Which cocktail combines tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice?

The Margarita is the cocktail that combines tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice.

A classic Margarita is commonly served shaken with ice and may be presented in a glass with a salted rim. The standard ingredients are tequila, an orange-flavored liqueur such as triple sec, and fresh lime juice. Recipes vary in sweetness, dilution, and presentation, so there is no single universally fixed proportion.

The drink’s exact origin is disputed. Several stories place its creation in Mexico in the 1930s or 1940s, while others connect it to earlier drinks or named individuals. Those competing claims should not be confused with the recipe’s widely recognized identity.

The Margarita differs from a Paloma, which is generally tequila with grapefruit flavor and a carbonated mixer. It also differs from a Tequila Sunrise, whose characteristic ingredients include orange juice and grenadine.