Is there another drink is human history that defines the concept of ‘party time’ more than a margarita? With its citrus kick and tequila bite, it’s the undeniable baller of summer vibe cocktails – which is why everyone’s got an unquenchable thirst for the good stuff as soon as the sun’s out and there happens to be some tequila and lime juice within a five-mile radius.

It might be a modern favourite, but the margarita is decidedly old-school. The drink evolved from a popular American and Mexican cocktail called the Daisy, itself dating back to the 1870s. Originally it was made with brandy, orange liqueur, lime juice, and a splash of soda, but got a tequila upgrade thanks to prohibition in the 1920s and ’30s.

“The margarita was recreated using tequila instead of brandy as Americans crossed over the border to Mexico for alcohol,” says Oli Pergl from tequila brand Maestro Dobel. “It eventually became known by its Spanish name, ‘Margarita’ – Daisy in Spanish. In 1945, José Cuervo was already running a campaign for the drink, stating: “Margarita: It’s more than a girl’s name”, which popularized the drink not only in the US, but the whole world.”

What Is In A Margarita?

The basics of a margarita haven’t changed much over the years – tequila, fresh lime and orange liqueur is the go-to recipe – but the great thing about tequila is that it’s a versatile spirit when it comes to mixing things up.

“I’ve found it to go well with almost any fruit,” says Pergl. “In the summer, you can look at adding fresh berries, tropical fruits and familiar flavours like pineapple and cranberry. In the winter, look at flavours like rhubarb and blackberries, or even adding herbal notes like rosemary and sage. It especially helps if you have a blender at home and you can add all the ingredients together with ice to produce an extremely tasty frozen margarita.”