Mexico’s national cocktail is the perfect easy warm-weather sipper, and it lends itself to creative variations.
The Paloma has been a thing for a while in the U.S. We likely took a hint from Mexico, which considers the Paloma, not the Margarita, as its national cocktail. As the weather warms, it’s a cocktail we crave often.
So, it seemed like a natural for our new series on cocktail basics. We’ll break down the standard Paloma recipe for you, discuss some variations and mention some ready-to-drink Palomas we stock at Mulberry MAX. We’ll touch on tequilas that work well in Palomas, and we’ll mention that Mulberry MAX is your source for all Paloma ingredients in Fort Collins and the surrounding area.
Why is the Paloma so popular?
The Paloma is a cocktail we at Mulberry MAX love for a few reasons:
- It’s easy: You only need three ingredients, you mix it in the glass, and you don’t have to get fussy about amounts. Since it’s a variation of the basic Highball recipe, you know you can just eyeball it like you do a Rum & Coke or Whiskey & Ginger Ale. (We’ll include a recipe anyway.)
- It’s refreshing: When summer porch sipping is on the agenda, this is a satisfying option.
- It’s so flavorful: For such a simple cocktail, it’s surprisingly complex and balanced.
- It begs for creative variations: If you’re ready to exercise your mixology chops a bit, there are a lot of ways to put your spin on the basic Paloma. We’ll offer a few of our ideas below.
- It has tequila in it: ‘Nuff said.
Tequilas to use in a Paloma
The Paloma is a humble cocktail that fits right in with casual afternoons and easy times, so you don’t have to get too fancy with the ingredients. We reach for a solid blanco tequila, such as:
- Hornitos
- Herradura
- Tapatio
- Corralejo
- 30-30
- Cuervo Tradicional
That’s not to say that a Paloma wouldn’t be superb with a higher-end tequila, such as:
- Mijenta
- El Tesoro
- Tequila Ocho
- 818
And many Paloma lovers prefer reposado tequila, such as:
- Don Julio
- Astral
- Mi Campo
- Tres Generaciones
We carry a robust selection of tequilas, but all products are subject to availability.
A note about additive-free tequilas: Some tequila distillers skip the sweeteners, coloring, and artificial flavors, giving you a cleaner, more honest taste that really shows off the agave. Instead of masking the spirit’s natural character, these tequilas highlight all the earthy, peppery, and floral notes that make tequila such a good experience and make the best Palomas. They also tend to sit lighter on your palate, meaning you can enjoy them straight or add them to a Paloma without that heavy, syrupy finish some other tequilas leave behind.
If you’re looking for something that feels real and tastes even better, additive-free is definitely the way to go. Ask your Mulberry MAX representative for guidance on choosing a tequila that fits your palate.
The basic Paloma recipe
Ingredients:
2 ounces blanco tequila
½ ounce lime juice
A pinch of salt (optional)
4 ounces grapefruit soda
Lime wheel, for garnish
Directions:
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add the tequila, lime juice and salt (if using) and stir for a few seconds to chill. Add the grapefruit soda to fill the glass, give it another quick stir, then garnish with the lime wheel.
Try these Paloma variations
We at Mulberry MAX love to help our customers enjoy the many amazing beverages in our store, and to guide them in mixing up into something creative that suits their moods and palates. To that end, here are a few Paloma variations. Try them yourself, or use them as inspiration to take this wonderful cocktail in your own new direction.
- Add a hint of mezcal: Instead of just tequila, try 1 ½ ounces of tequila with a half-ounce of mezcal. The smokiness of mezcal blends beautifully into this flavor profile, but the small amount keeps it balanced without overwhelming the tequila.
- Rim the glass with Tajin: We find ourselves using this salt-chili blend in a few cocktails these days, and it’s perfect here. Just shake a little bit into a bowl, then rub the rim of the glass with a lime half, invert the glass into a bowl and give it a few twists until you have a good coating on the rim. Then add the ice and other ingredients and proceed with the recipe.
- Try different grapefruit sodas: Jarritos or Squirt are traditional choices, but some people choose Fresca, while others swear by the Fever Tree pink grapefruit soda as a less-sweet alternative. We also carry Bubly as another option worth trying.
- Use fresh grapefruit juice: This is a swerve from tradition, but you might be tempted to squeeze fresh grapefruit and use club soda instead. Just be aware that doing so will affect the typical tart-sweet balance of the cocktail, so don’t be afraid to add a bit of simple syrup if it’s too dry.
- Give it some spice: Add a half ounce (or more) of Ancho Reyes liqueur to the mix for a spicy Paloma that’s just right if you love cocktails with a little kick.
- Give it a bit of Italian bitterness: Try adding a half ounce of Campari to add a bitter orange vibe.
- Bring some depth with elderflower: An old mixology truism is that a little elderflower liqueur makes any cocktail better. You can test that here; it might become your favorite variation.
- Korean chili, anyone? If you want to go crazy (or crazy-tasty), stir a bar spoon of Korean gochujang chili paste into the drink until it dissolves. Yum!
- Do a Cantarito: This is another popular drink in Mexico, and it’s like a Paloma’s wonderful twin. Add 3/4 ounce grapefruit juice, 3/4 ounce orange juice and 1/2 ounce lime juice to the cocktail and you’ve got a Cantarito. Just be sure to rim the glass with Tajin.
The ‘dip your toe in’ option: Try a ready-to-drink Paloma
Maybe you’re not into mixology. Or maybe you’re on the go and need the convenience of a canned cocktail. We get it. So we stock a variety of ready-to-drink Palomas that are delicious and require zero bartending skills. Ask a Mulberry MAX representative to help you pick one.
Make Mulberry MAX your go-to stop for all things Paloma!
The MAX has a shelf full of excellent tequilas, mezcals and other ingredients to make your Paloma experience fun and delicious. Subscribe to our newsletter for more content about cocktail recipes and how to put your own creative twist on them. You can also get all the insider news about what’s going on at Mulberry MAX on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
Thanks, as always, for shopping local in Fort Collins and making Mulberry MAX liquor store your first stop on the way to Paloma bliss!