The Margarita reigns as the most most ordered cocktail in Australian bars (CGA Strategy, 2022) and with its rise grows the popularity of World Margarita Day each year on February 22.

Legend has it that Dallas socialite Margaret “Margarita” Sames was throwing a lavish party at her home in Acapulco in 1948 when she mixed together her two favourite spirits, Cointreau and tequila, with lime juice to concoct the famed cocktail. Among her well-connected guests was Tommy Hilton, who added the drink to the bar menu at his Hilton hotel chain.

An American called Todd McCalla founded National Margarita Day in 2009 to spread his love for margaritas. McCalla lives in Ohio and wanted to drink margaritas with his friends during winter. Since not everyone can jump a plane to Cancun in the middle of a snowstorm, he created an excuse to drink margaritas with his friends.

It has since morphed into World Margarita Day and venues around Australia are gearing up for the celebration, ranging from North Bondi Fish’s Summer of Margs menu, which will be available to enjoy all week long, to Patrón Margarita Month menus at Terminus Fitzroy North, The Continental Hotel Sorrento, Osbourne Hotel Fortitude Valley, The Plough Inn South Bank and The Collective Palm Beach, just to name a few,

Australia’s love of Margaritas shows no sign of slowing down, with Cointreau reporting an increase in its standard 700ml case sales by 40% in the last three years alone.

Altos shouts 10,000 margaritas across Australia

Altos Tequila is shouting 10,000 margaritas across Australia for tequila lovers and friends; available until March 7 at selected venues.  

Altos Global Marketing Director Eric Thomas said: “Altos is one of the fastest growing tequila brands in the country, making it the essential component of your margarita. This Mexican wave will be one to remember. Altos margs are best shared with friends which is why we wanted our Mexican wave to be easily passed on around the nation.” 

Register for your free margarita and find your nearest venue here

Monday Distillery x Jones & Co collab

Monday Distillery has teamed up with Australian homewares label Jones & Co to bring the packaging of its non-alc Cantina Spritz Collection to life, giving Aussies who are on Feb Fast the opportunity to celebrate World Margarita Day.

Selecting gorgeous prints dreamed up by the in-house team at Jones & Co, the colour, style and overall vibes of the designs bring the fiesta feels to life and capture the Mexican cantina inspiration. 

The ‘Cantina Spritz’ collection offers two margarita flavours, the Margi Spritz and the Coco Margi. Both are sugar and alcohol free.

“February is a month where a lot of people are thinking about their relationship with alcohol, but that doesn’t mean they should miss out on the good times and celebrate one of the world’s most famous cocktails on World Margi Day,” says Monday Distillery Founder, Samantha Manning.

“We figured we’d double the fun instead, with two drinks bursting with hip-shaking flair. Our collaboration with Jones & Co was the most natural fit.  We wanted to bring the Mexican vibes to encase our new beauties and fell in love with the designs happening over and Jones & Co HQ.”

Australia’s hottest new margarita

Australia’s aptly-named Margarita Maestro, Jeremy Blackmore of famed venues Tio’s Cerveceria and Cantina OK!, has partnered with el Jimador tequila to create a new margarita serve, Jimmy’s Margarita, in time for World Margarita Day.

The Jimmy’s Margarita features el Jimador blanco tequila, fresh Australian pineapple and lime . Unlike the Tommy’s Margarita, this one uses pineapple juice instead of agave syrup.

“Taste preferences have changed throughout the years, but we’re yet to land on a recipe that’s uniquely Australian,” Blackmore said.

“The original marg uses lime juice and orange liqueur, but that makes it very tart, whereas the Tommy’s marg uses agave syrup, which is super smooth but overpowers the natural citrus notes of tequila.

“When crafting the Jimmy’s with el Jimador and Tio’s, we chose Australian pineapple to create a pine and lime combination (hello splice!) that enhances tequila’s natural citrus notes and creates a unique serve that’s perfect for the Aussie palate.”

Maybe Sammy’s new Mexican bar El Primo Sanchez opens

The team behind multi-award-winning cocktail bar Maybe Sammy is opening El Primo Sanchez on February 22 inside Paddington’s The Rose.

The venue can accommodate up to 100 guests with tables for two, lounges and standing tables. Highballs feature prominently on the menu, ranging from mandarin palomas to the Charro Negro, made with corn liqueur, mezcal and cola.

“For us, it is not about having the biggest collection of tequila and mezcal in Australia; it’s about celebrating and appreciating this highly nuanced selection of spirits,” The Maybe Group’s Creative Director Martin Hudak told Concrete Playground.

“Tequila replaces vodka in our espresso martini, we swap bourbon or rye whiskey for aged tequila in an old fashioned and for our negroni, Blanco tequila is the substitute for gin.”