On National Margarita Day in February, Patrón Tequila embarked on a global search for 2016’s “Margarita of the Year,” and now, as Cinco de Mayo approaches, seven unique styles of competing margaritas have been tasted…and tasted again…and the final results have been tallied. With more than 50,000 votes cast, the Spicy Margarita has been chosen as Patrón Tequila’s 2016 “Margarita of the Year.”
Patrón, the global leader in the 100 percent agave ultra-premium tequila category, enlisted the help of seven top bartenders from across the U.S. and Mexico to create recipes for seven distinct styles of margaritas, respecting the unique heritage of this classic cocktail, while incorporating their personal style, regional influences, and culinary trends. The recipes for the seven styles of margaritas – herbal, spicy, smoky, savory, modern, tropical and classic – were posted at MargaritaOfTheYear.com, where the public was invited to cast a daily vote for their favorite. Fans were also invited to vote live at select Patrón-sponsored events, culminating in a final showdown of the three top favorites (spicy, smoky and modern) at a grand celebration last week in New York, where this year’s winning “Margarita of the Year” was ultimately crowned.
“The margarita is one of the most popular cocktails in the world, and over the years it’s been interpreted in countless recipes and styles,” says drinks writer and cocktail historian David Wondrich, who attended the event in New York and contributed to the final vote. He also penned an article about the history of the margarita for the MargaritaOfTheYear website. “For me, it’s difficult to choose a favorite, but from the votes that were tallied, the Spicy Margarita is a clear winner!”
The winning Spicy “Rosa Picante” Margarita was created by Jordan Corney from San Antonio, TX, taking inspiration from the classic margarita and the El Diablo, two of his favorite cocktails, and adding the modern component of jalapeño oil to impart texture and complexity to the drink. (For a video of Jordan preparing and explaining his “Margarita of the Year,” click here.)
“It was an honor to be asked to help Patrón create a recipe for one of the margarita styles to compete for this year’s ‘Margarita of the Year,’ and I’m enormously excited that the spicy cocktail I developed was voted as the favorite,” says Corney. “But really, there’s no style of margarita that’s the best. It’s all a matter of personal preference, and with an ultra-premium, high-quality 100 percent agave tequila like Patrón, every margarita is a winner.”
To enjoy the Spicy Margarita, look for it at your favorite bar or restaurant, or to make one at home, simply follow this recipe:
Spicy: “Rosa Picante” Margarita
Presented by: Jordan Corney – San Antonio, TX
Ingredients:
2 oz. Patrón Silver
.5 oz. Patrón Citrónge Lime Liqueur
1 oz. Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
.5 oz. Ginger Syrup
Bar Spoon of Jalapeño Oil
Dash Rosewater
Rose Petal Sea Salt
Method:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice to chill. Strain into a chilled cocktail coupe that has been half-rimmed with rose sea salt, and top with a dash of rose water. Garnish with a rose petal, if available.
