Tommy's Margarita Recipe

Before you start

Tommy's margarita drops the orange liqueur and sweetens the drink with agave syrup instead. The result tastes more clearly of tequila: the agave sweetener echoes the spirit's own plant flavor, and nothing distracts from the lime. It is a popular modern classic, named for a Mexican restaurant in San Francisco.

The usual spec is 4 parts tequila, 2 parts lime and 1 part agave syrup. Agave syrup straight from the bottle is thick and does not mix easily with cold ingredients, so many bartenders dilute it with an equal amount of warm water first. If you use diluted agave, double the volume so the sweetness stays the same. A good 100% agave blanco or reposado tequila is essential here.

Ingredients

• 60 ml (2 oz) blanco or reposado tequila — 100% agave
• 30 ml (1 oz) fresh lime juice
• 15 ml (½ oz) agave syrup — or 30 ml agave diluted 1:1 with warm water
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for shaking, plus more for serving
• 1 lime wheel
• pinch salt — optional, for a partial rim

Method

1. If you want a salt rim, wet half the outer rim of a rocks glass with lime and dip it into salt. Fill the glass with fresh ice.
2. Add the agave syrup to the shaker first, then the lime juice. Stir them briefly with a bar spoon so the thick syrup dissolves before it meets the ice.
3. Pour in the tequila and give the mixture one more quick stir.
4. Fill the shaker with ice, seal, and shake hard for about 10 seconds until frosty.
5. Strain over the fresh ice in the prepared glass.
6. Garnish with a lime wheel and serve.

Tips for success

• Light agave syrup keeps the drink clean; dark agave syrup adds caramel notes.
• Making a small jar of 1:1 diluted agave syrup speeds things up and gives more consistent results.
• Since there is no liqueur to hide behind, use a tequila you enjoy drinking neat.

Substitutions

Agave syrup

Use 22 ml simple syrup for a cleaner, less earthy sweetness. Honey syrup works but adds floral notes.

Blanco tequila

Reposado adds a little oak and vanilla. Mezcal makes a smoky version; try half mezcal first.

Salt rim

Skip it, or add 2 drops of saline solution (1 part salt dissolved in 4 parts water) to the shaker for evenly seasoned drinks.

Variations

Mezcal Tommy's

Swap half or all of the tequila for mezcal for a smoky, savory drink.

Grapefruit Tommy's

Replace 10 ml of the lime juice with fresh grapefruit juice.

Troubleshooting

There is a sticky blob at the bottom of the shaker

Thick agave did not dissolve. Stir it with the lime juice first, or use diluted agave syrup.

It is too sweet

Agave is sweeter than sugar. Reduce to 10 ml, or 20 ml if you use the diluted version.

It tastes harsh

Use a better 100% agave tequila and shake hard enough to dilute properly.

Storage

Serve immediately. Diluted agave syrup keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for about 2 weeks; discard it if it turns cloudy.

Safety notes

Contains 60 ml of tequila, about 1.4 U.S. standard drinks for a 40% ABV spirit (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and never drink and drive.