Julio Bermejo invented the Tommy's Margarita at his family's San Francisco restaurant Tommy's Mexican in the late 1980s. The change was simple but rigorous: replace the orange liqueur (Cointreau, triple sec) with pure agave nectar. The result is a Margarita that tastes more of agave and lime, less of orange, and reads as cleaner, drier, more grown-up. Today it is on every serious cocktail bar's list.

Ingredients

  • 100% agave blanco tequila 60ml
  • Fresh lime juice 30ml
  • Agave nectar 15ml (thinned 2:1 with water if thick)
  • Lime wheel to garnish

Method

  1. If your agave nectar is very thick, stir it with hot water 2:1 to thin. This makes it pour and integrate properly.
  2. Add tequila, lime juice, and agave syrup to a shaker over ice.
  3. Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
  4. Strain into a chilled rocks glass over fresh ice. Coupe served up is also valid.
  5. Garnish with a lime wheel. No salt rim.

Why no triple sec

A standard Margarita uses triple sec or Cointreau, which adds orange flavour and sweetness. Bermejo's argument: agave nectar provides the sweetness more cleanly and lets the tequila's own agave character come forward. The orange liqueur muddies the picture.

Drink a classic Margarita and a Tommy's side by side and the difference is immediate. The Tommy's tastes more of tequila. The classic tastes more of orange.

Why no salt rim

Salt rims serve two purposes: they amplify perceived sweetness and they hide off-notes. A salt rim is the visual signature of a Margarita but it interferes with tasting the drink properly. For a Tommy's made with serious 100% agave tequila, the salt fights the agave character.

If you want salt: salt half the rim only, drink with the unsalted side first to taste the drink, then sip from the salted side for contrast.

The tequila question

100% agave is non-negotiable. Mixto tequila (the cheap stuff, often gold-coloured, up to 49% non-agave sugars) makes a bad Tommy's. Use a serious blanco: Tequila Ocho, Fortaleza, Tapatio, Cazadores Blanco at the value end, or Don Julio Blanco, Espolòn Blanco for retail availability in KL.

Reposado works but the oak character mutes the agave; loses the point of a Tommy's.

See our tequila aging spectrum for the wider context.

The agave nectar question

Buy raw or organic agave nectar from a health food shop or supermarket import section. Avoid the supermarket "agave syrup" that is mostly sugar with caramel colour.

Once opened, store at room temperature. Keeps for months. Thin with hot water (2 parts agave to 1 part water) before using; the thinning is critical for mixing.

What it should taste like

Sharp lime up front. Tequila and agave in the middle. Clean finish. Drier than a classic Margarita, more rooted in agave character.

Variations

Tommy's with mezcal: swap half the tequila for mezcal. Smoke layered over agave.

Tommy's with calamansi: swap lime juice for calamansi juice. Our Malaysian twist; the orange-lime-floral character of calamansi pairs beautifully with blanco tequila.

Spicy Tommy's: muddle a thin slice of jalapeño or cili padi in the shaker before adding ice.

Related

Frequently asked questions

What glass is the Tommy's Margarita served in?

A chilled rocks glass over fresh ice, or up in a coupe. The tequila, lime, and agave are shaken hard for 10 to 12 seconds and strained either way. No salt rim. A lime wheel garnishes. If you want salt, half-rim the glass so you can sip from either side; this is the bartender's compromise. A coupe served up is more elegant; a rocks glass is more functional.

Can I substitute the tequila in a Tommy's Margarita?

100 percent agave blanco is non-negotiable. Mixto tequila (the cheap gold-coloured stuff, up to 49 percent non-agave sugars) makes a bad Tommy's. Reposado works but the oak mutes the agave character, losing the point. Picks for KL availability: Don Julio Blanco, Espolon Blanco, Cazadores Blanco at the value end. Agave nectar must be the real thing; supermarket agave syrup is mostly caramel-coloured sugar.

How strong is the Tommy's Margarita?

Around 22 to 25 percent ABV in the finished drink. The build is 60ml blanco tequila (around 40 percent) against 30ml lime and 15ml agave nectar, shaken with ice dilution. The lime keeps it dry. It drinks cleaner and more tequila-forward than a classic Margarita (which uses orange liqueur), and the absence of a salt rim lets the agave character come through unmuted.

Where can I order a Tommy's Margarita in PJ or KL?

At Dissolved Solids in Damansara Kim, 43-1 Jalan SS20/11, Petaling Jaya. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 15:00 to 01:00. WhatsApp +60 11-4008 7607. Also at Soluble Solids in SS2, 50-1 Jalan SS2/24. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 18:00 to 01:00. WhatsApp +60 11-1682 8651. Ask about the calamansi variant, our Malaysian twist.

What food pairs with a Tommy's Margarita?

Mexican and Tex-Mex first. Tacos al pastor, ceviche, guacamole, fish tacos, carnitas. Also strong with Thai and Vietnamese food: the agave and lime mirror larb, papaya salad, banh mi. The cleanness handles chilli heat well; pairs naturally with anything spice-forward including Sichuan ma la, kimchi stew, and Malaysian sambal-heavy dishes. Skip with very rich cream sauces.