A single swallow does not a summer make.

Palomarita.

With some roasting hot weather imminent we’re gonna be in need of something cool, refreshing and familiar to tide us through the heatwave so I came up with the Palomarita which is a frankencocktail that combines – yup, you guessed it already – the Margarita and the Paloma. Those aren’t Mexico’s two favourite cocktails without reason and those hombres know something about dealing with the scorchio. To be truthful the Palomarita concept has surfaced elsewhere on the fringes of cocktaildom so let’s just call this my riff on the combo and as such it leans heavily on my version of the Margarita which I call the Repo Man. Simply put we cut in some nice fresh white grapefruit juice into the sour component of the formula but before we get down to the recipe: a word on tequila.

A Word on Tequila.

Yeah, yeah, I’ve blabbed on about tequila before and compared some good budget options but time (almost 4 years) has overtaken that particular article. How so? Well, the somewhat cyclical agave shortage and an increasing interest in tequila have caused some budget tequilas to creep up and out of the mixing price zone* leaving us in search of other affordable yet quality additive-free 100% agave tequilas. As such I’ve moved my house tequila to the cracking bargain pictured above**. Cimarron reposado is an honest and unpretentious (with that one-colour label) tequila that punches miles above its price which is really not that much above some gaudy plastic-sombrero-wearing drain-pour mixto. Unadulterated by additives or production shortcuts Cimarron has all the cooked agave and peppery notes that I value most in a mixing tequila. Word.

‘Rita Me Up!

Now I’m not saying that the Palomarita is better than its two parent cocktails but it is a nice change, especially since there are not an enormous amount of quality tequila cocktails in the canon. I’ve left it naked in the photo but I’m not averse to a strip of white grapefruit peel as a garnish if I’m feeling flash. In the interests of diversity I’m open to two options in the sweet component: honey syrup to lean closer to my Repo Man or agave syrup to lean into the already firm agave notes from the Cimarron. The choice is entirely up to your own  preference amigos.

Palomarita.

2oz / 60ml reposado tequila such as Cimarron.

0.75oz / 22ml fresh white grapefruit juice.

0.75oz / 22ml fresh lime juice.

0.5oz / 15ml agave syrup or 3:1 honey syrup.

2-3 hearty dashes of orange bitters.

Shake with ice and double strain into a chilled champagne coupé. Garnish with a strip of grapefruit peel if desired.

Toast The Champs.

*Although, to be clear, they remain tasty and diligently produced tequilas unlike some other who have cut corners to maintain lower prices.

**I saw this coming and stocked up accordingly. I realise now that I should have warned you too. Sorry, my bad.