Jose “Pepe” Hermosillo, CEO of Casa Noble Tequila tells BourbonBlog.com, “As you know we enjoy Casa Noble by itself normally but today since it is National Margarita Day, we are having some guests at the house and we will be having Tamarind, Guanabana and Hibiscus margaritas.”

Here are the recipes below and watch BourbonBlog.com’s Tom Fischer interview Jose in the video segment below the recipes…

Guanabana Margarita

The key here is to get a large fresh Guanabana (Annona Muricata), also known as Graviola, Brazilian Cherimoya, Catoche…
(WHITE, SLIMY, MEATY WITH LARGE BLACK SEED IN EACH SACK)

- First you need to mash and percolate about 2 oz of the slimy meat, no seeds!
1.5 oz Casa Noble Crystal
2 small spearmint leaves
juice of half a lime

Instructions:

Blend with enough ice for about 40 seconds until slush is uniform.
Garnish with a Spearmint leave.

Jose "Pepe" Hermosillo's table is set with Casa Noble Tequila for a Tequila Tasting and Margarita Party tonight

Hibiscus (Jamaica) Margarita

Ingredients:

4oz of chilled Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Water, recipe below)
2oz of Casa Noble Tequila
1/2oz Agave Syrup
Juice from 1 lime
lime wedge for garnish

Preparation:

- Pour the Hibiscus Water, tequila Casa Noble, agave syrup and lime juice into a chilled cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake well.
- Strain into a chilled into a old fashion glass.
Garnish with a lime wedge.

Agua de Jamaica (Hibiscus Water):

2 cups (2 oz) jamaica flowers
3/4 cup granulated sugar (more if desired)
6 cups water

Instructions:

- Bring the water to a boil.
- Add the flowers and sugar and stir continuously while the mixture boils for one minute.
- Pour into a noncorrosive bowl and steep for 2 hours. *Note- this flower will stain so do not use a bowl that will stain.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve, pressing on the flower solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Taste for strength and sweetness. If it is too potent, add water. If it is too tart, add sugar.
- Cover and refrigerate until time to serve.

Tamarind Margarita

Cup of ice
3 Ounces Casa Noble Crystal or Reposado if you want a bit more tangy results
1 ounce Agave Syrup
2 tablespoons lime juice (or sour orange if you have available)
4 oz. Tamarindo pulp

Instructions:

- Place everything into a blender and blend until desired smoothness.
- For the rim: mix kosher salt and chile piquin powder, and a bit of brown sugar.
- When the Tamarindo pulp is natural and unsweetened, adjust with more ice and agave syrup.

Espolón Tequila tells BourbonBlog.com that the simple ingredients of agave nectar and lime allow the delicate flavor of Espolón Tequila to shine through, and showcase its smooth nature in this Margarita recipe.

Espolón Margarita

3 oz. Espolón Tequila Reposado
2 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Agave Nectar

Directions:

Shake all ingredients over ice. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a lime twist. Optional salt-rimmed glass.

Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. along with joint venture partner Tierra de Agaves, tells BourbonBlog.com that in April 2011 they will release of Lunazul Añejo 100% Agave Tequila. Bottled at 80 proof and available in a 750ml size, Lunazul Añejo will be aged for 18 months and will launch nationally in most markets at a suggested retail price of $21.99.

The release of Lunazul Añejo follows up on the extraordinary success of Lunazul Reposado and Blanco varieties that have been in the market since 2008. Since its release, Lunazul has the garnered “Rising Star” Growth Brand Award from the Beverage Information Group in both 2009 and 2010. Both varieties have also received broad critical acclaim and top awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the New York Spirits Awards.

While its pedigree and taste profile are top-tier, Lunazul revolutionized the Tequila category upon its launch in 2008 by offering high quality 100% agave Tequila at a price point just above the mixto category leader. Today, Lunazul has created a new sub-segment of high quality/high value 100% agave Tequilas. The Tequila category continues to grow and by adding Añejo to the existing Blanco and Reposado varieties, the truly full line allows Lunazul to play in the most connoisseur-driven segment of the 100% agave Tequila market.

Due to the vast agave holdings and efficient vertical integration of Tierra de Agaves, Lunazul’s pricing has been a game-changer in the 100% agave segment. The Añejo gives us a bottling at each different age, all supported by the eight-generation heritage of Tierra de Agaves Distillery,” Heaven Hill senior brand manager Reid Hafer tells BourbonBlog.com.

Lunazul is estate-grown, small-batch Tequila distilled and bottled at Tierra de Agaves’ state-of-the-art facilities in Jalisco, Mexico. The vertical integration of source materials, distillation and bottling ensures consistence of taste and quality, backed by the legacy of the Beckmann family. Tierra de Agaves is one of the few Tequila distilleries that actually own the land on which the agave is grown and harvested, carefully selected from the 4,000 acres of Weber Blue Agave plants that the Beckmann family and their past generations have controlled since 1758.

In the Southern spirit of to celebrate margaritas, Four Roses Bourbon tells BourbonBlog.com that substituting some Four Roses Bourbon will make a memorable Kentucky treat!

Ingredients:

2 -parts Margarita Mix
1 -part Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon

Instructions:

- Mix over ice
- Add a dash of Grenadine – do not mix. The red color will settle near the bottom of the glass for a nice multi-color effect representing roses!

Garnish with two maraschino cherries, and enjoy.

Every year at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, our friends from Heaven Hill Distilleries treat us to “Bourbonritas” at The Great Kentucky Bourbon Tasting and Gala event.

Here are those famous Bourbonrita Recipes below made with Bourbon and and we’re including a video segment from that Bourbon Festival event…all to celebrate National Margarita Day on BourbonBlog.com

Bourbonrita

1 part Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
Splash of Triple Sec
Splash of sweet & sour mix
Lime wedge
Salt (optional)

Instructions:


Blend ingredients together and shake well. Pour over ice and garnish with a lime wedge. Or combine Bourbon with a favorite margarita mix.

Cherry Twist Margarita

1 1/ oz. Evan Williams Cherry Reserve
1/2 oz. triple sec
4 oz. margarita mix

Instructions:

In a shaker, combine Evan Williams Cherry Reserve, triple sec and margarita mix. Pour over ice.

The Great Kentucky Bourbon Tasting and Gala

As we celebrate National Margarita Day today and share new twists on the classic Margarita, we recognize that this cocktail so popular that more than 185,000 margaritas are consumed every hour in the U.S.A.!*

Mixologist and Tequila Herradura brand ambassador Mark Drew tells BourbonBlog.com he has created this new Margarita recipe below, incorporating fresh watermelon and apple flavors that play off of the sweet freshness of the margarita.

Watermelon and Apple Margarita

Ingredients:
2 oz Herradura Silver tequila
1/2 oz Lime juice
1/2 oz Agave nectar
1 oz Watermelon juice
1 oz Pressed apple juice
1 apple fan

Directions:

- Place all liquid ingredients in a Boston glass or a shaker
- Shake hard and strain in to an Old Fashioned glass
- Garnish with an apple fan and enjoy!

*(source:Cheers On Premise Handbook)

One of our favorites drink gets a day of its own TODAY, on Tuesday, February 22 for National Margarita Day! Join with BourbonBlog.com by testing some favorite recipes from  Sauza Tequila—the “first family of tequila”

Sauza has created some fresh and delicious margaritas to match any personality this National Margarita Day.

Sauzarita

If you like the classics, but with a modern twist, then stick with the tried and true Sauzarita…

1 can of Frozen Limeade
1 can of Sauza Silver Tequila
1 bottle of light beer
1 can of water

The can of Water and Tequila refers to the can that had the frozen limeade in it. After first emptying limeade it into a pitcher, fill the can with the Tequila and add it in pitcher. Next, do the same with water and last but not least, add in the bottle of beer into the pitcher.

Stir all ingredients and enjoy.  Makes 9 servings.

Raspberry Cranberry Mint Margarita

The combination of raspberry and mint in this drink makes a perfectly sweet, sour and refreshing cocktail.

Ingredients:

2 parts cranberry/ raspberry juice
1 part Sauza Silver Tequila
1 part lemon-lime soda
8 mint leaves for garnish

Method of Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except mint leaves in a pitcher. Garnish each glass with 2 mint leaves. Serve cold or iced. Makes 4 servings.

Warm Winter Margarita

A cozy and affectionate cocktail to keep you warm for winter

4½ parts apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 part Sauza Silver Tequila
2 ½ parts dried fruit of your choice
1/6 part granulated sugar

Combine apple juice and cinnamon in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick carefully. Add sugar, dried fruit, and tequila. Mix well. Serve warm.

Ginger Pineapple Breeze

Sweet but sassy..

1 ½ parts Sauza Gold Tequila
¾ parts lime juice
½ part simple syrup
1 part pineapple juice
1 tsp sweet ginger puree
¼ part egg white

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake vigorously. Add ice and shake again. Strain onto fresh ice in a highball glass. Garnish with a lime wedge and cherries on a toothpick.