A good margarita is all about getting the balance right between tart lime juice, smooth tequila, and just enough sweetness to tie everything together. The triple sec adds a bit of orange flavour that rounds out the citrus notes without making the drink too complicated.

Making them is straightforward enough. You shake everything with ice, which chills the drink properly and gives it that slightly frothy texture when you pour it out. The key is using fresh lime juice rather than the bottled stuff. It makes a real difference to how bright and clean the drink tastes.

The salted rim isn’t just for show. You run a lime wedge around the glass edge, then dip it in salt. Each sip gives you a wee hit of salt that brings out the lime flavour and balances the sweetness from the syrup. Some people skip it, but I think it’s worth doing.

The proportions here work well. Two parts tequila gives the drink its backbone, while the lime juice matches that strength with plenty of tartness. The half part of sugar syrup is just enough to smooth out the sharp edges without making it taste like a sweet drink. The triple sec sits in the middle, adding body and that hint of orange.

These go down easily, so it’s worth making a proper batch rather than one at a time. The recipe scales up well, and having them ready means you can actually sit with your guests instead of playing bartender all evening. Pour them into wide, shallow glasses if you have them. The extra surface area lets you smell the lime as you drink, which makes the whole thing more refreshing.