National Tequila Day falls on 24 July, and it is the easiest excuse of the summer to make yourself a proper drink. You do not need a bar cart of syrups or a shelf of rare bottles. A decent tequila, some fresh limes and a couple of mixers will get you most of the way to something you will want to make again.
Below are five tequila serves worth the effort, from the margarita everyone knows to a couple you might not. Each one has a bottle that suits it, so you are not pouring a slow, aged sipper into a long drink or drowning something special in soda. If you want to know your Blanco from your Reposado first, our guide to the different types of tequila is the place to start.
One Rule Before You Start
Buy tequila made only from agave. Look for 100% de agave on the label. Anything without it can be a mixto, cut with other sugars, and it is usually the cause of the rough morning people blame on tequila itself. A clean 100% agave Blanco is the workhorse for almost everything here, and it does not need to be expensive.
The other rule is fresh lime. Bottled lime juice is the fastest way to ruin a good margarita. One bag of limes and a cheap squeezer will change every drink on this list.
The Margarita, Done Properly
A good margarita is three things in balance: tequila, lime and orange liqueur. Pour two parts Blanco, one part fresh lime juice and one part triple sec or Cointreau over ice, shake hard until the shaker frosts, and strain into a glass. Salt the rim on one side only, so you can choose each sip.
Taste before you serve. Limes vary, so add a small barspoon of sugar syrup if it bites too hard, or a squeeze more lime if it is too sweet. A bright, grassy Blanco like Olmeca Altos Plata is the natural choice here, all cooked agave, citrus and pepper, and it holds its own against the lime rather than disappearing.
Pour: a clean, agave-forward Blanco. Save your aged bottles for the glass, not the shaker.
Tommy's Margarita, for the Purists
If you want to taste the agave rather than the orange liqueur, make a Tommy's. It swaps the triple sec for a little agave syrup, which lets the tequila do the talking. Two parts Blanco, one part fresh lime, and about half a part of agave syrup, shaken and served over fresh ice. No salt rim needed.
This is the drink that turns people who think they dislike tequila into people who ask for the bottle. A good Reposado works beautifully too, its soft vanilla and caramel rounding the whole thing off.
Pour: a Blanco for brightness, or a Reposado for a rounder, warmer version.
The Paloma, Mexico's Everyday Favourite
The margarita gets the attention, but the Paloma is what people actually drink in Mexico. It is long, fizzy and refreshing, and it takes about a minute to build. Fill a tall glass with ice, add a good measure of Blanco and a squeeze of lime, then top with grapefruit soda. A pinch of salt lifts the whole thing.
This is the serve for a hot afternoon and a full jug. It is forgiving, so it is a good one to make for a crowd, and the grapefruit does half the work. A fresh, citrussy Blanco is all you need.
Pour: the same everyday Blanco you use for margaritas. No need to trade up.
The Batanga, the One-Ingredient Wonder
If you can make a rum and cola, you can make a Batanga, and it is far better than it has any right to be. Blanco tequila, cola, a big squeeze of lime and, traditionally, a salted rim. The classic version is built in a tall glass and stirred with a knife, which is charming but not essential.
The lime is what sets it apart from a lazy rum and coke. It cuts the sweetness and lets the agave show through. It is the drink to reach for when you cannot be bothered to shake anything.
Pour: an easy, affordable Blanco such as 818 Blanco, which is built to mix rather than to sip.
Tequila and Tonic, the Quiet Surprise
Gin does not have to have all the fun. A tequila and tonic is crisp, dry and a little unexpected, and it is the serve that lets a nicer bottle shine without hiding it. Plenty of ice, a good Blanco or a young Reposado, a light tonic and a wedge of grapefruit or lime.
Go easy on the tonic so it does not bury the agave, and pick a tonic that is not too sweet. This is the one drink on the list where spending a little more on the bottle genuinely shows.
Pour: a Blanco with character, or a soft Reposado like Olmeca Altos Reposado.
What to Buy for the Day
You can cover every drink here with one bottle. A clean, 100% agave Blanco will make margaritas, Palomas, Batangas and a tequila and tonic without complaint, and it is the sensible place to spend your money for a day of mixing. If you want a second bottle, add a Reposado for the rounder, warmer versions and for sipping once the jug is empty.
And if the day leaves you wanting to slow down and taste tequila properly rather than mix it, that is worth doing too. Our pick of the best sipping tequilas covers the bottles made to be poured neat, from Don Julio to Clase Azul. For the story behind the spirit, our guide to how tequila is made takes you from blue agave to the glass, and if you have ever wondered where mezcal fits in, we cover tequila versus mezcal too.
Make one drink well this 24 July rather than five badly, and National Tequila Day looks after itself.