Devil’s Margarita

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Cocktail History

The Devil’s Margarita is a modern cocktail that was created sometime in the 1900s. The lesser known sibling of the New York Sour, the recipe starts with the Margarita template that’s made with tequila, citrus, and simple syrup, but it omits the orange liqueur and adds a fruity red wine float on top.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Tequila Blanco: This is a spirit made with unaged agave and water. I used Casamigos Tequila Blanco.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Dry Red Wine: This is a type of wine made with red grapes. I used Jacobs Creek Double Barrel Shiraz.

Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel shape.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Golden bottom with an ombré effect that melds into the red wine float

• Aroma: Red wine and agave

• Taste: A smooth and balanced flavor that marries sweet tequila with dry notes of red wine and tangy citrus

• Finish: Tartness and lasting tannins from the wine

Kendall’s Take: “I’m always pleasantly surprised when I taste a New York Sour again. I don’t expect the red wine float to mix so well with the Whiskey Sour template and certainly didn’t think it would work in a Margarita either. I was very wrong on both accounts though. It turns out red wine mingles just as deliciously with the tequila and citrus, so much so that I had to give this four stars. I wouldn’t have them all the time because I love the classic lime version so much, but I would shake up the Devil’s Margarita again.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the publication Liquor.com.