The Inspiration
I wanted to make a really good mocktail version to stand up against 7 alcoholic margaritas in a blind tasting. So I took the first version that we tested in our Margarita Toast Off and (in my opinion) dialed it in for our Margarita Toast Off (Take 2) even if the ranking results don’t quite tell that story. It got 5th place in the first one and 6th in the second. However… this recipe garnered 2 first place votes, whereas the first version was only able to muster one.
Ingredients
2 ounces ritual non-alcoholic tequila
0.5 ounce seedlip 42 non-alcoholic spirit
0.5 ounce agave
0.75 ounce lime juice
2 dashes of habanero tincture
How to Prepare
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds
Strain and pour into your favorite margarita glass
For the Habanero Tincture:
Add a whole habanero to the desired amount of high proof vodka or everclear you would like to make. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes and up to a couple hours, taking a straw and tasting a few drops every now and then until it reaches the level of spice you would like (usually 2-3 hours for me).
Note: if you want this drink to be without any alcohol, you can swap the vodka/everclear out for apple cider vinegar in which case I would recommend letting it infuse for longer since it is not as effective at alcohol in extracting the spice from the pepper.
Cheers!