When you’re ready to upgrade your margarita beyond the typical lime-and-triple-sec routine, the Cadillac Margarita delivers luxury in liquid form. We’ve perfected this premium take on Mexico’s most famous export, swapping bottom-shelf orange liqueur for Grand Marnier’s cognac-based elegance. This isn’t your spring break margarita—it’s what happens when you treat tequila with respect.
You’ve found the definitive recipe that transforms a simple agave cocktail into something worthy of top-shelf billing.
What Is a Cadillac Margarita Cocktail?
Quick Answer: A Cadillac Margarita substitutes Grand Marnier for standard triple sec, creating a more complex, cognac-influenced flavor profile.
Named after the luxury car brand in the 1980s, this cocktail represented the era’s obsession with premium everything – even in your glass. Grand Marnier’s cognac base transforms the bright character of a traditional margarita into something more nuanced.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make a Cadillac Margarita
How to Make a Cadillac Margarita
- If using salt, run a lime wedge around half the rim of a rocks glass and dip into coarse salt. Fill the glass with fresh ice.
- Add reposado tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh lime juice, and agave syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 12-15 seconds until the shaker feels cold in your hands.
- Double strain into your prepared rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
Bartneder’s Tips
- Temperature Matters: Chill your glass beforehand—a warm glass will immediately start melting your ice and diluting your carefully balanced cocktail.
- Shake Technique: Shake hard and with purpose; this drink needs proper aeration to marry the Grand Marnier’s viscosity with the other ingredients.
- Ice Quality: Use large, dense ice cubes that melt slowly. Cloudy, soft ice will water down your premium ingredients faster than you can appreciate them.
- Taste and Adjust: Start with our measurements, then adjust the agave syrup based on your Grand Marnier’s sweetness level—some bottles vary slightly in sugar content.
How to Serve This Cadillac Margarita
Serve immediately in a rocks glass over fresh ice. Perfect for intimate gatherings where you want to impress without trying too hard. The amber hue from reposado and Grand Marnier looks particularly good during golden hour.
More Cocktail Recipes
Ready for more premium tequila cocktails? Check out our tequila collection for drinks that treat Mexico’s national spirit with proper respect. Join our weekly newsletter for recipes delivered every Friday at 4 PM—perfect for happy hour planning.
Cadillac Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz Reposado tequila
- 1 oz Grand Marnier
- ¾ oz Fresh lime juice
- ½ oz Agave syrup
- Garnish: Lime wedge
- Optional: Salt for rim
Instructions
- Optional: Rim glass with salt using lime wedge.
- Add all ingredients to shaker with ice.
- Shake well until chilled.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with lime.
Video
Recipe FAQs
You can, but you’ll lose the vanilla and caramel notes that make this cocktail special.
Simple syrup works, but agave better complements tequila’s flavor profile.
Grand Marnier’s cognac base creates the signature depth. Cointreau makes a great margarita, but it’s a different cocktail.
Use large ice cubes and serve immediately. Pre-chill your glass.
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