Happy Hour: This Mandarin Tequila Smash Recipe Tastes Like Summer in a Glass

Summer is the season of pool days, beach vacations, all-white outfits, and of course, enjoying refreshing drinks–preferably al fresco. A dash of citrus always brings those warm-weather vibes, so whether you’re unwinding after a long week or throwing a summertime soiree, mixing up a mandarin cocktail with tequila just feels, well, right.

One sip of this orange tequila cocktail will put you in a tropical island state of mind. Aside from the obvious (tequila and mandarin orange), our cocktail also features blood orange San Pellegrino, ginger liqueur, and pineapple juices, making for an effervescent drink that feels like vacay in a glass.  Yes, please.

For a fun finishing touch to our mandarin drink recipe, we added candied mandarin slices. This sugared garnish will add to your total prep time but the end result is so worth it (see our candied sumo slices recipe here). Plus, you can eat them as a sweet snack–no waiting for happy hour required!

Ready to treat yourself and/or your guests? Read on for the mandarin cocktail recipe that will feel like a summer vacation in a glass. Bon voyage–er, cheers!

Did you try our mandarin orange cocktail? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!