Spicy Añejo margarita

Name: Spicy Añejo Margarita Cocktail Recipe
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: Añejo Tequila; Orange Liqueur; Lime Juice; Simple Syrup; Chipotle Chili Powder; Salt or Sugar Rim; Lime Wedge Garnish

Tequila

Prep time: 10 mins

Author: The Bar Team

A cocktail garnished with a lime wedge sits on a square coaster on a dark table, with a red book and a candle nearby.

Is there a tequila cocktail more classic than the margarita? While you may be most used to a sweet and tart margarita made with , you won’t want to miss this darker, spicier take with our spicy añejo margarita recipe. Try your hand at this robust cocktail to enjoy yourself or impress your friends with a depth of flavor.

What you’ll need:

Ingredients:

Serves:

Añejo Tequila
1.25oz
Orange Liqueur
0.25oz
Lime Juice
0.5oz
Simple Syrup
0.25oz
Chipotle Chili Powder
1 teaspoon
Salt or Sugar Rim
Optional
Lime Wedge Garnish
To garnish

Method

Step 1
If desired, wet the rim of a margarita or rocks glass using a lime wedge or lime juice in a dish. Dip in salt or sugar and set aside.
Step 2
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Step 3
Shake until thoroughly chilled and strain into the prepped margarita or rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
Step 4
Garnish with a lime wedge.

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A smooth, smoky spin on the spicy margarita with premium añejo tequila.

A glass of cocktail with a lime wedge sits on a coaster next to a bottle of Don Julio tequila and a closed red book on a table.

In this recipe

Don Julio

Don Julio Añejo Tequila

750ml

A black cocktail shaker set with a jigger, cocktail shaker, bar spoon, and strainer displayed against a plain background.

Viski

Gunmetal Mixologist Barware Set

A clear, empty crystal tumbler glass with a thick, textured base is centered against a black background.

Nude

Caldera Double Old Fashioned Glass, Set of Four

What’s the difference between an añejo margarita and a blanco margarita?

Stacks of wooden barrels inside a dimly lit cellar with sunlight streaming through a partially open wooden door.

The classic margarita is made up of three ingredients: tequila, lime juice and orange-flavored liqueur. There are many variations, but these three base ingredients constitute what is generally considered a margarita.

A classic margarita is usually made with blanco tequila. Blanco tequila is a clear spirit, also called silver or white tequila, that is distilled and bottled without aging. Blanco has a sweeter, fruitier flavor, and tends to have the strongest agave taste.

Añejo tequila, on the other hand, is an amber-colored spirit that has been aged in oak barrels for one to three years. As a result, añejo is smoother, with an oak-forward flavor with notes of vanilla and caramel.

Typically, blanco is used more often in cocktails, while añejo is more often sipped. Using añejo in this cocktail lends an extra depth of smooth, toasty flavor.

Shop añejo tequilas

Don Julio

Don Julio Añejo Tequila

750ml

Engravable

Casamigos

Casamigos Añejo Tequila

750ml

DeLeón

Añejo Tequila

750ml

Variations to customize your margarita

In a hurry, but missing ingredients? Just feeling adventurous and want to try new things? We have a few suggestions.

A person pours liquid from a jigger into a hammered copper cocktail shaker next to a glass with a salted rim and sliced limes in the background.

If it’s too spicy

You may simply want to cut down to half a teaspoon of chipotle powder, but there are other options to consider. If you want to preserve that smoky flavor with less heat, try replacing chipotle powder with either ancho chili powder or smoked paprika.

If it’s not spicy enough

Do you want to bring more heat? Mix chipotle powder with salt before rimming your glass. Want more heat in the drink? Swap out chipotle powder for a stronger chili. Go crazy and add some cayenne powder instead. Drink at your own risk, you thrill seeker.

Switch up the spirits

Though this recipe is based on añejo, for a slightly lighter taste, you might try reposado tequila.

Try a top-shelf reposado tequila

Reposado tequila is aged less than a year, so the agave flavor is stronger, and the vanilla, oak and caramel tones are milder. doesn’t have as deep of a flavor as añejo, but you may find that you enjoy a reposado margarita even better.

Opt for mezcal for maximum smokiness

If you really want to amp up the smoky flavor to a whole new level, replace tequila with a quality mezcal. Tequila is a type of mezcal, so you’ll still experience the agave flavor, but the smokiness will bring a unique flavor profile.