Matador recipe
Blanco tequila, pineapple and lime in a crisp, coupe-served tropical classic.
Method: Shake & double strain ·
Glass: Chilled coupe ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: Tiki & Tropical
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Blanco Tequila (100% agave)
- 2 oz Fresh Pineapple Juice (well chilled)
- 0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
How to make a Matador
- Chill a coupe glass while you prepare the drink.
- Add blanco tequila, fresh pineapple juice and fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds, until the tin is thoroughly frosted and the pineapple juice is aerated.
- Double strain into the chilled coupe, garnish with a thin lime wheel, and serve immediately.
Garnish
Thin lime wheel.
Pro tip
Use unsweetened pineapple juice and fresh lime. The Matador should be tart, dry and bright enough for the tequila’s peppery agave character to stay present.
History of the Matador
The Tequila Matador was printed in the 1972 edition of Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide, which called for tequila, pineapple juice and the juice of half a lime shaken with shaved ice and strained into a cocktail glass. It remains a clean, early tequila-and-tropical-fruit classic: simpler and more sharply citrus-driven than many later pineapple tequila drinks.
Flavour profile
Tequila, Pineapple, Tart, Bright
Variations
- Frozen Matador — Flash blend the classic ingredients with crushed ice for a frozen version.
- Matador Norteño — Use sotol in place of tequila and add a measured spicy-herbal accent.
Practise making the Matador in the free Virtual Bar game.