Salt rim, lime wedge: the Margarita is one of the best cocktails on the planet, and one of the most ordered, ever.
Nobody really knows who made the first. What nearly every version has in common is orange liqueur, and the quality of that liqueur is the difference between a Margarita that dreams and one that drags.
In this cocktail guide we delve into the history of the Margarita, where its orange liqueur originated, and share three classic recipes you can make at home with Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec, a handmade, drier orange liqueur from Manchester, UK.
The History of the Margarita
What does “Margarita” mean?
Margarita is the Spanish word for daisy, and that is probably the best clue we have. The Daisy is a family of drinks built from a base spirit, citrus juice and a sweetener, a format that dates back to Victorian bartending.
Cocktail historian David Wondrich links the Margarita to the brandy Daisy, remade with tequila. In other words, the Margarita is most likely a tequila Daisy that took on a life of its own. For more on this theory, see Wikipedia’s Margarita entry.
The earliest printed clues
Long before anyone put the name Margarita on a menu, the recipe was already turning up in print:
- 1936: A newspaper mentions a “Tequila Daisy”, described in a Tijuana bar. This is the first specific mention of the drink that Difford’s Guide has found.
- 1937: The Café Royal Cocktail Book in London includes the Picador, whose proportions match the modern Margarita.
- 1939: The Cotton Club’s book of mixed drinks lists a Tequila Sour with the same ingredients, served in a salt-rimmed glass with a lime wedge and sweetened with Cointreau.
- September 1953: A California newspaper gives the earliest known mention of the Margarita by name.
- December 1953: Esquire publishes what is generally considered the first Margarita recipe: tequila, a dash of triple sec and half a lime or lemon.
So who invented the Margarita?
What wikipedia says:
- Pancho Morales, 1942, at Tommy’s Place in Ciudad Juárez, after bartending he became a milkman in the US.
- Danny Herrera, who made one for the dancer Marjorie King at Rancho La Gloria in Baja California, although that account has been challenged, its definitely the most engaging story.
- Margarita Sames, 1948, a Dallas socialite said to have mixed it at a party in Acapulco, probably a marketing move by Jose Cuervo.
- Santos Cruz, a bartender in Galveston, Texas, said to have created it for the singer Peggy Lee.
- Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada, which markets itself as the home of the original. They have excellent SEO.
What you should take from this: Nobody really knows and the joy of a good drink is entirely in the myth & legend.
Why a Margarita needs a good orange liqueur
The traditional ratio is 2 parts tequila, 1 part orange liqueur and 1 part lime juice, and Simon Difford confirmed in his own 2007 book that his Margarita specification was 2:1:1.
The liqueur makes up a quarter of the drink, it matters enormously. A flat, cloying one drags the whole Margarita down. A brighter, drier one elevates.
The History of Triple Sec
Where did triple sec come from?
Its extremely complicated. But tldr – Both the French and the Dutch established the Liqueur category and the standards. The Dutch first in the 1600s/1700s, and then France in the 1800s
Triple sec is an orange-flavoured liqueur that began in France, and grew out of, or realistically alongside a (slightly) older family of drinks: the curaçaos.
Bols made orange liqueurs by steeping dried peels from lahara oranges, including peels from the island of Curaçao, and those early versions were nothing like the liquid you consume today.
Modern triple sec entirely depends on your point of view.
(For more on the blue curaçao side of the family, see our guide to what blue curaçao is.)
Combier, Cointreau and the first triple secs
Two French names :
The house of Combier claims that Jean-Baptiste and Josephine Combier invented triple sec in 1834.
Cointreau launched its version in 1875.
What does “triple sec” actually mean?
Sec is French for dry, and triple is where the history begins to be confusing.
It definitely isn’t triple dry, because Cointreau contains minimum 230g of sugar per litre.
Some might say (oasis) it refers to three types of orange peel, others to “three times the flavour” of a standard curaçao, and others to a triple distillation, although you’d lose more flavour distilling three times, so not sure why they’d do that?
The answer is that nobody knows why triple sec is called triple sec.
How triple sec is traditionally made
Producers typically start with a neutral spirit from various agricultural products and steep citrus peel in it, then redistil.
Blend with filtered water, and sweeten with sugar.
Strengths range from around 20% to 40% ABV.
What Makes a Good Triple Sec?
A triple sec has one job in a cocktail: to add complex bittersweet citrus and a touch of sweetness without taking over.
- Made in Manchester, by hand. Mouse Kingdom has produced handmade liqueurs in Manchester since 2022.
- Rescued citrus. The citrus is collected weekly as juiced fruit from partner bars and restaurants in central Manchester, then cleaned, hand-sorted and infused straight into the next batch on the still. Read more : ethical production page.
- Orange, lemon and grapefruit. Because those are the ingredients we have on hand in our urban distillery.
- A drier balance. We balance at roughly 175 g/L of sugar, compared with around 230 g/L for large multinational liqueurs such as Cointreau. In the glass that means a punchier, more layered first sip.
- Real depth. Rich, baked citrus with tropical, estery high notes and a fruitcake-like bitterness at the finish.
- Full strength. 40% ABV in a 70cl bottle.
Because every batch is influenced by the weather, water temperature and the fruit itself, no two runs are exactly alike, and the label artwork changes with each limited run.
Recipe 1: The Classic Margarita
This is the 2:1:1 Margarita, built on tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice, with the full background in the Difford’s Guide Margarita recipe.
Because Quad Sec is drier than most triple secs, you need very little extra sweetness, and the orange oils really come through.
Makes 1 | Glass: pre-chilled old-fashioned glass, filled with fresh ice
Ingredients
- 45ml reposado or blanco tequila (100% agave)
- 22.5ml Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec
- 22.5ml freshly squeezed lime juice
- 5ml agave syrup (optional, to taste)
- A pinch of salt or 2 drops of saline solution (optional)
- Lime wedge, to garnish
Method
- Rim the glass with salt, moistening the outer edge with a lime wedge.
- Add everything to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
- Strain over fresh ice and garnish with a lime wedge.
Recipe 2: The Sidecar
The Sidecar is one of the great pre-war cocktails.
Its origins are debated too.
The first printed recipe appeared in 1922. Difford’s Guide has the full detective story.
This spec follows the older equal-parts style, bringing the Quad Sec and lemon up to match the cognac. If you fancy something boozier, we suggest subbing 50ml of cognac, and follow the below recipe.
Makes 1 | Glass: pre-chilled coupe, sugar-rimmed if you like
Ingredients
- 25ml Brandy/Cognac
- 25ml Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec
- 25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 5ml rich (2:1) sugar syrup, to taste
- Lemon twist, to garnish
Method
- Sugar rim: moisten the edge of the coupe with a little orange juice and dip it in sugar.
- Add everything to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake well and fine strain into the chilled coupe.
- Express a lemon twist over the drink and use it as the garnish.
Tip: Quad Sec’s drier profile means you may want a touch more syrup than you would with a sweeter liqueur. Taste and adjust.
Recipe 3: The Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan is a modern classic. Difford’s Guide traces its roots to 1970s San Francisco gay bars, with the drink perfected and popularised in 1990s New York, by Sex and the City.
Done well, it is crisp, tart and dry, which is exactly like us, at Mouse Kingdom Liqueurs.
Makes 1 | Glass: pre-chilled coupe
Ingredients
- 37.5ml vodka (or citron vodka)
- 22.5ml Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec
- 30ml cranberry juice
- 15ml freshly squeezed lime juice
- Orange zest twist, to garnish
Method
- Add everything to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake hard and fine strain into a chilled coupe.
- Express an orange twist over the top and float it as garnish.
More Ways to Use Quad Sec
Excellent with tonic, delicious neat while cleaning the freezer.
Tips for Better Triple Sec Cocktails
- Use fresh juice.
- Measure. These drinks live and die on ratio, so use a jigger.
- Chill your glass.
- Taste and adjust.
- Express the peel. The oils from a fresh twist lift the whole drink.
Margarita and Triple Sec FAQs
Who invented the Margarita? Nobody knows. Several bartenders and socialites in Mexico and the United States have been credited, and most of the stories conflict.
What does Margarita mean? It is the Spanish word for daisy.
What is the classic Margarita ratio? 2 parts tequila, 1 part orange liqueur and 1 part lime juice.
What is triple sec? An orange-flavoured liqueur originating in France, used mainly in cocktails such as the Margarita, Sidecar and Cosmopolitan.
What is the difference between triple sec and curaçao? They’re the same. They are both citrus liqueurs with orange at the forefront. But every brand varies on abv, sugar content, and ingredients sourcing. So each bottle you taste will taste different.
Is Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec sweet? It is deliberately on the drier side. The brand balances it at around 175 g/L of sugar and acidity, versus around 230 g/L for large multinational liqueurs, giving a bittersweet, citrus-oil-forward flavour.
Can I use Quad Sec in place of Cointreau? Yes, in any recipe that calls for triple sec. Because it is drier, it will taste better.
How strong is Quad Sec? It is 40% ABV, and comes in a 70cl bottle.
Can you sip triple sec on its own? You can, and a drier, richer one like Quad Sec is more enjoyable over ice with a twist of orange than most. It is at its best, though, in a cocktail.
Make Yours with Mouse Kingdom
From the Margarita to the Sidecar, a great cocktail starts with a great orange liqueur. Mouse Kingdom Quad Sec is handmade in Manchester from rescued citrus, with less sugar and more character. Pick up a bottle, squeeze some fresh citrus, and see how much an ethical triple sec changes your favourite drinks. For more recipes, visit the Mouse Kingdom recipes and news page.
Please drink responsibly. 18+ only.
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