Cadillac Margarita

Hop in — the Cadillac Margarita will take you to the top of your cocktail game! This top-shelf version of the classic margarita is as elegant as it is delicious. Pull out your reposado tequila, Grand Marnier, and fresh lime juice for this easy shaken cocktail.

About this Cadillac Margarita recipe

There’s nothing like a classic margarita — we all know this. But if you’ve never sprung for the “top-shelf” version at your favorite Mexican restaurant, you are missing out.

Also called the Golden Cadillac Margarita, these margs are made with premium ingredients. We’re talking fresh lime juice (not sour mix), top shelf tequila and orange liqueur, and real agave nectar ^*. On the rim, a quality salt goes without saying.

It’s easy to see why they cost a little more than a regular margarita.

These top-shelf margaritas are going to be your new favorite. The flavor profile of the drink is so much smoother and more nuanced than the margaritas you’ve tried before.

Why is it called a Cadillac Margarita?

The Cadillac is often thought to be one of the fanciest luxury cars, so the Cadillac Margarita, which is made with top-shelf ingredients, is the top-of-the-line margarita.

Because the drink is made with reposado tequila, aged tequila with an amber color — thanks to the oak barrels it rests in — the drink has a golden hue as well.

That’s why it’s sometimes referred to as a Golden Cadillac Margarita. (However, don’t confuse it with the “Golden Cadillac,” which is the name of another cocktail made with Galliano.)

Ingredients & essentials

You can’t make a margarita without tequila, and for a Cadillac Margarita, reposado tequila is a must! This is the good stuff, so you’ll pay top-shelf prices, but it also makes for a smoother drink.

Premium orange liqueur gives a hint of orange flavor and another layer of complexity to any margarita. The sweet orange balances the sour lime flavors in the margarita. Grand Marnier has a golden color that’s perfect for these golden margaritas and is my personal preference.

You’ll also need fresh squeezed lime juice. Skip the bottled stuff—fresh citrus brings the brightest, zestiest flavor.

favorite juicers

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^*

Agave nectar ^* is the best sweetener for this cocktail. It pairs really beautifully with tequila since they are made from the same plant and adds a golden hue to the drink.

Another option is making a batch of brown sugar simple syrup, which is easy to make with brown sugar and water. You could also use homemade honey syrup or dress your margs up with more flavors like lavender syrup or jalapeño syrup.

You’ll also need salt for the rim. Sea salt or kosher salt both work well. I don’t recommend using regular table salt. Try to use coarse salt, though a flaky salt will be too coarse.

I also love making my own flavored salts, such as this orange salt.

Make sure you have a jigger, cocktail shaker ^*, and a hawthorne strainer on hand.

Margaritas can be served in rocks glasses ^* and stemless martini glasses ^* (what I used in these photos), but the elegance of the Cadillac Marg can also call for something with a stem, such as a coupe glass or a margarita glass ^*.

Best tequila for Cadillac Margaritas

Margaritas traditionally call for tequila, which is a transparent spirit made from the Blue Weber Agave plant in Mexico.

While regular margaritas call for tequila blanco  (AKA silver tequila), the Cadillac Margarita calls for reposado tequila.

There are a few differences between blanco and reposado tequilas:

• Blanco tequila: This is the most common type of tequila, and it’s often used for margaritas. Clear and colorless, it is unaged and stored in stainless steel tanks while it rests.
• Reposado tequila: This tequila gets its name from the word for ‘rested’ in Spanish because it is aged in oak barrels for between two months and one year. The aging process gives it some of the oak’s coloration and flavor, though additional coloring and flavoring are sometimes added. It is used for mixing and sipping.

You might be tempted to use an añejo tequila, a premium tequila that has been aged for a year or longer, getting its name from the word for ‘aged’ in Spanish. But, like a fine cognac, it is meant to be sipped straight.

You’ll want to sping for a top-shelf reposado tequila, such as Don Julio, Patron or Milagro.

How to make a Cadillac Margarita

Place salt on a plate. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of a margarita glass ^*. Roll the rim of the glass in the salt to coat the rim.

In a cocktail shaker ^* filled with ice cubes, combine the reposado tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice and agave syrup. Shake well.

Add ice to the prepared margarita glass, then strain the cocktail over top. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Variations & substitutions

Pink Cadillac Margarita: Add a splash of cranberry juice to make a version reminiscent of Mary Kay’s famous car.

Frozen Cadillac Margarita: Want it to be a little slushy? Throw all the ingredients in a blender with 1 cup of ice per cocktail. (Most blenders can make about four cocktails at once.)

Non-alcoholic Margarita: Use a zero-proof spirit such as Ritual tequila alternative or Spiritless Jalisco 55 ^* for the tequila. Instead of triple sec, use a splash of orange juice or the zero-proof Lyre’s Orange Sec ^*.

Serving suggestions

Margaritas are a drink of Mexican origin, so it makes sense to serve them with Mexican food.

While regular chips, guacamole and tomato salsa are a great appetizer… these are Cadillac Margaritas, after all, so why not step your food pairings up a notch, too? Try grilled guacamole and a flavored salsa like cilantro pineapple salsa would also be perfection.

You could also enjoy them with a round of your favorite tacos, like pulled pork tacos with some elote on the side.

A batch of margarita bars or margarita jello shots would be perfect for dessert.

FAQ

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