Take Your Summer Tequila Cocktails to the Next Level

Before his name was famous around the world, Don Julio González Estrada was an agave farmer. He took all of the knowledge he gleaned from working the red volcanic soil fields in his hometown of Atotonilco El Alto, Mexico, and used it to start making his pioneering tequila brand in 1942 when he was just 17 years old.

He realized that the secret to making high-quality tequila was to use the best agave. At the time, his philosophy was unique and trailblazing. Today, Tequila Don Julio carries on his tradition by only using agave that meets its own rigorous standards, which exceed official tequila regulatory standards.

Most of the agave Tequila Don Julio now uses is grown by local farmers in the highlands region of Jalisco. The area offers the perfect growing conditions for the plants—cool nights and warm days. The agave is hand-harvested after it reaches an optimal maturity by jimadors using razor-sharp coas and is then slow cooked in traditional masonry ovens before being crushed to extract its juices. The sweet liquid is fermented with the brand’s proprietary yeast strain and finally double distilled in pot stills.

Just like when González made his spirit, Tequila Don Julio is now produced from just three ingredients: agave, yeast and water. This trinity of ingredients creates a tequila that is full of wonderful crisp and sweet agave notes. This is why Tequila Don Julio pairs perfectly with a range of citrus juices and sodas—basically everything you need for making a refreshing summer cocktail. There is a reason why top bartenders in Mexico and the United States serve the brand in both classic and modern classic cocktails.

To inspire your drinks making, we asked two of America’s best bartenders, Kip Moffitt and Nicole Giampino, for their favorite summer recipes featuring Tequila Don Julio Blanco. Their cocktails push the boundaries and truly showcase the mixability of Tequila Don Julio and the full range of flavors that complement the spirit—from orange to cooking spice to sweet vermouth. Cheers!

Roasted Cactus Cooler

Kip Moffitt’s Roasted Cactus Cooler combines Tequila Don Julio Blanco with tart prickly pear soda and an agave syrup made with roasted nopales pads. While agave is often mistaken for a cactus, it is actually part of the lily family. Nopales pads are a very popular and historic ingredient in Mexican cooking. So in one glass, Moffitt combines two of Mexico’s favorites—tequila and prickly cactus.

Roasted Cactus Cooler

Created by Kip Moffitt

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz Tequila Don Julio Blanco
3 oz Prickly pear soda
.75 oz Roasted nopales agave syrup

Lemon juice

Glass: Highball

Garnish: Nopales pad

DIRECTIONS
Add all of the ingredients to a highball glass. Stir, and add an ice spear. Garnish with a fresh nopales pad.

Asada Negroni
In this riff on a Negroni, Moffitt continues to take inspiration from traditional Mexican cooking. Carne asada is one of Mexico’s most iconic dishes, which has truly gone viral. In this cocktail recipe, Moffitt infuses Tequila Don Julio Blanco with a range of asada herbs and spices. These flavors work particularly well with the savory combination of sweet vermouth, Italian bitters and tequila.

Asada Negroni

Created by Kip Moffitt

INGREDIENTS

1.25 oz Tequila Don Julio Reposado infusion
1 oz Sweet vermouth
.75 oz Italian bitter

Glass: Rocks

Garnish: Orange twist

DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with orange twist

The Orange Batanga

The classic Batanga cocktail calls for just three ingredients: tequila, cola and lime juice. The refreshing combination is also the perfect template for creating riffs and variations. One that works particularly well is from Nicole Giampino, which elevates this combination with the addition of rich orange liqueur that adds another layer of flavor and a depth of complexity.

Orange Batanga

Created by Nicole Giampino

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz Tequila Don Julio Blanco
1 spoon Orange liqueur
.5 oz Cola syrup
.5 oz Lime juice
Soda water
Glass: Rocks

Garnish: Lime wheel

DIRECTIONS

Add all of the ingredients, except the soda water, to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Flower Power

In the Flower Power, Giampino showcases the citrus notes in Tequila Don Julio Blanco by combining it with fresh lemon juice and orange liqueur. The addition of elderflower liqueur and aquavit provide an unexpected flowery and anise note, which takes the cocktail in a surprisingly satisfying direction.

Flower Power

Created by Nicole Giampino

INGREDIENTS

.75 oz Tequila Don Julio Blanco
1 spoonful Rich simple syrup (2 parts sugar, one part water)
.75 oz Lemon juice
.75 oz Orange liqueur
.75 oz Elderflower liqueur
Aquavit

Glass: Coupe

DIRECTIONS
Add all of the ingredients, except the aquavit, to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a coupe glass. Spritz with a bit of aquavit.

Cocktails fit for a World Cup

For more bartending inspiration check out Tequila Don Julio’s three cocktail recipes for the FIFA World Cup, which call for the brand’s decadent and luxurious 1942 expression. Tequila Don Julio has also created a limited-edition version of 1942, which pays homage to the World Cup’s famous golden trophy.

This article was published in partnership with Tequila Don Julio.

Take Your Summer Tequila Cocktails to the Next Level