La Dama Skinny Margarita Recipe
Skinny Margarita Recipe
A Margarita with the orange liqueur stripped out and the sweetness pulled back. La Dama — Mexico's first certified-organic tequila — does the work. Three ingredients, real spirit, no compromise.
Ingredients
- La Dama Reposado Organic Tequila60 ml
- Fresh lime juice30 ml
- Pure agave nectar (or Giffard Agave syrup)10 ml
- Garnish: half salt rim and lime wheel—
Method
- Rub a lime wedge around half the rim of an Old Fashioned glass and dip into flaky sea salt.
- Add La Dama Reposado, fresh lime juice and agave nectar to a shaker.
- Fill with cubed ice and shake hard for 8 seconds.
- Strain over a single large ice cube in the salt-rimmed glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel.
Garnish: Half salt rim, lime wheel
Why this works
The "skinny" Margarita isn't a marketing invention — it's actually closer to the original Margarita recipe than what most chain restaurants serve. A 1953 Esquire-published spec calls for tequila, Cointreau and lime in 3:1:1. The Tommy's variation drops the orange liqueur entirely. The Skinny pulls back further: less sweetener, no liqueur at all, and a higher-quality tequila to carry the drink.
La Dama is the right base here. It's Mexico's first 100% certified-organic tequila, made by the Galindo family in the Los Altos region of Jalisco, in masonry ovens with endemic yeast and slow fermentation. The reposado spends six months in oak. On the palate: fruity and herbal, with caramelised agave and a soft, creamy chocolate finish. That natural sweetness is why this drink needs so little added agave nectar.
Bartender tips
Use pure agave nectar (or Giffard Agave syrup) rather than sugar syrup. Same sugar family as the tequila — it reads as a continuation of the spirit rather than something added. The salt rim is essential here precisely because there's no other ingredient adding savoury balance to the drink. Shake brief and hard; this Margarita has less to dilute than the classic, so over-dilution is the main risk.
Featured products
La Dama Reposado Organic
Mexico's first certified-organic tequila. Six months in oak, endemic-yeast fermented, hand-built in Los Altos Jalisco.
Shop the bottlePueblo Viejo Blanco
For a younger, more peppery Skinny Margarita. Clean, unaged blanco from Casa San Matías.
Shop the bottleGiffard Agave Syrup
Bar-ready agave syrup, pre-diluted to the right cocktail viscosity.
Shop the bottleFAQ
How is this different from a Tommy's Margarita?
Same family, different dial. The Tommy's uses 15 ml of agave syrup; the Skinny uses 10 ml. The Skinny pulls back further on sweetness and leans harder on lime. Both correct, mood-dependent.
Can I use a blanco instead of reposado?
Yes — La Dama Blanco works well for a brighter, sharper version. We don't currently stock the Blanco; use Pueblo Viejo Blanco as the closest substitute.
Is it actually lower in calories?
Yes — by about 60 calories per drink versus a classic Cointreau-built Margarita. The sugar reduction is real, not marketing.
Should I add lemon as well as lime?
No. The classic spec is lime only. A Margarita built with lemon is a Sidecar — different drink.