A cocktail with a whole day dedicated to it? Count us in.
Today is International Margarita Day, and as one of the most popular cocktails in the world, the margarita is a familiar entry on the drinks menu. At a glance, it’s a fairly simple drink—tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice—enjoyed shaken, on the rocks, or even frozen, with a bit of salt on the rim. And it’s this simplicity and variety that makes it easy to enjoy.
The origin of the cocktail is somewhat disputed, but one of the prevailing stories is that it was invented in 1948, when American socialite Margaret “Margarita” Sames was in Mexico. As the story goes, Sames prepared a special drink by mixing two of her favorite spirits: Cointreau and Tequila. This would then be known as the classic Margarita.
This month, Cointreau pays homage to Margaret Sames by creating the “Perfect Margarita” in collaboration with Patron. Both of these houses will take over bars across the Metro to celebrate the International Margarita Day, serving the drink using Cointreau liqueur and Patron Silver.
Check out the events and spots serving the Perfect Margarita, each with their own twist:
Alegria: Forbestown Road, BGC, Taguig
February 18-22
Patron Perfectionist finalist Errol Barbosa takes over the bar and serves cocktails, including Buenavida: a drink made with Cointreau, Patron Silver, Fresh Lime, Lychee Syrup, Elderflower syrup, cucumber, and Agave Worm Salt.
Alibi Lounge Bar: Crimson Hotel Alabang, Muntinlupa
February 22
An alumnus of the Cointreau bartending competition (La Maison Cointreau) and Patron Perfectionist Champion for the Philippines, Lawrence Gabriel is hosting for the evening.
The bar will serve one of its known cocktail—The Perfect Excuse—made from the classic recipe, but with a bit of a twist. The lemons are roasted before juicing and salt is added to the sugar instead of lining the glass with salt.
Alamat: Poblacion, Makati
February 22-27
Alamat, one of the first gastropubs in Poblacion, is serving drinks such as Juanderlast: a cocktail made with Cointreau, Tequila, Mezcal, camias/orange, vanilla pandan, citrus, and salt. Finishing it with orange air bring out the aroma of Cointreau and emphasizes its citrus notes.
Southbank Café + Lounge: Alabang, Muntinlupa
February 21-27
Another Independent café and cocktail bar Southbank is serving their Fresh Daisy. The drink is made with Cointreau, Patron Silver, Ancho Reyes Verde (citrus cloud foam) simple syrup, and egg white.
The lounge also has an expansive range of food and drinks to choose from.
Baccarat Room & Bar: Solaire Resort and Casino, Paranaque
Bartender Lawrence Gabriel recommends Mezcla de Baya Margarita or Mixed Berry Margarita inspired by ‘Fresas con Crema’: a traditional no-bake dessert from Mexico mostly consumed during summer.
The drink is mixed with egg white instead of cream for the texture without making it too heavy, plus blueberry and creme de cassis that give it another layer of flavor.
HQ Poblacion: Poblacion, Makati City
Inspired by Notorious B.I.G., the bar offers two full cocktail bars and a consistent line-up of DJs and quality cocktails. Their Perfect Margarita is named Notorious Margarita, made with Cointreau, Patrón Reposado (Silver), spicy mango syrup, fresh lime juice, & garnish with salt, sugar, lemon powder, cayenne, and basil.
The Hotel Bar at Pinks: Ground Floor, Shangri-La at the Fort, Taguig
Sitting inside Pinks, The Hotel Bar will serve drinks including Petty Cash Margarita, one of their fast-moving cocktails at the bar concocted by underrated bartender Jay-ar Sapalleda. The drink is sold Php 420 per glass from 5 pm to 8 pm.
Know more about this elegant bar and speakeasy through Facebook or call 027721147.
OTO: Enriquez, Makati
OTO is serving their Peachy Keen: a twisted classic margarita cocktail. It’s a mix of citrus and sweetness, with a spicy finish.
Bring the Limited-Edition Cointreau home
All these bars are celebrating International Margarita Day, but if you can’t head out, you can always make one at home.
Cointreau has partnered with artists to come up with limited-edition reinterpretations of its iconic four-sided bottle. This year, the company has collaborated with Parisian artist Florian Viel through The Tropicool Company. The design features subtle references to both the orange liqueur and the cocktail to which this limited-edition bottle pays homage.
The limited-edition Cointreau bottle is available on Boozy, Clink, Thirst, and select stores. And if you’re interested you can learn more than 50 Margarita recipes by heading to www.cointreau.com or by scanning the QR code below:
