A Margarita built on Grand Marnier instead of plain triple sec, trading the standard's bright snap for a deeper, Cognac-rounded orange warmth. Blanco tequila and fresh lime keep it tart and agave-forward over ice behind a salt rim, but the finish runs richer and rounder than its parent's.
Garnish: Salt Rim, Lime Wheel
Shaken · Rocks · On the Rocks
rinse
Rim a rocks glass with good-quality sea salt, then fill it with ice.
add
Add the tequila, Grand Marnier (orange Curaçao), and fresh lime juice to a shaker with ice.
shake
Shake hard for about 10 seconds until well-chilled.
strain
Strain over the fresh ice in the prepared rocks glass.
garnish
Garnish with a lime wheel.
No single inventor stands behind the Grand Margarita, which descends from the Margarita — a drink whose own beginnings are claimed by at least half a dozen rivals, among them Herrera, Morales, Sames, Cruz, Hussong's and Cuervo. The version made with Grand Marnier also goes by a nickname, the Cadillac Margarita. In 2024 the IBA adopted it as an official cocktail in its New Era category, fixing the proportions at 45 ml tequila, 30 ml Grand Marnier and 15 ml fresh lime — a 3:2:1 ratio.