Chipotle Margarita

April 28, 2014 by Kristi 28 Comments

It’s cocktail hour, so it’s time to meet the smoky, sweet orange and lime taste of this Chipotle Margarita.

With only one week until Cinco de Mayo, I wanted to bring you something bright, colorful and festive.

I’m posting late today, because if I didn’t, it would mean I’d be drinking a margarita on ‘vacation’ time (a.k.a. for breakfast)! 🙂

But now, it’s cocktail hour, so it’s time to meet the smoky, sweet orange and lime taste of this Chipotle Margarita.

In researching this drink, I learned sssooo much about Tequila that I didn’t know. Who knew it was so complicated? Knowledge is good, but given I rarely ever drink hard alcohol, I kind of wonder how long I’ll actually retain it. But, when one wants a Margarita, only the finest and best Margarita will do. Which meant for me, it couldn’t be too sweet. So, here it goes.

Did you know there are 5 different types of Tequila?

Tequila Blanco | White | Silver
Tequila Joven | Gold
Tequila Reposado | Rested or Aged
Tequila Añejo | Extra Aged or Vintage
Tequila Extra Añejo | Ultra-Aged

For this drink, I wanted a Tequila that matched me. Which meant I certainly wasn’t going for ‘vintage’ or the ‘ultra-aged’ one. 🙂

And, since I’ve been on a fabulous and well ‘rested’ vacation for the last 3 weeks, that Reposado Tequila was calling my name!!! Pick me! Pick me!!!

But, I’m sure you can just imagine my utter confusion as I stared in the Liquor aisle at the grocery store, completely baffled at all the various different kinds with an Uh Oh! look on my face.

I told you I rarely drink alcohol, so can you blame me for being confused? The funny thing about this whole story, was that I saw really young people down the alcohol aisle too, who I’m sure used something like a fake id Florida service to make them look like they were old enough, and it looked like they knew everything about all the products. Like, how? This made me even more confused. But then I had to turn my attention back to me. What do I need to look for?

Thank God for smart phones, yes?

A little research and a history lesson later, right there in the Liquor aisle, and I am educated. Eh, why not? I’m on vacation time. I’ve got time to burn.

For this festive beverage, I used Tequila Reposado because it’s smoother, subtler and more complex after being aged and rested in oak barrels. I figure aged and rested is good. I’m aged and rested, so I figured we’d get along just fine. 😉 And…, since the next type (Anejo) is considered ‘vintage’ alcohol, I was having none of that! 🙂

Here’s a quick lesson in the types of Tequila (thank you Wikipedia):

Blanco (Silver Tequila) is unaged and bottled immediately after distillation;
Joven (Gold Tequila) is colored and flavored with caramel;
Reposado (Rested/Aged Tequila) is aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels of any size;
Anejo (Aged/Vintage Tequila) is aged a minimum of one year, but less than three years in small oak barrels;
Extra Anejo (Extra Aged/Ultra Aged) is aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels.

With 100% agave tequila, blanco is harsher with the bold flavors of the distilled agave up front, while reposado and añejo are smoother, subtler, and more complex. As with other spirits aged in casks, tequila takes on the flavors of the wood, while the harshness of the alcohol mellows. The major flavor distinction with 100% agave tequila is the base ingredient, which is more vegetal than grain spirits (and often more complex).

Now you know nearly as much as I do!

What we loved about this margarita is that it’s not overly sweet. The scant amount of chipotle adds a nice smoky flavor and coupled with the orange and orange liqueur cuts the over-sweet taste of traditional margaritas, which makes these easily drinkable! 🙂

Enjoy!

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