How to Drink Tequila: Neat, Shots and What to Mix It With

Tequila has long had a funny way of dividing opinion. Mention in the 2000s that tequila was your favorite spirit and, sooner or later, someone would tell you—with all the confidence of someone stating an unquestionable fact—that it wasn’t in the same league as the other spirits behind the bar.

That might have been how some people saw tequila back then, but it has long since earned its place among the world’s most respected spirits. Bartenders, distillers, and tequila enthusiasts have spent years proving just how diverse, complex, and rewarding the spirit can be, whether it’s sipped neat or shaken into a cocktail.

This article is a small tribute to them—and a guide to drinking tequila the way it deserves.

Start with the basics: how tequila is made and the story of blue agave

What is the best way to drink tequila?

There isn’t a single right answer. It all comes down to the style you’ve chosen, the occasion, and your own taste. But generally, if you’re wondering how to drink good tequila, there are three main approaches. You can enjoy it neat to appreciate its character, serve it as a shot for social occasions, or mix it into simple drinks and classic cocktails. And despite what popular culture might suggest, salt and lime are entirely optional.

The best advice on how to drink tequila for beginners? Forget the rules. Start with a quality tequila, like the Espolòn range (opens in new window), try it in a few different serves, and discover which style you enjoy most.

How to drink tequila straight or neat

The terms “straight” and “neat” are often used interchangeably, but there’s a slight difference. In bartending, neat means a spirit served at room temperature, with no ice, water, or mixers. Straight is commonly used to mean the same thing, although it can sometimes refer to a spirit that’s been chilled and strained. For most tequila drinkers, though, drinking tequila straight simply means enjoying it neat.

If you’re wondering how to drink tequila for sipping, pour a small measure into a tasting glass, rocks glass, or stemmed spirit glass and sip it slowly. Taking your time lets the tequila’s aromas and flavors open up, making it easier to appreciate the character of the agave.

Different styles of tequila can all be enjoyed neat, but each offers a slightly different experience:

• Reposado: If you’re exploring how to drink reposado tequila, serving it neat is the easiest way to appreciate its gentle oak, vanilla, and spice notes. Espolòn Reposado (opens in new window) is a great example of a tequila made to be savored.
• Añejo: If you’re wondering how to drink añejo tequila, enjoy it neat to bring out its richer caramel, toasted oak, and baking spice flavors. Espolòn Añejo (opens in new window) is an excellent choice for slow sipping.
• Blanco (Silver): Blanco tequila offers a fresher, brighter expression of agave that many tequila fans also enjoy neat.
• Gold: Gold tequila, sometimes called joven, is usually made by blending blanco tequila with aged tequila, giving it a smoother, slightly richer character. If you’re curious about how to drink gold tequila, it can certainly be enjoyed neat, although many gold tequilas are more commonly used for shots and mixed drinks than for slow sipping.

As always, the quality of the tequila matters more than the style on the label.

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How to drink tequila shots

Tequila shots are a classic choice for celebrations and nights out, but they’re only one way to enjoy the spirit. If you’re up for shots, choose a good-quality tequila and remember that older styles, like reposado and añejo, are often better appreciated when sipped rather than knocked back.

How to drink tequila with salt and lime

The salt-and-lime ritual is the best-known way to take a tequila shot. Simply lick the back of your hand, sprinkle on a little salt, lick the salt, drink the tequila, then bite into a lime wedge. The salt helps soften the spirit’s bite, while the lime adds a burst of fresh citrus. It’s a fun tradition that’s still popular today, but it’s by no means essential.

Alternatives to salt and lime

If you’re wondering how to drink tequila for the first time, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy a shot. An orange slice sprinkled with cinnamon offers a sweeter, softer finish, while a small glass of sangrita—a savory, spicy, and citrusy chaser—complements the tequila without overpowering it. You can also serve tequila lightly chilled and enjoy it on its own, especially if you’ve chosen a smooth, good-quality bottle.

You might also come across the Tequila Bum Bum (or Tequila Boom Boom), where tequila is mixed with a splash of soda before the glass is covered and banged on the bar to create fizz. It’s more of a party trick than a traditional tequila serve, associated with bars in Spain, parts of Mexico, and some European nightlife, but it’s a fun option if you’re after something a little different.

What to mix with tequila

What’s best to mix with tequila? Lime juice, grapefruit soda, orange juice, pineapple juice, soda water, tonic, ginger beer, and lemonade are all reliable choices. Some mixers highlight tequila’s natural agave character, while others add sweetness, spice, or a tropical twist.

Dive deeper: What to Mix with Tequila: Easy Ideas for Delicious Drinks

Soda and sparkling mixers

If you’re wondering what soda to mix with tequila, sparkling mixers are a great place to start, making tequila feel lighter and fresher. Soda water keeps things light and lets the tequila shine, grapefruit soda is the classic choice for a Paloma, tonic adds gentle bitterness, lemon-lime soda brings a sweeter twist, and ginger beer adds a spicy kick. They’re all perfect for easy highballs and simple tequila serves.

Juice and citrus mixers

Fresh citrus and fruit juices are some of the easiest ingredients to work with, but what juice to mix with tequila? Lime juice is the classic starting point, while grapefruit, orange, pineapple, and cranberry juice all create bright, fruit-forward drinks. As a general guide, use around two parts mixer to one part tequila, then adjust to suit your taste. Citrus juices and sparkling soda are great options to mix with pineapple tequila.

Best mixers by tequila style

Different styles of tequila pair best with different mixers:

• What to mix with blanco tequila: Lime juice, grapefruit soda, soda water, lemonade, and tonic all complement its fresh, citrusy character.
• What to mix with reposado tequila: Orange juice, ginger beer, and sparkling water work well with its subtle oak and spice.
• What to mix with añejo tequila: Richer styles are often best sipped neat, but they also pair beautifully with coffee, chocolate, and orange flavors in spirit-forward cocktails.
• What to mix with gold tequila: Lemon-lime soda, orange juice, and simple citrus mixers are all popular choices.
• What to mix with coconut tequila and other flavored tequilas: Coconut tequila pairs beautifully with pineapple juice, soda water, and tropical fruit juices, while coffee tequila works well with cola, cold brew, or creamy dessert-style drinks.

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Easy tequila drinks to start with

The mixers above are also the building blocks of some of tequila’s most popular cocktails. If you’re ready to go beyond a simple mixed drink, these classics are the perfect place to start.

The Margarita is probably the most famous tequila-based cocktail. So, what do you mix with tequila to make a Margarita? This beloved drink combines tequila with fresh lime juice and orange liqueur (like Grand Marnier (opens in new window)), with many recipes also adding a touch of agave syrup for balance. Shake it all together with ice, and that’s where the real magic happens.

For something lighter, the Paloma mixes tequila with grapefruit soda and fresh lime juice for a crisp, refreshing serve that’s easy to make at home. The Tequila Soda is even simpler, bringing together tequila, sparkling water, and lime, while Ranch Water keeps things equally refreshing with tequila, fresh lime juice, and sparkling mineral water.

For a fruitier option, the Tequila Sunrise layers tequila, orange juice, and grenadine over ice. One sip is all it takes to understand how to drink a Tequila Sunrise—slowly enough to enjoy the changing flavors as the layers gradually blend together.

Finally, tequila can be an exciting swap in classic cocktails traditionally made with other spirits. Just think of this Mexican Mule, where tequila steps in for vodka to give the classic Moscow Mule a fresh agave twist. Or you can enjoy your favourite tequila cocktails frozen, to add a little brain freeze to your sunny afternoons.

However you choose to enjoy them, start experimenting and ask your friends to be your trusted taste testers when inspiration strikes. Before long, you’ll be the one everyone turns to for advice on how to drink tequila cocktails.

What not to mix with tequila

Tequila’s pretty easygoing, but even it has limits. If your drink starts tasting more like a chemistry experiment than a cocktail, it might be time to rethink your mixer. Here are a few combinations and habits worth avoiding:

• Overly sweet mixers: Syrups, sugary sodas, or candy-like liqueurs can overpower tequila’s fresh agave character instead of complementing it.
• Too many competing flavors: Combining lots of fruit juices, spices, and liqueurs in one glass can make it difficult for tequila to shine.
• Artificially flavored mixers: Strong artificial flavors often clash with tequila’s naturally earthy, citrusy notes.
• Flat mixers: Whether it’s tonic, soda water, or sparkling grapefruit soda, always use freshly opened bottles or cans. Lost fizz means a less refreshing cocktail.
• Skipping fresh citrus: Bottled lime juice can taste dull or overly acidic. Freshly squeezed lime makes all the difference in most tequila drinks.
• Using the wrong tequila style: A delicate blanco can disappear in rich, heavily spiced cocktails, while an aged añejo is usually too complex to bury beneath lots of mixers.

Salt? Check. Lime? Check. Fresh cocktail inspiration? That’s where we come in. Sign up for our newsletter for more recipes, seasonal sips, and hosting ideas worth raising a glass to.