What does a Tequila Sunrise taste like?
A Tequila Sunrise tastes like sweet orange juice with a peppery tequila kick and a syrupy red fruit sweetness from the grenadine that sinks to the bottom.
Tequila Sunrise
orange juice with a kick
It's tequila and orange juice, with grenadine poured in last so it sinks and makes that red to orange sunset look. The top of the glass is mostly orange juice with a little peppery agave behind it. As you get lower, the grenadine (a sweet red syrup, traditionally pomegranate) takes over and things get sweeter and more candy-like. Stir it and it all evens out into a sweet, juicy drink. Good tequila makes a real difference here, since there isn't much else to hide behind.
Where you’ll see it
Common on brunch menus, beach bars and Mexican restaurant drink lists, served tall over ice with an orange slice and a cherry. It's often unstirred so you see the layers.
Order it if you like a screwdriver but want something sweeter, prettier and a bit more tequila-forward.
Quick questions
- Should you stir a Tequila Sunrise?
- It's served unstirred for the look. Give it a stir before you drink if you don't want the last few sips to be mostly grenadine.
- What tequila is best in a Tequila Sunrise?
- A blanco, the clear unaged kind. It keeps the drink bright and peppery. Aged tequila works but its vanilla and oak get a bit lost in the juice.