Patrón Tequila in Search for Margarita of the Year

As tequila lovers around the world celebrated International Margarita Day, Patrón Tequila embarked on its “Search for 2018’s Margarita of the Year.”

Now in its fourth year, the bar has been raised with seven new recipes from across the globe, each offering a refreshing twist on the iconic cocktail.

Patrón, the global leader in the ultra-premium 100 percent agave tequila category, has selected seven bartenders from around the world to design their own interpretations of the Perfect Margarita using a variety of fresh flavor combinations inspired by their local region. Each cocktail gives a nod to the classic recipe, while also shaking things up with a combination of ingredients like cayenne-chili and blackberry shrub—even lychee and chia seeds—to highlight the versatility of one of the world’s most popular and enduring cocktails.

The “Search for 2018’s Margarita of the Year” is going strong at MargaritaOfTheYear.com where fans can vote once daily for their favorite recipe.The drink which receives the most votes will be announced on another celebratory tequila occasion, Cinco de Mayo.

“Reinterpreting a classic cocktail like the margarita takes creativity and a skilled hand. As the popularity of tequila continues to skyrocket across the globe, one thing will always be true, Patrón Tequila is the foundation of any perfect margarita.”
– Lee Applbaum, Patrón’s Global Chief Marketing Officer

Skyline Margarita

Each bartender selected to participate in this year’s search crafted unique, flavorful interpretations of the iconic cocktail recipe, tapping their local heritage and the season’s freshest ingredients to perfect their creations. The cocktails and participants include:

• “La Margarita” with lychee and chia seeds, by Jorge Ortega in Los Angeles
• “Mediterranean Margarita” with orange marmalade and sherry, by Yanaida Prado in Barcelona, Spain
• “North End Margarita” with tomato and thyme, by Stephen King in Boston
• “Passion Fruit Margarita” with passion fruit and jalapeño, by Aaron Joseph in Baltimore
• “Salted Plum Margarita” with plum and lemon, by Morita Masako in Osaka, Japan
• “Skyline Margarita” with cayenne-chili and blackberry shrub, by Megan Radke in Seattle
• “Verde Margarita” with celery and elderflower, by José Luis León in Mexico City

North End Margarita

“I’m excited to taste the recipes that each of this year’s bartenders created for the chance to be named the 2018 Patrón Margarita of the Year. I love seeing the ingredients and inspiration the bartenders draw from their local regions to craft truly imaginative recipes—each one definitely has what it takes to wow margarita drinkers around the world.”
– Riesler Morales of Mexico City, whose red wine and hibiscus-infused “Coralina Margarita” was selected as last year’s Margarita of the Year

La Margarita

Beyond tasting each of these recipes at their respective bars across the globe, consumers also have the opportunity to celebrate and explore each of the margaritas at home. “Margaritas and Chill” kits are available for purchase while supplies last via online delivery service Cocktail Courier for those looking to perfect their home bartending skills; each one will include all necessary ingredients and garnishes for each of the seven recipes. Additionally, each recipe and instructional tutorials about how to prepare them at home are available on the Patrón Cocktail Lab experience and the Margarita of the Year website, which features videos and interviews from the participating bartenders (filmed recently at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in Jalisco, Mexico). The site contains downloadable recipe cards as well as education about the history and evolution of this famous cocktail.

Fans can visit the website to explore each of the unique margarita recipes, then easily vote for their favorite interpretation once per day until the search comes to an end. Consumers will also be invited to vote live at various Patrón-sponsored events over the coming months. Digital votes will be accepted through:

• MargaritaOfTheYear.com, once daily, through May 5, 2018 (voting closes at 3am EST)
• Instagram and Twitter, by hashtagging the name of the margarita
• YouTube, a “thumbs up” on a YouTube video about a specific margarita
• Sharing content across channels (shares, re-tweets, and pins about specific margaritas all equal one vote each)

“Every year, this global search reminds us why the margarita is such a mainstay on menus around the world. It’s inspiring to watch how these talented artisans take such an iconic drink to new heights. As the “Search for 2018’s Margarita of the Year” proves, the cocktail’s possibilities are truly limitless.”
– David Alan, Manager of Trade Education & Mixology at Patrón Spirits