The Top 3 Bars In Goa To Visit For World Tequila Day & The Cocktails To Try

World Tequila Day, celebrated on July 24 every year, spotlights one of the most well-known agave spirits across the globe. It’s available in small pours, sipping formats, and of course, cocktails. From classics like Margarita and Paloma to experimental serves, tequila has proved to be an excellent canvas for cocktail-making. 

If you’re looking for professional cocktails to sample the spirit, here are three bars to visit in Goa and the tequila drinks to try. 

Brand references in the recipes are indicative. You can use another spirit as per your personal preference.

Betel Leaf Margarita at For The Record

A classic cocktail that has many recipes and serving styles as its variations, the Margarita will never go out of style, i.e, the bar menu. It’s as much a test of a bartender’s expertise as it’s a familiar order for customers. But the best thing about this cocktail is that it’s easily customisable. 

At For the Record, a vinyl bar in Goa, bartender Shaleen Maheshwari has used this quality to create Betel Leaf Margarita, which is simultaneously sweet and savoury. 

Recipe: 

• Betel leaf-infused tequila- 50ml 

• Orange liqueur- 10ml 

• Lemongrass- 7.5ml 

• Lime - 10ml 

• Tamari - ½ barspoon

Process:

• Shake: Add all the ingredients to an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake well until chilled.

• Serve: Strain into a salt-rimmed rocks glass. Top with fresh ice.

• Garnish: Finish with a fresh betel leaf tucked into the glass and serve immediately.

Passionfruit Paloma at Slow Tide

Paloma is a classic tequila cocktail, made with grapefruit soda and lime juice traditionally. The grapefruit brings fresh tart-sweetness while the tequila, like a crisp blanco, provides earthy agave notes. But at Slow Tide, a Goa bar that brands itself as a ‘modern shack’, bartender Calvis Rodrigues builds the drink with a modern spin. An in-house passionfruit soda replaces the grapefruit, providing a more aromatic, tropical, and intensely sweet-tart flavour to the drink. 

Recipe: 

• Don Julio Blanco Tequila - 60 ml

• In-house Passionfruit Soda - 120 ml

• Caper Salt - For Rim

• Grapefruit Slice - For Garnish

Process:

• Build: Rim a highball glass with caper salt and place a long block of ice inside. Pour in the tequila, followed by the in-house passionfruit soda.

• Stir: Gently stir once or twice with a bar spoon to combine the ingredients without losing carbonation.

• Garnish: Finish with a fresh grapefruit slice

Blow me a Raspberry at Boiler Room

Boiler Maker, in Goa, states that it has the soul of a dive bar. But its cocktail program is all craft, and nothing proves that better than this take on the classic gin-based Clover Club cocktail. Bartender Dheeraj Bhatt swaps gin for blanco tequila for an inspired take on the original, serving sweet, sour, and fruity flavours in a glass. The mezcal gives a hint of smoke.

Recipe: 

• Don Julio Blanco Tequila - 50 ml 

• Raspberry purée - 20 ml

• Yuzu - 5 ml

• Italian herb liqueur - 2.5 ml

• Lemon - 15 ml 

• Mezcal - 3 dashes

Process: 

• Shake: Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until well chilled.

• Strain: Double-strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist. 

*Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.