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!

Rhubarb Sour

Kip’s Rhubarb Sour brings together Don Julio Blanco, spiced rhubarb sherbet, lemon, Italian bitter aperitif, and saline for a cocktail that is fresh, balanced, and beautifully seasonal.

Rhubarb Sour

Created by Kip Moffitt

Rhubarb Sour
1.25 oz Don Julio Blanco
1.5 oz Spiced Rhubarb Sherbet
0.5 oz Lemon
0.25 oz Italian Bitter Aperitif
Dash saline

Shake, double strain, and serve in a Nick & Nora. No garnish.

Spiced Rhubarb Sherbet
600 ml strained rhubarb juice
200 g sugar
2 g ascorbic acid
7 g toasted pink peppercorn
7 g toasted coriander

Stir an additional pinch of ascorbic acid into the fresh rhubarb juice once finished. Blend all ingredients on medium-high in a Vitamix for 30–45 seconds, until the sugar is fully dissolved. Store in a Cambro for at least 24 hours to let the spices infuse, then strain through a mesh strainer.

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 PROMENADE

Fresh lemon, ripe mango and apricot, and @donjuliotequila Reposado come together in a cocktail that’s refreshing, balanced, and guaranteed to keep the good vibes flowing all season long.

THE PROMENADE
Created by Nicole Giampino

• 1.5 oz Don Julio Reposado
• 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• 0.75 oz Mango-Apricot Oleo Syrup
• 2 drops (20%) Saline

Method: Shake hard with ice and double strain over a large cube in a chilled rocks glass.

Garnish: Express a lemon peel over the drink and garnish with a Salted Mango & Apricot Skewer.

Extra Credit: Sprinkle Pink Peppercorn Orange Salt over the skewer before serving.

Mango-Apricot Oleo Syrup
• Zest of 4 oranges
• 300 g sugar
• 300 g ripe mango, diced
• 250 g ripe apricots, diced
• 4–5 g lightly crushed pink peppercorns
• 150 g hot water
• 2 g citric acid
• 1 g fine sea salt

Method: Muddle the orange zest, sugar, and pink peppercorns to release the citrus oils. Let rest 4–6 hours. Add the mango and apricots, muddle lightly, and rest another 2–4 hours. Add hot water and stir until the sugar dissolves, then blend for 10–15 seconds. Fine strain, stir in the citric acid and salt, and refrigerate. Keeps for about one week.

Salted Mango & Apricot Skewer
Thread one dried apricot and one strip of dried mango onto a cocktail pick. Lightly mist with water (or fresh orange juice) and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.

Pink Peppercorn Orange Salt
Toast 5 g pink peppercorns until fragrant, cool, and coarsely crush. Mix with 20 g flaky sea salt and the zest of one orange. Let air dry overnight (or dehydrate on low) and store airtight.

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.

Photos by: AS IS PRODUCTIONS

Take Your Summer Tequila Cocktails to the Next Level