The Grand Margarita recipe
with Grand Marnier
Run a lime wedge around the outside of the glass rim and dip the rim into a saucer of coarse sea salt.
Carefully fill the glass with ice without touching the salt rim.
Add the tequila, Grand Marnier, and lime juice to a shaker, fill it with ice, and shake vigorously for ten seconds.
Strain the cocktail over the ice in the glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
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The story
It has never been established who made the Margarita first, and the same applies to the version with Grand Marnier. The liqueur itself is older than both: Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle launched it in 1880 as a blend of cognac, bitter orange distillate and sugar. In the United States, many people know the combination of tequila and Grand Marnier as a Cadillac Margarita. According to one story, the name comes from a Cadillac Bar in Mexico, but there is no evidence for this. The IBA included the Grand Margarita in its official list, in the New Era Drinks category, with its own proportions: more liqueur and less lime than in the classic Margarita.
The right glass
The IBA specifies a rocks glass, and an old fashioned glass is exactly that: low, wide and with a heavy base. The wide rim leaves room for the salt, so you get a little with every sip. Choose a glass of 30 to 40 cl, so the ice and the approximately 11 cl cocktail fit in easily. A margarita glass works too, but without ice the drink will warm up faster in it. View our old fashioned glasses.
Stölzle Lausitz Kyoto Tumbler 43 cl (6 pieces)
Eclat Longchamp Tumbler 32 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 61,90.
The right tools
For a Grand Margarita, in addition to the glass, you need a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a citrus juicer, and lime salt for the rim. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools together € 124,75.
What do you use to make a Grand Margarita?
For a Grand Margarita, you need tequila and liqueur. Well-known bottles include Grand Marnier, Patrón Reposado, and Don Julio Blanco. On every drink page, you'll find the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs well with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Using reposado instead of blanco makes the tequila complement the oak of the cognac better. If you find it too sweet, use 2 cl Grand Marnier and 2 cl lime juice. With Cointreau instead of Grand Marnier, you essentially have a classic Margarita. Two slices of jalapeño in the shaker give it the kick of a Spicy Margarita. Without liqueur and with agave syrup, it becomes a Tommy's Margarita. Swap the tequila for cognac and the lime for lemon, and you'll be close to a Sidecar.
Serving tip
Salt only half the rim, so everyone can choose with each sip. Serve it with something savory, such as salted nuts or tortilla chips: the cognac in Grand Marnier makes it fuller than a regular Margarita, and that calls for something salty on the side.
Good to know
Difference between Grand Margarita and Margarita
Two things change. Triple sec is replaced by Grand Marnier, an orange liqueur based on cognac, and the proportions shift. A Grand Margarita contains 4.5 cl tequila, 3 cl Grand Marnier, and just 1.5 cl lime juice. The classic Margarita uses more lime and less liqueur. The result: the Grand Margarita is sweeter, rounder, and less tart, with notes of vanilla and wood. The classic is fresher and sharper. Both have a salt rim, but according to the IBA, the Grand Margarita is always served over ice.
What is Grand Marnier
Grand Marnier is a French liqueur at 40 percent ABV, made from cognac, a distillate of bitter orange peels, and sugar. The best-known version is Cordon Rouge, with the red ribbon on the bottle. While Cointreau and other triple secs are based on neutral alcohol and taste fresh and bright, Grand Marnier brings the vanilla, wood, and dried fruit notes of cognac with it. This makes the liqueur feel heavier and sweeter. That is why 1.5 cl of lime juice is enough to keep the drink balanced in a Grand Margarita.
The no-mess salt rim
Run a lime wedge only along the outside of the rim, not over it, so no salt falls into the drink. Sprinkle coarse sea salt onto a flat saucer and roll the glass through it at an angle. Let the salt dry for a minute before adding ice to the glass. Coarse sea salt works better than fine table salt, which dissolves immediately and makes the first sip too salty. A glass rimmer makes it faster and more even, especially when making drinks for several people.
Which tequila goes with Grand Marnier
Blanco made from 100 percent agave is the standard: fresh and spicy, and a clear contrast with the sweet liqueur. Reposado has been aged in oak for at least two months and less than a year and shares notes of vanilla and wood with cognac, making the drink feel more cohesive. Both work; it is a matter of taste. Always check that the label says 100 percent agave. Mixto tequila contains up to 49 percent other sugars and gets lost next to a liqueur with so much character. Añejo can work, but it makes the whole drink very woody.
Cadillac Margarita: the same drink?
For the most part. In American bars, a Margarita with Grand Marnier is often listed as a Cadillac Margarita. The recipe varies by bar: reposado is often used, sometimes with some agave syrup, and sometimes the Grand Marnier is poured on top as a final float. The IBA's Grand Margarita is fixed: 4.5 cl tequila, 3 cl Grand Marnier and 1.5 cl lime juice, shaken and poured over ice into a glass with a salt rim. If you order one somewhere, ask exactly what goes into it.
How much alcohol is in a Grand Margarita
More than in most Margaritas. The 4.5 cl of 40% tequila provides 1.8 cl of pure alcohol, and the 3 cl of 40% Grand Marnier provides another 1.2 cl. Together, that is 3 cl in a drink of approximately 11 cl after shaking. That is well over 25% before the ice in the glass starts to melt, and more than two standard drinks. Because it contains little lime juice and the liqueur is sweet, you notice the strength less than you might expect. So drink it slowly.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Grand Margarita?
A Grand Margarita is a Margarita made with Grand Marnier instead of triple sec. According to the IBA, shake 4.5 cl tequila, 3 cl Grand Marnier and 1.5 cl fresh lime juice, then pour it over ice into a glass with a salt rim. It tastes rounder and sweeter than the classic version.
Can you use Cointreau instead of Grand Marnier?
You can, but then it is no longer a Grand Margarita. Cointreau is clearer and fresher and lacks the cognac that gives Grand Marnier its depth. If you use Cointreau, it is better to follow the recipe for a regular Margarita, with more lime juice and less liqueur; otherwise, the drink will be too sweet.
Should a Grand Margarita have a salt rim?
Yes, the IBA specifies a rim of good sea salt. The salt tempers the sweetness of the Grand Marnier and brings out the agave and lime more clearly. If you want less salt, salt only half the rim, so everyone can choose with each sip.
Which glass do you use for a Grand Margarita?
An old fashioned glass or tumbler holding 30 to 40 cl, with a salt rim and filled with ice. That is the rocks glass prescribed by the IBA. The wide rim provides room for the salt, and the ice keeps the drink cold; see our old fashioned glasses.
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