Tequila Paloma

A Paloma is another summer-themed Tequila highball classic, with Pink Grapefruit adding the flavour contrast and some colour. It does require you to locate some Pink Grapefruit soda, if you can’t find it anywhere you can always use extra Grapefruit Juice and Sugar Syrup and top with Soda Water.

Originally a Paloma was literally just Tequila and Grapefruit soda, but by adding Lime juice, fresh Grapefruit juice and Sugar Syrup we arrive at a cocktail with a deeply satisfying Grapefruit flavour that the Lime juice and Sugar Syrup balance out nicely.

It is said to have been first created by Don Javier Delgado Corona at his bar/restaurant La Capilla in Tequila, Mexico sometime in the 1950s. The Paloma is very similar to the Margarita, in fact it is essentially a Margarita that has had a burst of Grapefruit to give it a fruity effervescence. The Grapefruit really transcends this cocktail away from it’s more famous cousin and creates a cocktail that stands on it’s own as a wonderfully fruity refreshing highball classic.

It is hardly so very surprising that a lot of the great Tequila cocktails all seem to be perfectly suited to hot summers days.  When we talk about great wines we talk about the terroir and being able to taste the growing conditions of the grapes, well Tequila has that same mystical power. By adding some well-chosen mixers we can transcend Tequila beyond dry, sandy, desert-like conditions to fabulous opulence, but whatever you do you cannot separate Tequila from sunshine, every bottle is like a summer’s day has been captured in a bottle.

50ml Silver Tequila

25ml Fresh Pink Grapefruit Juice

12.5ml Fresh Lime Juice

10ml Sugar Syrup

50ml Pink Grapefruit Soda

Shake the first four ingredients then strain into an ice-filled Collins glass, top with Grapefruit Soda and stir. For the garnish a wedge of Pink or Red Grapefruit.