Mexico’s much-loved agave spirit is celebrated each year on July 24 – International Tequila Day. And craft distiller Tromba Tequila has given Drinks Digest its tips for mixing the perfect Margarita this weekend.

With overseas travel off the cards and many Aussies unable to visit their favourite bars and cantinas this year, Tromba wants to bring a taste of Mexico to home mixologists.

Tequila is the fastest-growing spirit in the US and third-fastest in Australia. The spirit’s sales were up 46% globally in 2020. And its transitioning away from its ‘party shot’ reputation, as the category experiences premiumisation and Aussie drinkers become more discerning about their agave-based spirits, with craft and cocktail trends driving growth.

Tromba was launched by two Aussies and a Canadian – Eric Brass, Nick Reid and James Sherry – who met in Guadalajara, Mexico, back in 2005 and developed a love of pure agave based tequila. They set out on a mission to turn people from shots with lemon and salt to sipping and savouring the good stuff.

Drinks Digest sat down (virtually) this week with Tromba CEO Rodrigo Cedano for a tasting of the brand’s 100% premium agave tequilas.

They found partners in maverick Master Distiller, Marco Cedano, and his son Rodrigo (pictured above). Among Mexico’s tequila artisans, Marco is a true pioneer – the first master distiller to produce premium 100% agave tequila. The Cedano family’s passion for making great tequila has been passed down from father to son in the highlands of Mexico. Now the two generations of distillers are lending their expertise to Tromba’s creation.

The brand has become a firm favourite with Australian bartenders over the past 10 years. The team recently expanded their distribution and have turned their attention to raising awareness with the at-home consumer. They’re eager to educate Aussies about the versatility of the spirit and encourage buyers to experiment with swapping out other white spirits for tequila in favourite cocktails.

Cedano describes Tromba Blanco as having fresh, herbal aromas, due to Tromba retaining 2.5cm of the plant’s leaves when harvesting the agave’s piña. It also has strong notes of white pepper and is lively on the tongue. Cedano suggests pairing it with seafood.

Tromba Reposado is mellower on the palate. It’s aged in white oak American Whiskey barrels for six months and has peach and orange aromas. Cedano says it pairs well with spicy meats.

Tromba Anejo has notes of cherry and cacao that match well with desserts and cheese plates.

Raising a glass to Tequila Day

As for how the Tromba team will be celebrating Tequila Day, Cedano will be firing up the barbecue and sipping a beer with a chaser of a shot of Tromba. When he’s in the mood for a mixed drink on a hot summer’s day, he adds tonic or mineral water, lime juice and agave syrup to his tequila.

Sherry admits he’s a fan of pink cocktails and will be mixing a “Rude” Cosmopolitan, switching out the vodka for tequila to give the drink a different edge.

When it comes to making the world’s most popular tequila cocktail, the Margarita, Sherry says the secret to mixing a bar-quality drink is in the ingredients.

“My top tip for making the perfect margarita at home is to start with the best quality ingredients you can get,” he said. “Quality 100% agave tequila is a must, as is fresh lime juice. Your cocktail making skills may not be professional grade (they will be with practice!) but there’s no reason why your ingredients can’t be.”

Drinks Digest’s tip is to make a Tommy’s Margarita – switching out Triple Sec for agave syrup is a game changer for DIY mixologists. When we spoke to the creator of the cocktail – Julio Bermejo at Tommy’s Mexican restaurant in San Francisco – he said getting the proportions right was also key – 2-1-1 … Two parts 100% agave tequila, one-part hand-squeezed lime juice and one part agave syrup.

Here are some of Tromba’s favourite cocktail recipes so you can master a Margarita, Paloma or Rosita at home.

Paloma

• 45ml Tromba Blanco
• 15ml lime juice
• Grapefruit soda, to top
• Grapefruit slice garnish

Method: Build all ingredients in a tall salt rimmed glass. Top with grapefruit soda.

Tommy’s Margarita

• 60ml Tromba Blanco
• 30ml lime juice
• 15ml agave nectar

Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Watermelon Margarita

• 60ml Tromba Reposado
• 60ml watermelon juice
• 30ml lime juice
• 15ml agave nectar

Method: Add all ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice. Strain into rocks glass with ice.

Rosita (Tequila Negroni)

• 45ml Tromba Blanco
• 15ml Lillet Blanc
• 15ml Cointreau

Method: Add ingredients into a cocktail yarai with ice, stir down until well diluted. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over a big ice cube. Garnish with orange swath.