3 Extremely Extra Margaritas to Try at Home

Dating back to the 1930s and ‘40s, the margarita has several origin stories, including a rumor that suggests that the drink was originally mixed by a Texas socialite for a house party in Mexico, as well as a story that says the drink was invented by a Mexican restaurant owner for Ziegfeld showgirl Marjorie King. Another legend has it that the margarita was created as an homage to actress Rita Hayworth when she was in Tijuana for a gig. Most likely evolved from the Victorian-era Daisy cocktail (a mix of alcohol, citrus juice, and orange liqueur), the margarita — formerly better known as a Tequila Sour or Tequila Daisy — calls for a mere three ingredients: blanco tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau orange liqueur.

A simple base can serve as the best blank canvas, and this is one classic cocktail that bars and bartenders never get tired of reinventing. Swap the tequila for mezcal, and the smoky cocktail is an entirely new one; replace the standard orange liqueur with agave nectar, and you’ve got the Tommy’s Margarita, a bartender favorite. 

For those of us whose bar carts and counters aren’t equipped with tons of specialty ingredients — or who haven’t mastered making something slightly more elaborate like a tincture or clarified spirit­ — you can still pull off a whimsical riff on a margarita in a matter of minutes with a few quick swaps and additions. We asked a few of our favorite bartenders to share their tried-and-true ways to reinvent the classic cocktail, and narrowed down three easy-to-make recipes that show off the beauty of the margarita in a whole new way.