Birthed within the charismatic walls of Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant, the Tommy's Margarita, since its inception in the 90s, has earned a revered place at the high tables of tequila cocktails. Mastermind of tequilas, Julio Bermejo, curated this drink at his family-owned Mexican eatery in San Francisco, canonizing a turning point in the long-standing narrative of tequila mixology. Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant, opened in 1965 by Julio's father, Tomas, has since evolved into a globally recognized tequila epicenter.

The Tommy's Margarita is a minimalist yet ground-breaking recipe using 100% agave blanco tequila, ripe hand-squeezed lime juice, and sweet agave nectar. Its revolutionary twist lies in its deviation from the ubiquitous Margarita blueprint, which typically employs orange liqueur, predominantly triple sec, as its sweetening agent. Instead, Bermejo's creative genius highlighted the earthy undertones of high-quality tequila through the use of agave nectar. Therefore, the spirit's true character is spotlighted rather than being drowned by artificially sweetened liqueurs.

Julio Bermejo is a vocal advocate for recognising the quality of tequila in the United States. In a bold move during the 1990s, he restructured Tommy's drink offerings to showcase only tequila made from 100% agave. This happened at a time when approximately 98% of tequila in the U.S. market was mixto, a type adulterated with sugars, neutral spirits, and other additives. The trend then was towards syrupy and fruit-heavy cocktails, however, Bermejo's straightforward and spirit-focused Margarita quickly became a unit of inspiration for bartenders throughout the globe.

The classic Margarita, a beloved fixture since its invention in the 1940s, was traditionally characterised by the fusion of agave, lime, and orange flavours. By the turn of the century, however, triple sec and lime juice had become dominant features, used to disguise inferior tequilas and reach a fruitier final product. The Tommy's Margarita upended this norm by reconfiguring the cocktail's profile to enhance the quality of its tequila. By eliminating the orange liqueur and substituting it with agave nectar as the sweetener, Bermejo achieved a balanced drink that prioritised its key spirit, courtesy of Tommy’s Mexican’s commitment to 100% agave spirits.

Despite many drinkers remaining unaware of its name, the influence of Tommy's Margarita is pervasive and far-stretching. With its popularity gained through word-of-mouth over the decades since its creation, it prompted a domino effect as bartenders nationwide started incorporating agave nectar into their concoctions. The Tommy's variant soon became the go-to trick for mixologists aiming for a standout Margarita.

Though contemporary agave-based drinks generally use agave syrup, the Tommy's Margarita remains loyal to its roots by using pure agave nectar. Despite its need for vigorous shaking and a reduced proportion of sweeteners compared to a conventional sour, the final result is a lucid, spirited cocktail that celebrates tequila. Its simple, yet riveting recipe includes 2 ounces of blanco tequila (100% agave only), 1 ounce of lime juice and 1/2 ounce of agave nectar, shaken rigorously for 10-15 seconds in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and served in a rocks glass over ice. A salt rim is optional, but recommended.