Best Paloma Recipe With a Twist

Forbes

22-05-2025

May 22 might be World Paloma Day, but this tequila based cocktail is great to sip any time of the year.
This light and lively cocktail is easier to make than a Margarita, and it's becoming a fast favorite. Made with tequila, grapefruit soda and lime juice, it's also gaining in popularity. According to Datassential, this simple cocktail has grown in popularity on American menus by 81 percent in the last few years. For this reason, grapefruit sodas have also grown in popularity.
Unlike the Margarita, which dates back to at least the 1930s or 1940s, the Paloma wasn't invented until later. It is believed that the Paloma is a specific, grapefruit-soda evolution of the practice of mixing tequila with sodas, and likely, it was created after 1955, which is when Squirt soda began being exported to Mexico.
For the first part of its history, though, it was not on cocktail menus. According to noted drinks historian, David Wondrich, the first mention of a Paloma on a menu was in 1999 in Tlaquepaque restaurant in Orange County, California. And a recipe for a Paloma appeared in the 2000 book Cowboy Cocktails, by Grady Spears and Brigit Binns.
A good Paloma is like a good summer night - easy, breezy and refreshing to make. At its core, it is just a two ingredient cocktail, but often, a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of salt are added.
glass: highball
garnish: grapefruit slice or twist, lime wedge or wheel
Fill highball glass with ice, pour in tequila, grapefruit soda, lime juice, and stir gently. Add a pinch of salt on top, then add garnish, and serve.
The first way to add dimension to your Paloma is to switch out the blanco or silver tequila with a reposado or añejo. A reposado tequila has rested in oak barrels for anywhere from two months to a year, while an añejo tequila is aged even longer, from a year to three years. If you want to get even fancier, sub out the blanco for the lookalike cristalino, which is basically an añejo that's been charcoal filtered so it is clear in color.
You can also add a smoky touch by using mezcal instead of tequila, or you could split the base, between tequila and mezcal. You could also simply pour a 1/4 to a 1/2 ounce of mezcal over the back of a bar spoon to float it on top.
Another way to elevate a Paloma is to use a higher quality mixer. Top Note, Q Mixers and Fever-Tree all make grapefruit sodas that are meant to be mixed into cocktails, which means they're made with better ingredients like real grapefruit juice and typically less sugar.
You can also use club soda and seltzer water, fresh grapefruit juice and agave syrup to make a delightful Paloma, too.
Another way to bring out the flavors of the tequila and grapefruit is to add a dash or two of grapefruit, orange or other citrus bitters.
Lastly, you'll want to up your garnish game. Adding a salt rim elevates your glass, but for a spicy kick, use Halo Del Santo, a cocktail garnish made with salt, fiery chiles and a touch of citrus.
Then, add a touch of herbs like lavender, rosemary or mint to finish the cocktail. This adds a visual and herbal twist.
glass: highball or rocks, rimmed with salt if desired
garnish: large wheel of grapefruit and rosemary sprig
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add tequila, grapefruit juice, agave syrup, lime juice, bitters and salt. Shake for 30 seconds or until completely chilled. Strain into glass filled with ice, top with club soda or seltzer water, pour mezcal on the back of a bar spoon to float on top. Add garnish, and serve.