Cocktail recipe
Paloma
Tequila and sparkling grapefruit, with lime and a faint savoury snap.
Ingredients
- 50 ml (1⅔ oz) blanco tequila, 100% agave
- 10 ml (⅓ oz) fresh lime juice
- 100 ml (3⅓ oz) chilled grapefruit soda
- 1 small pinch fine salt (about 0.1 g)
- Garnish: 1 lime wheel
Preparation
Add the measured tequila, fresh lime juice and pinch of salt to an ice-filled highball glass. Top with grapefruit soda and stir briefly to preserve carbonation. Garnish with a lime slice.
Glassware
Highball glass with cubed ice
History
The Paloma's Mexican origin is clear, but its exact inventor and first appearance are not securely documented. Don Javier Delgado Corona of La Capilla in Tequila is sometimes credited, though the attribution lacks strong contemporary evidence. Grapefruit soda made the drink widely reproducible; modern fresh-grapefruit versions are variations rather than proof of an original recipe.
Mixology View
We favour the straightforward Mexican grapefruit-soda build over an unnecessarily elaborate fresh-juice reconstruction. The small amount of salt makes the citrus feel brighter without announcing itself.