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The Taste
What's America's most popular cocktail? Sources say it's the margarita, a thirst-quenching elixir that always comes out of hiding in spring when the sun begins to shine. It is versatile -- you can order one on the rocks, frozen and/or with salt -- and easy to make, which is why we're always surprised to see premixed bottles of the stuff on store shelves. We wonder, Who buys this? Why not make your own with freshly squeezed lime juice? And then we remember: Most people don't have the time, the recipe or the energy to make one.
A man known as "Giovanni the Margarita King" recognized that there was a market for a pre-made batch and he spent $2.5 million of his own money and two years developing a formula that would please palates the way his margaritas did back when he owned restaurants in Northern California. His final product, The Margarita King, came out in California a while back but is just now heading east. Like other pre-made bottles of margarita (a growing niche), the liquid itself is an electric green color. But that's where the similarities end. The frosted bottle has a cork -- not a screwcap -- which makes a nice pop when you open it. The company uses blue agave tequila from Mexico, orange liqueur, sugarcane and lemon and lime juice. And it is 34 proof, stronger than anything else in its category.
Based on the incredible hype generated around this brand (it's been on MTV, endorsed by celebrities and covered in gossip magazines), we expected to taste the best margarita ever -- something that would roll across our tongues and make them dance. Alas, the stuff is way too tart for our sensitive taste buds. Unlike Jose Cuervo Golden Margarita, which was too orange-sweet, Giovanni's liqueur is lime-heavy, like Rose's lime juice with a splash of tequila. Add ice, wait for it to melt, and the dilution works wonders: It's drinkable, but nowhere near the real thing.
-- James Oliver Cury 
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