And according todata from the consumer researcher NielsinIQ, the margarita was the best-selling cocktail of 2023.
There arecountless recipesout there nowadays for members of the 21+ crowd looking to craft their own margaritas at home.
So I judged each brand with these criteria in mind and then ranked them accordingly.
Photos: Cutwater, Jose Cuervo, On The Rocks, 1800, Cayman Jack. Design: Eat This, Not That!
Ritas Lime-A-Rita
Ritas Lime-A-Rita is a sparkling malt beverage with the flavors of lime.
A 25-ounce can cost me $3.49.
The lime flavor was detectable and pleasant, and the drink itself wasn’t overly sweet, thankfully.
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It’s a decently enjoyable, refreshing drinkand pretty affordable to boot.
However, this just didn’t feel like a legitimate margarita to me.
It’s also organic, aged in tequila barrels, and contains no sugar or artificial sweeteners.
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A 19.2-ounce can cost me $3.49.
It was also heavily carbonated.
The taste:Sort of perplexing.
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I could see myself really enjoying this drink when I’m craving something light and refreshing to sip on.
These drinks aren’t sold individually, so I grabbed a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles for $11.99.
It’s extremely sweet and sour in a way that makes it almost taste candy-like.
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I can see myself having a hard time drinking a lot of it for those reasons.
The taste isn’t bad, per se, but there are much better ready-to-drink margaritas out there.
A 1.5-liter bottle cost me $14.99.
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The look:Unlike the lower-scoring brands, this bottled cocktail didn’t have any carbonation.
It also boasted a light yellow tint that gave it a strong resemblance to lemonade.
The taste:Sampling the Rancho La Gloria brand left me with mixed feelings.
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There was also a bitter, slightly chemically taste in the background that I found pretty unpleasant.
Chi-Chis Original Margarita
Chi-Chis Original Margarita is a “wine cocktail” with lime flavor.
An 187-milliliter bottlethe smallest one available as my local liquor storecost me $1.99.
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The taste:The Chi-Chis-brand margarita suffered from some of the same issues as the Cayman Jack version.
The drink was intensely sweet, sour, and cloying in a way that I found a bit off-puting.
A 1.75-liter bottle cost me $19.99.
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The booze levels (9.95% alcohol by volume) were strong without being overpowering.
And best of all, Jose Cuervo’s flavor was more tequila-forward than most of its lower-ranking peers.
Which only makes sense: Cuervo is first and foremost a tequila brand, after all.
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My main complaint is that it was a bit too sweet.
However, it wasn’t nearly as cloying as some of the others.
A sizable bottle of the cocktail cost me $19.99.
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The taste:Virtually indistinguishable from Jose Cuervo’s ready-to-drink margarita.
However, 1800 was a slight improvement over Jose Cuervo because the sweetness levels are slightly toned down.
Overall, this is a super sippable and enjoyable beverage.
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A pack of four 12-ounce cans cost me $13.99.
The look:This was the most heavily carbonated ready-to-drink margarita I tried and the lightest in color.
It looked closer to sparkling water than a legitimate margarita.
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However, my fears turned out to be unfounded.
A pack of four 355-milliliter cans cost me $13.99.
The look:Another carbonated option, this Southern Tier beverage offered a gentle yellow tint.
The taste:Clean, super citrusy, and slightly sweet.
It was also very refreshing thanks to the carbonation and lime and orange flavors.
However, I could have used a little more booze in this drink.
The color of the drink was pale and clear.
I also loved that it was one of the boozier options with 12.5% alcohol by volume.
In terms of canned margaritas, I don’t think you could do much better.
However, two brands stood out a little more than this one.
Coppa Cocktails Margarita
Coppa Cocktails' Margaritais made with tequila, liqueur, and lime.
A 750-milliliter bottle cost me $17.99.
The liquid was slightly cloudy but pretty clear for the most part.
It was also super lime-y and had a distinct smoky tequila flavor.
A 375-milliliter bottle cost me $12.99.
The taste:This bottled margarita isn’t for the faint of heart.
The flavor was sharp, super tangy, and deliciously smoky in a way that stung my nose.
It was also the booziest contender in the taste test by far with 20% alcohol by volume.
I can already see myself sipping this superior brand all summer.
