Four Really Good Reasons to Celebrate National Tequila Day
It seems like every day it’s some type of national food holiday. Last month it was National Doughnut Day. Last week, it was National Ice Cream Day. We enjoy these days because they give us the liberty to indulge in a food or drink we love, but don’t usually enjoy on a daily basis. And more importantly, you can usually get free stuff.
And July 24, National Tequila Day, is no exception. Chain restaurants are offering tequila deals, and while you could cram into your local Chevys in hopes of getting a $2 shot of Jose Cuervo, do you really want to? Really?
Didn’t think so. Which brings us to the four really good reasons for you to celebrate National Tequila Day.
These reasons all come in the form of cocktail recipes culled from mixologists around the country, and they all feature Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco, a small-batch, silver tequila made in Tequila, Mexico. Casa Dragones produces just 500 nine-liter cases at a time. Each bottle is individually signed, numbered, and dated by hand. And if that’s not enough to convince you, Oprah put the stuff on her 2014 Favorite Things list. Yeah, this tequila is Oprah-approved.
While this spirit can easily stand on its own, today is a day for celebrating! And nothing says celebrate like delicious cocktails. Read on for four ways to celebrate National Tequila Day in style.
El Dragón Blanco (pictured above)
New York City’s hot spot El Toro Blanco riffed on the traditional margarita and enhanced its flavor with the refined notes of Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco.
2 ounces Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco
1 ounce orange liquor
1 ounce lemon juice
Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Shake and serve.
Freedom Charter
During a “jamming session,” an event with mixologists and culinary experts meant to inspire experiments with flavor, aboard the Freedom Yacht in New York City, Frank Falcinelli, Frank Castronovo, and Sasha Petraske were inspired by the peppery notes found in Casa Dragones Blanco and created this cocktail with hints of Aleppo pepper for a spicy kick.
2 ounces Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco
.5 ounce lime juice
.5 ounce Maraschino (or less, depending on the ripeness of the nectarines)
.5 ounce juice of ripe muddled nectarines
Aleppo pepper
Mexican sea salt to taste
Shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a thin slice of nectarine dusted with the spices.
Not Another Negroni
Alex Kitzmann, barman of the Windows Lounge at the Four Seasons Los Angeles, added a modern twist to this timeless drink with Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco.
1 ounce Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco
1 ounce Dolin Blanc
.75 ounce Grand Poppy
Shake and serve up with an orange twist previously flamed.
Michelada Primaverde
James Beard Award winning mixologist and owner of New York City’s PDT (Please Don’t Tell) Jim Meehan created the Michelada Primaverde, a mixture of dry vermouth and tomatillo juice that is complemented perfectly by a splash of Victoria beer and a spicy, salted rim for a refreshing, summer cocktail.
2 ounces Tequila Casa Dragones Blanco
¾ ounce Dolin dry vermouth
¾ ounce lime juice
¾ ounce tomatillo juice
½ ounce agave syrup
¼ seeded jalapeño
4 ounce Mexican lager beer
Muddle the jalapeño and agave syrup. Add the rest of the ingredients. Fine strain 2 oz. of the mixture (and reserve the rest) into a kosher salt or sal de gusano rimmed pilsner glass filled with ice. Top with 4 oz. Mexican lager beer. Garnish with a slice of jalapeño.
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