Hi, we’re Curiocity, and we love tequila!
As is common knowledge, there are more ways to enjoy tequila than just with salt and lime. And we don’t mean margaritas alone. There’s a whole array of creative, bold-flavoured cocktails out there that you can enjoy with it, any season of the year.
The thing is, our limited knowledge of cocktail-making kept us from enjoying the many versions of this agave-based spirit during our lockdown hibernation. To make up for it, we are now on a mission to enjoy the very best of T-cocktails in town. Our only problem, we needed some help hunting them down.
Fortunately, we got it from the very best in the industry. Enter: Patrón! We knew we were in great hands since Patrón is not just one of the finest tequila makers in the world, but also the first to have brought premium tequila outside of Mexico. And together, we discovered the 6 best tequila cocktails in Calgary.
Here’s our list of the cocktails and the places where you can find them:
Mexican Shaft at Blanco Cantina
When you see a neon ‘tequila’ shining brightly over the bar, you know something good’s bound to come of it, as is the case with Blanco Cantina. And one of our hot favourites from their tequila cocktail collection is the Mexican Shaft, or the morning coffee replacement, as we like to call it. Crafted with Patrón XO Café, this is a creamy, milky delight that we can pretty much guarantee will be a new staple when you go out!
Patrón Perfect Margarita at Añejo
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Añejo is a go-to place for all things Mexican for many, us included. And their Patrón Perfect Margarita is one of the best tequila concoctions in town, especially if a classic drink with added orange notes is your thing.
Esther Jones at Betty Lou’s Library
When it comes to an innovative cocktail, there’s no beating Betty Lou but the bar outdid itself with Esther Jones reposado tequila cocktail. It’s citrusy, it’s herby, it’s fruity, it’s yolky, it’s everything you need a strong, flavour-rich cocktail to be. It’s one of those drinks you don’t know you’re missing until you’ve had it.
Let’s Get Tropical at The Wednesday Room
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Ah, The Wednesday Room, a drinker’s delight! This one’s not as complicated as Esther Jones but it’s just as yum nonetheless. This tequila and tonic water-based intoxicant lives up to its name every bit. It’s like summer in your mouth. It actually comes in two flavours- Mango and Passionfruit. We recommend Mango.
Hulk Smash at Shelter
In all honesty, we first tried this drink just because the name was intriguing. Yes, we are suckers for quirky names. That fact, however, did not stop this cocktail from making us fall in love with it or make its way into this list. This liquor-heavy tropical sundowner with a rich nutty note and spicy undertones is certainly a must-try.
Toasted Coconut Margarita at Native Tongues Taqueria
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This popular 12th Ave eatery is a Calgary favourite when it comes to authentic Mexican street food. But even better is their Toasted Coconut Margarita. No, it isn’t because of our coconut or tequila bias that this made the list, it really is amazing. Might we remind you of the other non-coconut cocktails above? Oh, and also, we love the whole contemporary rustic vibe here.
Word to the wise: after trying out all of these insane (in a nice way, of course) tequila cocktails, you will want to up your at-home bartending game and you will need to stock up that half-drained bar cart. Restocking it with a few Patrón basics- Silver, Reposado, Añejo– will be a great help.
