Day of the Dead Drink: Cherry Chili Margarita

Celebrate Dia de los Muertos with this surprisingly flexible Day of the Dead drink. No cherry juice on hand? You can substitute just about any red juice in this Cherry Chili Margarita – we recommend the beet juice!

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An Introduction to Espanita Tequila

We were gifted a couple bottles of Espanita Tequila to taste test and to create some cocktails. And it might be our new favorite tequila. Chrissy, Naomi, and I loved the smooth, slightly sweet taste and these gorgeous bottles!

Espanita Artisanal Tequila is a handcrafted, award-winning tequila created by following traditional manufacturing techniques developed hundreds of years ago in Mexico.

The unique flavor of a tequila reflects the imprint of the geographical region where the Blue Agave plants are cultivated – in the mountainous terrain of Jalisco, Mexico, called the Highlands, or in the valley surrounding the city of Tequila, known as the Lowlands. Differences in altitudes above sea level, types of soil, climate, and rain patterns impact the intrinsic characteristics of Blue Agave and result in contrasting flavors. The Agave plants from the Highlands that are used in Espanita production are bigger in size, richer in sugar content and have a longer growing cycle, producing fruitier, sweeter tequilas.

Available in Blanco, Reposado and Añejo, Espanita Tequilas retail for $26.99 to $34.99 in the US. While Espanita Blanco is bottled fresh from the still, the Reposado and Añejo are aged in slightly charred ex-Bourbon American white oak barrels for 6 and 18 months, respectively.

And it’s celebrity endorsed. Armando Christian Pérez, aka Pitbull, is Espanita’s global brand ambassador and has equity in the brand.

How to Make this Day of the Dead Drink

Since Dia de los Muertos is upon us, we decided to create something rich, colorful and delicious with Espanita Tequila. And because we love spicy drinks (like this Jalapeno Mezcal Margarita or our Death by Cider), it needed some heat. We came up with a Cherry Chili Margarita.

Now, can I tell you a secret? The drink you see in these photos is made with beet juice instead of cherry juice. That’s all we had on hand when we were taking photos, and since it’s the same color, we figured it would be fine.

But to my surprise, it turned out better than fine. It was delicious! If you like healthy beet juice, give it a try in this tasty margarita. I’m sure you could use just about any red juice you like – pomegranate, cranberry, cherry, or beet.

To make a Cherry Chili Margarita, mix the following ingredients in a cocktail shaker with a few ice cubes:

• 2 ounces Espanita Tequila Blanco
• 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 ounce Sour Cherry Shrub from Tait Farm Foods
• 3/4 ounce Three Chili Syrup from Royal Rose Organic Syrups
• 2 ounces organic cherry juice (or beet, pomegranate or cranberry!)

Shake until the shaker is nice and frosty, then strain into a margarita glass with fresh ice cubes. Garnish with lime wheels and enjoy!

Bonus Recipe: Mango Star-Rise with Espanita Reposado

Here’s another recipe you can try, courtesy of Espanita Tequila!

• 2 oz Espanita Reposado Tequila
• 2 oz Mango Juice
• 1 oz Orange Juice
• 1 oz Grenadine
• 1 Starfruit

1. Slice one starfruit and remove visible seeds with a tip of a knife. Muddle sliced star fruit to a pulp and measure 1 ounce of pureed star fruit in a jigger and add to cocktail shaker.
2. Add mango and orange juice (freshly pressed juice is preferable), Espanita Reposado tequila, and a handful of ice.
3. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass filled with fresh ice.
4. Gently pour grenadine down the inside of the glass so that it does not get mixed with the cocktail and slowly sinks to the bottom of the glass.
5. Garnish the drink with a slice of star fruit and serve immediately.

Cherry Chili Margarita

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

Our Cherry Chili Margarita is surprisingly flexible - try it with beet juice!

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Ingredients

• 2 oz Espanita Tequila Blanco
• 1 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 3/4 oz Royal Rose Three Chili Organic Simple Syrup
• 1/4 oz Tait Farm Foods Sour Cherry Shrub
• 2 oz organic cherry juice (or try beet, pomegranate, or cranberry!)

Instructions

1. Pour all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake until frosty cold, then strain over fresh ice.
3. Garnish with lime wheels.
4. Please drink responsibly.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 240