You can’t have too many spicy cocktails in one sitting. They might taste great, but between the booze and the heat, you can blow out your palate right quick. That means that you’re likely going to have just one, so you better make it count. And that starts with using the right spirit. Tequila, with its vegetal, sometimes smoky taste, takes better to heat than most spirits. So here are some of the best ways to use it while making drinks that climb the Scoville scale.
If it had been invented first, this spicy, agave-fueled twist on the Bloody Mary might now be the bottomless beverage we all drink at brunch. The Bloody Maria kicks up almost every flavor pocket of the Bloody Mary in delicious ways. With plenty of hot sauce, jalapeño and tajín (chile-lime) seasoning, it’ll leave you smacking your lips.
The Essentials
Blanco Tequila
Tomato Juice
Jalapeño
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We set out to make the hottest cocktail in the world and we just might have succeeded. We added some Carolina reaper hot sauce to the tried and true Highball of tequila and Cel-Ray to make the drink explode in your mouth.
The Essentials
Tequila
Reaper Squeezins
Cel-Ray Soda
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If you want to really amp up the vegetal flavors of tequila, try this Margarita that uses actual vegetables. Carrot juice provides some sweet vegetal flavor to go with smoky mezcal, which joins chile-infused tequila in the cocktail.
The Essentials
chili-infused tequila
Mezcal
carrot juice
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The Margarita gets most of the attention, but the Paloma may just be the best tequila cocktail. The classic version of the Highball is spritzy and easy drinking, but this version made with the heat of muddled jalapeño requires slower sipping. But that’s fine; it just means you’ll have it around for longer.
The Essentials
blanco tequila
Jalapeño
Squirt Soda
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The best way to chase your tequila shots is not with lime but with Sangrita, a mix of lime, orange juice and chile powder. The next time you’re doing shots at a party, make sure you have some of this on hand.
The Essentials
Tequila
Orange Juice
Grenadine
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