Tequila Is Coming for Your Classic Cocktail

In bars across the country, there has been an uptick in riffs on classic cocktails that feature tequila and mezcal in place of other spirits. [...] Read More... The post Tequila Is Coming for Your Classic Cocktail appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.

Apr 24, 2025 - 21:03

Tequila Negronis, tequila martinis, tequila mojitos: very few classic cocktails are safe from the modernizing power of the Mexican agave spirit.

While tequila is millenia-old, the spirit has only recently asserted its rightful place in American cocktail bars. Many mixologists cite the Oaxaca Old Fashioned, a drink Phil Ward invented at NYC’s Death & Co in 2007, as catalyzing the tequila cocktail boom. The smoky riff on a classic Old Fashioned, which is still enormously popular at Death & Co and bars around the world, employs both tequila and mezcal in the place of whiskey.

In his book A Proper Drink, cocktail writer Robert Simonson writes that the Oaxaca Old Fashioned “opened the American mixology world’s eyes to the potential of using tequila and mezcal in cocktails.”

We are pleased to report that the trend has shown no sign of waning. In recent years, at bars across the country, there has been a distinct uptick in riffs on classic cocktails that feature tequila and mezcal in place of other spirits.

Gustavo Rojas-Mentado, head bartender at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego, started to observe tequila increasingly popping up in classic cocktails around 2018. (He acknowledges, of course, that tequila is far from a new addition to cocktails: “Tequila and its grandfather, mezcal, were already making a strong entrance into the cocktail scene with drinks like the margarita and the tequila Old Fashioned.”)

Rojas-Mentado finds that the richness and complexity of tequila lend itself well to a broad range of flavors. At Rancho Valencia, he serves the Dirty Harmony, a twist on a dirty martini using tequila and thyme-citrus syrup. His Espresso Jalisco—an espresso martini with a jolt of tequila—is also extremely popular among guests.

Familiarity, but with a Twist

The pandemic may have also spurred interest in tequila-based variations on the classics—at least that’s what Ehsan Mackani, director of beverage and fine dining at InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown, suspects. “Over the past seven years, tequila has quietly made its way into riffs on classic cocktails, but things really took off after the pandemic,” he says. “When guests returned to bars, they wanted something familiar, but with a twist. Tequila, with its clean profile, layered complexity and incredible versatility, quickly became a bartender favorite for reinventing the classics.”

Mackani also believes that Americans’ rising tequila literacy has something to do with it. “We’re also seeing a real shift in how people understand tequila,” he says. “Much like whiskey or wine, drinkers now care about where it’s made, who’s behind it and how it’s produced. They’re exploring different expressions — blanco, reposado, añejo, extra añejo and cristalino — and appreciating the nuances in each.”

Ultimately, tequila riffs offer drinkers something irresistible: novelty and timelessness, all at once.

“People want to try new things, but without losing the essence of a good classic cocktail,” says Eleazar Barbosa, mixologist at Casa de Sierra Nevada, A Belmond Hotel in San Miguel de Allende. “Variations on classic cocktails are a global trend, and each mixologist has known how to make their best version.”

Sarah Kornegay, bar manager at The Katharine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, echoes the sentiment. “People love the thrill of something new, but they also gravitate toward the familiar,” she says. “Swapping the base spirit in a well-loved recipe is a simple way to offer guests a fresh take on a cocktail they already trust. It’s a subtle twist that invites discovery without straying too far from comfort.”

Tequila’s Global Domination, One Classic Cocktail at a Time

The fascination is not limited to Americans. Gerardo Oliva, mixologist at Casa Angelina in Praiano, Italy, has noticed that the world is finally catching on to tequila’s range and complexity.

“Tequila’s vibrant and nuanced flavors, particularly those from aged varieties like reposado and añejo, lend themselves beautifully to classic cocktail structures, offering a unique alternative to the usual gin or whiskey,” says Oliva, who serves a tequila mojito at Casa Angelina, called the Amalfi Coast Refresher. (“To make it more Italian, substitute mint with some fresh basil or rosemary, both of which grow abundantly along the Amalfi Coast,” he adds.)

At a certain point, you can no longer call it a trend: It is settled science that tequila is a delicious replacement spirit in just about any classic cocktail.

“The addition of tequila can add such depth and creativity to signature beverages,” says Rojas-Mentado. “The agave revolution is here, and I’m excited to see where it goes.”