Espaloma Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 04/23/21
Espolon Tequila's Espaloma Cocktail Recipe

Espolon Tequila

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The espaloma is Tequila Espolon's take on the popular paloma cocktail. It's just as delightful as the original drink, it simply takes a different approach to the grapefruit flavor. You're sure to enjoy the fresh citrus taste against a really nice tequila and the cocktail is very easy to mix up.

In this recipe, grapefruit juice and lemon-lime soda are used to replace the grapefruit soda of the paloma. On top of that, a little lime and triple sec give it a margarita-like twist and bitters add to the drink's complex profile. It creates a very refreshing tequila highball that's perfect for summer sipping.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the tequila, lime and grapefruit juices, triple sec, and bitters.

  3. Shake well and strain into a highball glass with fresh ice.

  4. Top with soda.

  5. Garnish with a grapefruit or lime slice. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • Either Espolon's reposado or blanco tequilas will create a great drink. However, you may enjoy the slight oaky flavor of the reposado just a little better.
  • Fresh citrus juices are highly recommended. One lime should produce 1 ounce of juice, perfect for a single drink. Grapefruits typically yield 5 or 6 ounces, so you'll have more than enough for a few drinks.
  • Ensure that the triple sec you pour is equal in quality to the tequila. Cointreau is one of the most popular premium options, and other types of orange liqueur, including curaçao, can be used as well.

Recipe Variations

  • Switch back to grapefruit soda if you like. Squirt and Fanta are the most common options, though Izze, Jarritos, Q Drinks, and many other companies offer the flavor as well.
  • Rather than aromatic bitters (Angostura), go all out on the citrus by accenting the drink with orange or grapefruit bitters instead.
  • This is a great drink to mix up by the pitcher and serve at a cookout or other small gathering. Simply multiply the ingredients by the number of servings you need, keeping them in proportion. If you're making it up ahead of time to store in the refrigerator, hold the soda until you're ready to serve so it doesn't go flat. It can then be added to the pitcher or the individual glasses.

How Strong Is an Espaloma?

Like most tequilas, Espolon is bottled at 80 proof and the espaloma falls right in line with other juice and soda highballs, so it's relatively light. The drink's alcohol content will fall somewhere around 14 percent ABV (28 proof), or about the same as a glass of wine.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
631 Calories
1g Fat
122g Carbs
8g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 631
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 122g 44%
Dietary Fiber 16g 58%
Total Sugars 80g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 331mg 1,654%
Calcium 227mg 17%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 1435mg 31%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)