more.

How to infuse? Kind of depends how intense you want the heat. Most people I know are not particularly heat tolerant, and would not enjoy something made full strength. Also depends on how fresh the Habs are. The ones I get out of my garden are much hotter than the ones at the grocery store. In any case, I would stem and core the peppers, removing the placenta and seeds and then cut them into narrow strips, perhaps 1/8" wide. I would probably enclose the strips in a tea ball or similar before immersing them in the liquor. If you want max heat, leave the guts in place before slicing. If you plan on leaving some of the pepper slices in a drink, or as a garnish, consider slicing them in the round rather than lengthwise. They have to be pretty fresh to stand this treatment. Habaneros wilt relatively quickly after picking compared to most other peppers.

My Tequila of choice lately is TereMana. Owned by The Rock, it's actually a decent tequila (in my opinion) and not expensive.

I think it would take a flavor infusion pretty well, without feeling like a waste of money doing so.

I have infused several types of liquor but haven't seen infused tequila as far as I can recall.
Doesn't mean it can't be done.
I however would I would try a small batch first or make or find a liquor already infused to mix with or just add the habanero as garnish.
I have found that infusion takes time and it is permanent so it needs to be correct.
Have made Limoncello with Everclear (yes that is the correct way) but it took a couple of months.
Have made some Vodkas with Jalapeno and even tried Cilantro (ya know for that clean soap taste) and it they took a couple of weeks.
Made some Vanilla extract from beans infused into Jack Daniels and one with Tito's Vodka that has been seeping unopened since last July and I not going to open until it hits one year.
Personally, I don't think the the liquor needs to be an aged expensive one for infusion but something you generally like.
I would prefer a silver version for infusion and from what I have read it doesn't take a long time and generally a day to a week for tequila.
I also think the Habanero is pretty strong that just using as a garnish squeezing a little of the juice might be enough but you could seep a small quantity to try.
I like the idea though !
Personally, I prefer and buy for Margaritas QUI Platinum Tequila but for drinking or sipping I like some of the other expensive Extra Anjeo's like Avion Reserva 44 or the Don Juio 1942 or the Jose Cuervo Familia Reserve ~ all a little over a C note.

Besides the tequila, you’ll need to find the habanero syrup mixer. Hella makes a hab flavored one I believe. As far as Tequila, I like Patron Silver. Good luck!

El Jimador silver is a very good tequila. Bang for the buck I dont think it can be beat. Good enough to drink straight, cheap enough to mix. Its a $22 bottle here in PA so im sure its cheaper anywhere else.

My Smokin hot Wife, the Tequila connoisseur says Herradura Reposado

Wait.. Jose Cuervo is garbage? I use it for making my margaritas all the time? What should I be using?

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Originally posted by irreverent:
Wait.. Jose Cuervo is garbage? I use it for making my margaritas all the time? What should I be using?

Cien por ciento de agave azul tequila. Lots of recommendations in this thread already. Cuervo Gold is a mixto, which means it meets the minimum requirement to be called “tequila” with 51% agave “juice.” The remaining 49% is a distillate of cane sugar (IIRC). Many of those recommended above are just a couple dollars higher in price than Cuervo Gold. You’ll be able to taste the difference immediately.