It’s not hard to make one margarita—squeeze a lime or two, shake the juice up with tequila and triple sec (or agave nectar if you’re doing it Tommy’s way), strain over ice, done. But it is hard to make a lot of margaritas. That’s where margarita mix really comes in handy. It’s the savior of every summer party. But it can turn a party sour if you opt for the wrong one.
So, in order to find the best margarita mix possible, the Sporked crew sat down with Mythical’s director of short form, Greg Johnson, to taste through more than15 of the top-selling, most popular mixes. Greg very thoughtfully brought tequila to the party office, so we tasted these mixes both on their own (to assess their unique flavor profiles) and with tequila (as they are designed to be enjoyed). We were looking for mixes that had that almost-fresh lime juice flavor and a decent amount of sweetness—not so much that they were cloying but enough to balance out the citrusy zest and tame the heat of the tequila. We also wanted a mix that required only adding tequila to make a margarita, which is why you won’t see Trader Joe’s mix on this list. While it was a decent sweetened lime liqueur, it called for triple sec. And that defeats the entire purpose of a margarita mix. Sorry, TJ’s.
So, if you don’t want to do anything but slosh one liquid with another liquid, here are the best margarita mixes we tasted.
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- Kirkland Signature Premium Margarita Cocktail Mix
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Costco is great for so many things—a very particular chocolate cake that Sporked writer Jordan Myrick swears by, weekly staples to keep a large household fed, a year’s supply of toilet paper, and basically everything you need for parties. You can host a killer party with one trip to Costco. Pick up a cow’s worth of meat to grill up, stock up on bags of chips the size of pillow cases, and definitely do not forget the margarita mix. Not only do you get two 1.75L bottles per purchase, but it’s also just plain good. It has a bright lime flavor, but it’s not too sour. You can gulp it. It does lean sweet, but that helps balance out the alcohol of the tequila. Cocktails need sugar. I’ll keep saying it.
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- Daily’s Margarita Mix
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“This one has much more true lime flavor,” said Sporked managing editor Gwynedd Stuart. “It has that nice sour pucker.” It does indeed have a ton of zesty bite—an impressive amount for a bottled margarita mix, though more on the limeade spectrum than actual freshly juiced lime. This mix also masks the tequila a lot more than some of the others. So if you like margaritas but not necessarily tequila, you’ll like this. Plus it comes with a speed pour top so you can get all Cocktail on your guests and really make a show out of your margarita making. Or, you know, just pour without spilling everywhere.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Lefty O’Douls Authentic Key Lime Margarita Mix
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Named after a now closed San Francisco watering hole, which was founded by SF-born baseball player Francis Joseph “Lefty” O’Doul, this mix puts a spin on the margarita much like Lefty used to put a spin on his pitches (I assume he put spin on his pitches). The key lime makes the mix taste more in line with grapefruit than classic lime. “If you are a paloma fan, you would like this one,” Gwynedd said. It has a touch of bitterness to it and a lot of fresh bite. I was a big fan of this mix—but I’m a big fan of grapefruit.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart
- Master of Mixes
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I think this tastes like melted lime popsicle—or like limeade from frozen concentrate. It’s sweet but balanced and is reminiscent of lime cordial. It’s affordable and it’s plentiful, and sometimes that’s all you want out of a margarita mix. “It tastes cheap but in a way that makes me feel alive,” said Jordan. I get what they’re saying—it tastes like fun, like a memory of summertime jubilescence. This is pool party margarita mix. And, most importantly, this is margarita mix that packs enough flavor that you can blend it up with a bunch of ice to make a frozen margarita.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Agalima Organic Margarita Mixes
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At the time of writing this article, I am pregnant. So I tried all of these mixes sans tequila. (I did not have as good of a time as my colleagues.) And this one was my favorite to drink straight. It’s sweet up front and then zesty and a touch bitter on the finish. For my cocktail nerds out there, it tastes like it’s made with a lime oleo saccharum. It’s complex enough that you don’t need the tequila to feel like you’re drinking a cocktail. However, for those who can and do imbibe alcohol, Gwynedd said that it “tastes pleasantly limey with a nice zip to it.”
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- Simple Truth Organic Lime Margarita Mix
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This mix lets the tequila shine through in the cocktail. So, agave fans, mark it down and add it to your grocery list. “It’s super sippable,” said Greg. “You’re gonna have a good time.” To me, it tasted as if the limes were grilled—they have a rounded, roasty flavor that mellows out the citrusy taste. If you feel like margaritas can sometimes be too aggressively acidic, then give this mix a try. It’s also made with agave syrup, which, in my opinion, is the best way to make a margarita. It would be especially good with a softer, aged tequila like a reposado.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Kroger
Best of the Best
Best for Tequila Haters
Best for Grapefruit Lovers
Best for Frozen Margaritas
Best Virgin
Best Organic
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The 7 Best Bloody Mary Mixes to Start Your Sunday Mornings Right
Breakfast comes in all shapes and sizes: liquid (smoothie), solid (pancakes), leftovers (yesterday’s The Sporked team (a mix of Bloody Mary devotees and newbies) gathered ‘round the tasting table to try a bar’s worth of some of the top brands of Bloody Mary mix.
Agalima is my favorite out of these hands down. But I like a tequila forward margarita.