Cocktails are the product of creativity. Of experimentation. A little sweet, a little sour, a touch of bitter and wow. But some experiments stand the test of time. While no one can claim stewardship of such a diverse system, there is one organization which comes closest. The International Bartenders Association (IBA) manages their Official Cocktail List. The list codifies a limited number of cocktails that represent the most important cocktails worldwide, and agave spirits are represented in seven of them.
This post will cover the five official tequila cocktails and the two official mezcal cocktails according to the IBA. Any true bartender, agave spirit aficionado or bon vivant should make themselves familiar with these cocktails.
List of IBA official tequila and mezcal cocktails
Click the links to go to the recipes.
There used to be an additional official tequila cocktail, the Vampiro. In a 2020 reshuffle the IBA added 24 new cocktails to their list and removed 11. The Vampiro was one that was removed. The Paloma, Illegal, and Naked and Famous were all 2020 additions, so overall, agave spirit based cocktails are still gaining recognition.
The International Bartenders Association
The IBA was founded in 1951 in Torquay, United Kingdom on February 24. At its founding there were seven country members; Denmark, France, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, all European. Over time the membership has expanded and today it comprises 64 member countries with a more global representation. The IBA is a non-profit organization that exists to further the bartending industry and to support, connect and train its members. They host competitions worldwide including the annual World Cocktail Competition (WCC) and maintain a list of the most important cocktails globally. This list is used during the WCC.
The IBA’s List of Official Cocktails
The first official list of IBA cocktails was created and released in 1961 in Norway. It contained 50 cocktails that were to represent the most popular cocktails served by bartenders in each country. Over the years the list has been updated, as new countries join and as new cocktails are created and establish themselves. There are currently 90 drinks on the IBA List of Official Cocktails.
The official cocktail list has three categories:
- The Unforgettables
- From the IBA: “Under the voice of The Unforgettables all those unforgettable classic recipes that represent the Bible of the origins of mixed drinks with a consolidated worldwide distribution.”
- 33 cocktails in the category
- None featuring tequila or mezcal
- Contemporary Classics
- From the IBA: “The Contemporary Classics some of which, completely forgotten, have been replaced by those that remain popular all over the world as a symbol of class and prestige drinking.”
- 31 cocktails in the category
- Includes tequila based cocktails: Long Island Ice Tea; Margarita; Tequila Sunrise
- New Era Drinks
- From the IBA: “New Era Drinks present the greatest number of new recipes, periodically revised and calibrated on the evolution of consumption, the fashions of the moment, marked by the sound of ice in the shakers of the greatest bartenders in the world.”
- 26 cocktails in the category
- Includes the tequila based cocktails: Paloma, Tommy’s Margarita
- Includes the mezcal based cocktails: Illegal; Naked and Famous
Recipes for IBA’s Official Tequila and Mezcal Cocktails
Margarita
Ingredients
- 50 ml tequila (100% agave)
- 20 ml triple sec
- 15 ml lime juice (fresh)
Method
- Add ingredients into shaker with ice
- Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass
Garnish
- Optional half salt rim
Long Island Ice Tea
Ingredients
- 15 ml vodka
- 15 ml tequila
- 15 ml white rum
- 15 ml gin
- 15 ml Cointreau
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 20 ml simple syrup
- Cola to top up
Method
- Add ingredients into a highball glass with ice and gently stir
Garnish
- Optional lemon slice
Tequila Sunrise
Ingredients
- 45 ml tequila
- 90 ml fresh orange juice
- 15 ml grenadine syrup
Method
- Add tequila and orange juice into a highball glass filled with ice cubes
- Add grenadine syrup to create sunrise effect, do not stir
Garnish
- Half orange slice or orange zest
Tommy’s Margarita
Ingredients
- 60 ml tequila (100% agave reposado)
- 30 ml fresh lime juice (Persian variety)
- 30 ml agave syrup (½ water, ½ agave nectar)
Method
- Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake well
- Strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice
Garnish
- Slice of lime
Paloma
Ingredients
- 50 ml tequila (100% agave)
- 5 ml fresh lime
- Pinch of salt
- 100 ml pink grapefruit soda
Method
- Pour tequila into a highball glass, squeeze lime juice
- Add ice and salt, fill up with grapefruit soda and stir gently
Garnish
- Slice of lime
Illegal
Ingredients
- 30 ml mezcal (espadin)
- 15 ml Jamaica overproof white rum
- 15 ml Falernum
- 1 bar spoon Maraschino Luxardo
- 22.5 ml fresh lime juice
- 15 ml simple syrup
- Few drops of egg white (optional)
Method
- Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously
- Stain into a chilled cocktail glass, or over ice into a clay or terracotta mug
Garnish
- No garnish
Naked and Famous
Ingredients
- 22.5 ml mezcal
- 22.5 ml Yellow Chartreuse
- 22.5 ml Aperol
- 22.5 ml fresh lime juice
Method
- Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake well
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish
- No garnish
Bonus: Vampiro (removed from the IBA Official List in 2020)
Ingredients
- 50 ml tequila
- 70 ml orange juice
- 10 ml lime juice
- 1 teaspoon clear honey
- 1 half slice finely chopped onion
- 3 slices red hot chili peppers
- 3 drops Worcestershire sauce
- Salt to taste
Method
- Pour ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake well
- Strain into a highball glass
Garnish
- Chili pepper