Paloma
Tequila, lime and grapefruit soda over ice with a salted rim. Mexico's everyday long drink.
- Time
- 4 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Highball
- Strength
- 1.9 UK units
How to make a Paloma
- Salt the rim. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass and dip the outside edge in salt. Skip this if you want a plainer drink.
- Fill with ice. Fill the glass to the top with ice, so the drink stays cold to the last sip.
- Add tequila and lime. Pour in the tequila and lime juice.
- Top with grapefruit soda. Pour in the soda slowly and give it one gentle stir from the bottom. It should look blush pink with a bit of fizz. Garnish and serve.
- Glass
- HighballNo highball? A large tumbler.
- Ice
- Ice cubes
- Garnish
- A grapefruit wedge or a lime wedgeOr: A lime wheel dropped in the glass.
What you need to make a Paloma
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Citrus squeezerFresh juice makes the biggest difference of anything.
Bar spoonA long teaspoon does the job.
Bottles we'd use
- A blanco tequilaAny 100% agave blanco: Olmeca Altos Plata, Espolon or El Jimador.Find it on Amazon
- Grapefruit sodaJarritos Toronja or Squirt, whichever you can find.Find it on Amazon
Links to Amazon are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Bar Bandol may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The Paloma story
The Paloma is probably more popular in Mexico than the Margarita, and nobody can say for sure who first made it. Don Javier Delgado Corona of La Capilla in Tequila, Jalisco, is sometimes named, but the claim is unproven. It most likely grew out of tequila mixed with grapefruit soda, a Mexican habit.
Grapefruit soda does most of the work, so pick one with real grapefruit flavour and some bitterness. Fresh lime brings it into focus. If you want to go further, replace some of the soda with fresh grapefruit juice and a little soda water.
Paloma: your questions answered
What is in a Paloma?
A Paloma is made with 50 ml tequila blanco, 15 ml fresh lime juice and 100 ml grapefruit soda. Garnish: a grapefruit wedge or a lime wedge.
How strong is a Paloma?
Made to this recipe, a Paloma contains about 1.9 UK units of alcohol per drink. That is worked out from typical bottle strengths, so it changes with the bottles you use. UK guidelines advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week.
What glass do you serve a Paloma in?
Serve a Paloma in a highball over ice. No highball? A large tumbler.
