Where to Drink Now

How Stiff Is Your Margarita?

To test the potency of four variations of the quintessential summer cocktail, the writer drank six ounces of each on consecutive nights. Then he breathalyzed.

By Amos Barshad
Published May 17, 2009

(Photo: Getty Images)

BLOCKHEADS
Regular shaken margarita, $5, 10 oz.
Blew a .000
No tequila taste; if there was any alcohol at all, it was metabolized before the breath test.

DOS CAMINOS
El Camino, $11, 6 oz.
Blew a .014
A very well-structured cocktail, not dominated by the tequila taste. It produced a pleasant, light buzz.

CABRITO
The Margarita, $10, 10 1/4 oz.
Blew a .019
A tasty basic margarita, but given its strong tequila aftertaste, this registered surprisingly average on the AlcoMate Breathalyzer.

ROSA MEXICANO
La Tradicional, $11, 10 oz.
Blew a .033
A delicious, balanced beverage. The best deal of the batch both in terms of taste and buzz factor.

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