• by Erik Oster , July 18, 2023

Image above: from left, ingredients for the Taquito-rita; Kris and Kendall Jenner promote 818 Tequila.

National Tequila Day is on July 24, so if you needed an excuse to pour yourself a post-work cocktail next Monday, well, congratulations.

Tequila in particular has made a welcoming home for celebrity-owned or affiliated brands, with everyone from George Clooney to Eva Longoria to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson serving up their own take on the agave-derived spirit.

The average drinker is probably mostly familiar with tequila for its use in the ubiquitous margarita. That drink has its own day (whoever decided on Feb. 22 for the refreshing cocktail was maybe a little bit hungover), which suggests the need to do something a little bit different for National Tequila Day -- either via a novel take on the margarita, or turning attention to some other drinks perfectly well-suited to tequila.

In the case of The Chainsmokers’ JAJA Tequila, the brand opted to pursue a spin on the familiar drink by going for a bold (if somewhat perplexing) collaboration, teaming up with a food, Delimex Taquitos, for the Taquito-rita.

The drink made its debut yesterday at Refinery Rooftop in New York City, where it will be available through July 24. According to a statement, the drink is made with JAJA Tequila Blanco, muddled jalapeño peppers, agave syrup, and lime juice; and then completed with a garnish of four taquitos, jalapeño peppers, lime, and a celery stalk -- which “takes the cocktail to the next level” (not sure this is the language we’d use).

Fans of tequila and/or taquitos can also purchase kits to make the concoction at home via nationwide delivery at GoPuff -- which is probably a better idea than experimenting with taquitos, margarita mix, jalapeños and a blender. 

On the other end of the spectrum, Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila took a more straightforward approach, presenting tequila as a way to put a new spin on familiar classics.

The brand is offering consumers three limited-edition at home cocktail kits that replace the traditional spirits used in bar mainstays the Cosmopolitan, Old Fashioned, and Tom Collins, with 818 Tequila. Each kit includes all the mixers required, as well as a bottle of 818 Tequila, recipe cards, and glassware.

Unsurprisingly, the brand is relying on its star power to get the word out. Yesterday, 818 Tequila posted a video of Kendall and Kris Jenner in the kitchen mixing up a batch of the cocktails to its YouTube channel.

“Just as we saw this past fall with using 818 Tequila Reposado in the ever-popular Espresso Martini, tequila is a versatile liquid because it offers unique flavors that can balance and enhance any cocktail,” David Yan Gonzalez, director of tequila operations at 818 Tequila, said in a release. "Tequila has lots of natural flavors from agave, and is very complex with mineral, citrusy, herbal and floral notes that make it infinitely suitable for cocktails — the possibilities are truly endless!”