Tequila was flowing while the summer rain showers held off during the ninth annual MargaritaFest at the Wall Street Plaza last Saturday, Aug. 25.
Partygoers were cooling off with marvelous margaritas and relaxing to the reggae beats. VIP attendees took advantage of the Tequila Terrace’s offerings, which included access to the Monkey Bar, a high-end tequila tasting, complimentary Corona beers and full-sized tequila drinks.
My husband Dan and I enjoyed experiencing the margarita madness during the annual fete!
Bottoms up! Dan and I are sipping margaritas at the Wall Street Plaza.
The margarita tour began by tasting the Wall Street Cantina’s Te-Kill-Ya-Rita. The Orlando Pub Crawl’s crew were dressed as sorcerers while serving the margarita and promoting its A Wizard’s World Pub Crawl on Saturday, Sept. 15. Bonus points for creativity! The Te-Kill-Ya-Rita was my hands-down favorite during the festival! The delicious and refreshing margarita tasted fruity and pleased my palate. Plus, you couldn’t taste the tequila, which in my book that means the margarita was mixed to perfection.
The Wall Street Cantina’s Te-Kill-Ya-Rita was served by sorcerers!
The Heritage Square’s alligator gives the Te-Kill-Ya-Rita five chomps!
The Wall Street Cantina also served its Cantina Rita during the festivities. I could taste the tequila, but it was fruity and mixed well.
The Wall Street Cantina’s Cantina Rita.
The next sample was Don Julio Tequila’s Paloma margarita. I could taste the tequila and grapefruit and lime juices, but the tequila didn’t overpower the other ingredients. Find out for yourself by creating the Paloma margarita with Don Julio’s recipe.
The Don Julio Tequila’s Paloma margarita.
Casa Noble’s The Tommy margarita was very strong and you could definitely taste the tequila. Unfortunately, the margarita was hard to enjoy, especially since I couldn’t taste the other ingredients in the drink recipe.
Casa Noble’s The Tommy margarita.
Casamigos, which means house of friends, was launched by actor George Clooney, nightlife entrepreneur Rande Gerber and property developer Mike Meldman five years ago. The tequila brand served its Spicy Cucumber Jalapeño margarita during the festival. The cucumber and jalapeño drink elements were prominent in this clear and refreshing margarita. Make the Spicy Cucumber Jalapeño margarita at home with Casamigos’ recipe.
Casamigos’ Spicy Cucumber Jalapeño margarita.
I experienced the best of both worlds with Tijuana Sweet Heat’s Sweet & Spicy margarita. The recipe included tequila, cranberry and sour mix. The concoction was mixed well and one ingredient didn’t overpower the other, which was a huge plus.
Tijuana Sweet Heat’s Sweet & Spicy margarita.
Blue Nectar Tequila’s Cherry Latino margarita was refreshing to drink on a hot and humid day. The cherry-tasting margarita was delicious with a slight bite.
Blue Nectar Tequila’s Cherry Latino margarita.
Jose Cuervo, one of the MargaritaFest sponsors, served its classic margarita. You can’t go wrong with a traditional margarita!
Jose Cuervo’s classic margarita.
Another favorite margarita that I sampled was the 1800 Tequila’s Coco Loco margarita. I would enjoy sipping this yummy margarita while sitting in a cabana on the beach! The mixture included 1800 Tequila Coconut mixed with cranberry and pineapple juices.
1800 Tequila’s Coco Loco margarita.
Maestro Dobel Tequila went the extra mile with its Black Diamond margarita. The original recipe features agave syrup, but the tequila brand served its concoction with black cherry syrup instead. The drink was topped with a black cherry, which was a nice touch. Try the Black Diamond margarita for yourself with agave or black cherry syrup.
Maestro Dobel Tequila’s Black Diamond margarita.
The fan favorite was probably Patrón since the tequila company had the longest line during MargaritaFest this year. Patrón served its pineapple daiquiri instead of a margarita. The bold choice paid off! The smooth and tasty cocktail wasn’t a margarita, but it was worth the wait. Keep the summer vibes going all year long by making the pineapple daiquiri at home with Patrón’s recipe.
Patrón’s pineapple daiquiri.
Would you like wine with your tequila? Absolutely! Tequila Cazadores served its Mexican Chardonnay, which was a unique twist on the margarita. The tequila, agave and chardonnay wine actually tasted well together. Wine connoisseurs may want to give this margarita a shot. Make the Mexican Chardonnay with this recipe.
Tequila Cazadores’ Mexican Chardonnay margarita.
Dulce Vida, an organic tequila, provided MargaritaFest attendees with samples of its Pineapple Jalapeño margarita. The pineapple, jalapeño and tequila were stirred well. You could smell the jalapeños, but there was just a veiled hint of the chili peppers existence in the margarita.
Dulce Vida’s Pineapple Jalapeño margarita.
el Jimador joined forces with the energy drink Red Bull to create its margarita. The mixture was simply tequila and orange Red Bull. The concoction was delish! Bravo for thinking outside of the box!
The el Jimador margarita with orange Red Bull.
Suerte tequila took a different spin on the classic Tom Collins cocktail with its Juan Collins margarita. I had an ah and Zen moment when I was sipping Suerte’s Juan Collins margarita. The grapefruit seltzer ingredient made the margarita more flavorful. Find out for yourself with the Juan Collins recipe.
Suerte’s Juan Collins margarita.
Cenote Tequila’s Watermelon Mint margarita was disappointing. It was watered down and you could only taste the tequila. Hopefully, this was an off day for the tequila brand.
Cenote Tequila’s Watermelon Mint margarita.
MargaritaFest provides tequila fans with a chance to try an array of margaritas without having to travel south of the border. The annual margarita festival happens in August or September, so get your taste buds ready for next year’s event.
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