Drinking shots can be great fun. If consumed in moderation and deployed with common sense (I know, this can be very difficult once you get rolling), alcohol shots can make a good evening great, turn a cold night warm, or make a movie more interesting. While you can go old school, downing a whiskey shot with a beer chaser, there are a million different variations of alcohol you can put into a shot recipe to make it tasty and exciting.

Just don’t use red wine in shots ok? It’s weird. Drink wine from a “goon bag” off a clothesline instead, as the Australians do. Check out this bunch of different drinks you can use for making shots and add something different to your drinks menu playlist.

Tequila and Mezcal

When I hear the words alcohol shots I go straight towards tequila (narrowly ahead of a smooth vodka). Whether it’s Silver/Blanco, Reposado, or Gold, there’s a type out there to warm your bones, and get you feeling loose.

Take some table salt and nestle around a spoonful in the webbing between thumb and forefinger (non-drinking hand), while holding a lemon wedge (can be subbed for lime) in the same hand.

Smash a shot of straight tequila (or it’s wilder cousin Mezcal), lick the salt off your hand, and then suck the lemon. It’s pretty simple!

Best Buy

1. Patron Silver

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My personal choice when the topic of hard liquor shots gets raised. I always make a beeline for Patron Silver when traveling through duty-free on the way home from the airport.

Patron tequila is a no-nonsense top quality drop. When downed as a tequila shot it’s almost second to none. It’s at an excellent price point for a premium tequila your home bar can rely on when entertaining.

2. Espolon Blanco Tequila

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Espolon Blanco tequila honors Mexico’s art and history, and the story of Espolon – the spur of a rooster – is great for starting conversations.