“This is one of my favourite mixers for tequila – whipped pineapple juice and black pepper. It works particularly well with an aged tequila that has already started to develop those warm, tropical flavours,” says Alejandro. To whip your juice, either whisk in a bowl or shake the bottle until the juice becomes aerated and creamy. Serve with cracked pepper on top.

“Because tequila is made from a plant, you’re going to taste herbaceous flavours not dissimilar to gin,” Alejandro says. As such, tequila makes a great pairing with tonic. “At home, I’ll often make a Spanish-style tequila tonic in a copa glass and finish with a handful of herbs, like coriander, rosemary, sage and peppers.”

“As a general rule, citrus works really well with tequila. Fruits like oranges, lemons and limes are some of the most readily-available fruits in Mexico and therefore some of the most common mixers,” he says. Just as popular as the margarita is its pastel pink sister, the Paloma. “The cocktail is made from grapefruit soda, however since we don’t have this in Australia, you can just use grapefruit juice and soda.” You can also try other citrus fruits, like blood orange, tangerine or yuzu.

With more premium tequilas available than ever before, simple drinks like the tequila soda are fast becoming popular with the health-conscious crowd. “Once again, you can mix up the garnishes from fresh herbs to citrus wheels or muddled tropical fruits,” Alejandro says.

More often than not, Mexicans will sip their tequila rather than shoot it, especially if it’s a high-quality extra anejo spirit. “Mexicans tend to sip on tequila with food, just as you would a good gin or whiskey,” says Alejandro. It doesn’t have to be a party, just sitting around with friends or family is how it’s usually done. “That’s why the bottles are squat, so you can still see each other from across the table.”