I’ve always thought that Tequila Sunrise got its name from the very town where tequila is primarily produced. The town of Tequila in Mexico is in an area with red volcanic soil and a sunrise there would probably have the colors of this cocktail drink that the world has come to adore. But there are two anecdotes worth reading.
The cocktail was created at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa circa late 1930s-early 1940s. A frequent guest who loved tequila asked the bartender, Gene Sulit, to surprise him with a refreshing drink he could enjoy poolside. The iconic Tequila Sunrise–blending soda and tequila with Crème de Cassis and fresh lime juice–was born.
From an archived page of Cocktail Atlas
Now, that dosn’t sound like the Tequila Sunrise we know today, is it? Where is the orange juice to begin with? The version with the orange juice was concocted in the 1970s, and closely associated with rock ‘n’ roll and Mick Jagger. The drink became so popular that it was immortalized in a song and a movie.
Full recipe below
Tequila Sunrise
Ingredients
- 1 lime
- 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons Gold Tequila
- 1 teaspoon Grenadine
Instructions
- Drop three ice cubes into a glass.
- Squeeze the lime directly into the glass.
- Pour in the orange juice and Gold Tequila.
- Place a spoon, upside down, over the glass and pour the Grenadine over the back of the spoon so that the dense liquid sinks to the bottom of the glass.
- Garnish with lime or orange slices, if you like.
- Serve at once.
