Half Full

How the Margarita Became a Cocktail Sensation

Life Behind Bars

This special episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars discusses the possible creators of this famous tequila cocktail and how it became a classic.

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Everyone has heard at least one story about how the Margarita came to be—at last count, there were seven credible origin stories.

On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum explore the possible stories behind the Margarita’s invention, as well as a groundbreaking advertising campaign by José Cuervo that made the drink a household name. This discussion is inspired by entries in Wondrich and Rothbaum’s brand-new book, The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails, which features more than 1,100 entries from 150 expert contributors.

So fix yourself a Margarita and listen to this episode of Life Behind Bars. Cheers!

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Life Behind Bars features Half Full’s editor Noah Rothbaum and its Senior Drinks Columnist David Wondrich as they discuss the greatest bartenders and greatest cocktails of all time. It won the 2018 and the 2021 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Award for the world’s best drinks podcast.

Edited by Alex Skjong

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