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Cocktail History
The Devil’s Margarita is a cocktail that was created sometime in the 1900s. The lesser known sibling of the New York Sour, the recipe starts with the Margarita template that’s made with tequila, citrus, and simple syrup, but it omits the orange liqueur and adds a fruity red wine float on top.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Tequila Blanco: This is a spirit made with unaged agave and water. We used Casamigos Tequila Blanco because it has a sweet agave flavor with notes of grapefruit and vanilla. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Blanco Spirit in place of the tequila.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Dry Red Wine: This is a type of wine made with red grapes. We used Jacobs Creek Double Barrel Shiraz because it’s a dry, full-bodied red wine that’s aged in oak, which complements the aged whiskey well. For a mocktail version of this drink, try YOURS Non-Alcoholic Wine California Red Blend in place of the wine.
Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Tasting Notes
The Devil’s Margarita has aromas of agave and wine, a smooth and balanced taste that marries the sweeter tequila cocktail with the dry notes of red wine, and a finish that has a tiny bit of tartness that mingles with the lasting tannin notes.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: While doubters like us might think that this combination wouldn’t work, we were both surprised at how phenomenal the Devil’s Margarita was. We will absolutely be making it again!
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Alright, cool! It turns out you can make a New York Sour out of other cocktails too! This drink turned out far better than I could’ve dreamed. The agave marries to the red wine surprisingly well, and the whole thing does taste like a Margarita overall but with the slight dryness imposed by the wine, much like how the New York Sour works. Please do give this one a shot sometime. It’s well worth your time and effort.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I’m always pleasantly surprised when I taste a New York Sour again. I don’t expect the red wine float to mix so well with the Whiskey Sour template and certainly didn’t think it would work in a Margarita either. I was very wrong on both accounts though. It turns out red wine mingles just as deliciously with the tequila and citrus, so much so that I had to give this four stars. I wouldn’t have them all the time because I love the classic lime version so much, but I would have it again.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Liquor.com, an online beverage publication.
Add tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Carefully float red wine on top with a bar spoon.
Garnish with lime slice.
Ingredients
Directions
Add tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Carefully float red wine on top with a bar spoon.
Garnish with lime slice.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Blanco Spirit in place of the tequila and YOURS Non-Alcoholic Wine California Red Blend in place of the wine to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Halloween Cocktails
If you like this Halloween-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Witch’s Brew Lemonade: A gin cocktail made with lemonade, blue curaçao, lemon juice, and a rosemary sprig
Poison Apple: A rye whiskey cocktail made with cinnamon syrup, cranberry juice, apple cider, lemon juice, and apple slices
Vampire’s Kiss: A lemon vodka cocktail made with raspberry liqueur, cranberry liqueur, lemon juice, grenadine, cherry, clove, and cinnamon bitters, and red food coloring
Empress Corpse Reviver No. 2: A gin cocktail made with triple sec, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, absinthe, and an orange twist
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2023-12-07.
