How to pick a tequila for a party

Tequila for a party is mostly arithmetic, with one style decision at the front of it.

Pick the style first

For a party, buy blanco. It is unaged, so the agave is bright and citrus-forward, and it is the right base for margaritas, palomas and ranch waters. Reposado is the upgrade if people will be sipping as well as mixing; the light oak makes it friendlier neat. Leave añejo out of the punch entirely and set one bottle aside for anyone who wants to sit down with a glass at the end of the night.

Whatever you buy, look for 100 percent agave on the front label. Mixto tequila, which can legally take almost half its sugars from elsewhere, is the reason tequila has the reputation it has at parties.

How much to buy

A 750 ml bottle holds about seventeen 1.5 ounce pours. A standard margarita uses 2 ounces, which gives you roughly twelve drinks a bottle.

Plan on two drinks per guest in the first hour and one an hour after that. For twelve people over three hours, that is about 48 drinks, so four bottles of tequila with a fifth in reserve. For twenty-five people, plan on eight.

Buy one bottle more than the maths says. Unopened bottles keep.

Batch the margaritas

Do not make drinks one at a time. The classic ratio is three parts tequila, two parts fresh lime juice, one part orange liqueur, with a little agave syrup to taste. Scale it in a pitcher, keep it in the fridge, and add ice only in the glass so the batch does not water down.

For twelve drinks: 24 ounces tequila, 16 ounces lime juice, 8 ounces orange liqueur, agave syrup to taste.

Fresh lime is the single biggest quality difference at a party. Bottled lime juice tastes cooked. If you are buying a mix instead, taste it first and cut it with fresh lime and a little extra tequila.

Palomas and ranch water are easier

A paloma is tequila, grapefruit soda and a squeeze of lime over ice. Ranch water is tequila, sparkling mineral water and lime. Both are built in the glass, take ten seconds, and use no shaker. For a large group, set out the bottles, a bowl of cut limes and a bucket of ice and let people build their own.

What else to buy

Ice, twice as much as you think. Limes, one per two drinks. Salt for rims, flaky rather than fine. Orange liqueur for margaritas. Grapefruit soda and sparkling water for the easy drinks. A non-alcoholic option that looks like the real thing, such as grapefruit soda with lime and a salted rim.

Serving

Set the drinks station away from the kitchen so people are not queuing where you cook. Glassware matters less than ice and lime. Put out a jug of water and it will get drunk.

Selection changes week to week, so call to confirm a specific bottle.