We here at A Bar Above absolutely love Margaritas– I mean, they are one of the most popular cocktails of all time for a reason. Although we’ve done a lot of delicious Margarita recipes, we’ve surprisingly never published one for the Cadillac.
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Known for its golden color and boozy goodness, the Cadillac differs from a regular Margarita with its use of not one but two orange-flavored liqueurs: Cointreau and Grand Marnier.
If you’re not sure about the difference between these two top-shelf liquors, we have a whole series of articles to explain how they are made, how they taste, and how to use them in cocktails. But basically, Cointreau is made with sugar beet alcohol, while Grand Marnier is made with cognac. Cointreau is lighter and more versatile, while Grand Marnier is sweeter and more specific.
Using both liqueurs in a mixed drink like this one, you get a little more orange flavor, sweetness, weight, and mouthfeel to your drink than with the original recipe or a skinny Margarita. (This also offers way more sugar, FYI, so if you’re trying to cut out extra calories, this isn’t the drink for you.)
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Some recipes use more of the liqueurs than our recipe, but here, the tequila Reposado shines a bit more– and the nuanced notes of this aged tequila are really accentuated by the orange essence of Grand Marnier as opposed to hiding behind it.
This cocktail has a lot of depth and richness to it, and these flavors can be easily lost or muddied together– which is also why our in-house bartender, Rob Harrah, did only a partial offset to the Cointreau with the Grand Marnier as opposed to making it equal parts.
This cocktail is easily and often overwhelmed with the Grand Marnier; and while it is a premium and delicious spirit, it should be used sparingly in cocktails.
Photo courtesy of DesignPickle/stock.adobe.com
So let us know what you think of this delicious cocktail. Is it the perfect Margarita for you, or do you have another version that you prefer? Leave us a comment and let us know your favorite! In the meantime, cheers!
Cadillac Margarita
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounce Reposado Tequila
- 1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
- .75 ounce Cointreau
- 0.5 ounce Grand Marnier
- 0.25 ounce Agave Nectar
- 1 Salt for Rim of Glass (Optional-- Use a coarse salt like kosher salt)
- 3-4 Additional Lime Slices for Garnish
Instructions
- If you're using salt, rim classic Margarita glass or rocks glass by running a lime wedge around the edge and then dipping it in salt.
- Fill your glass a with ice cubes and set the prepared glass aside.
- In a cocktail shaker with ice, add tequila, Cointreau, agave syrup, and lime juice.
- Shake well and double-strain into the prepared cocktail glass with ice and salt rim. Garnish with lime wheel.
- Add the shot glass of Grand Marnier over the top of the cocktail and enjoy.
