Margaritas are typically made with tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice. Some may include an additional sweetener like simple syrup or agave nectar.
Within that rubric lies a world of possibility, according to John deBary, author of Drink What You Want.
“You can find a tremendous variation in margaritas simply by switching the kind of tequila and orange liqueur you use,” he writes. “Try one with blanco and Cointreau, and try another with reposado and Grand Marnier, or swap the tequila for mezcal. This drink can take many forms.”
Choose your spirit wisely, deBary adds. “The biggest margarita-related crime is using bad tequila.”