How's your cocktail game?

Make sure it's on point for any Fourth of July festivities. Whether you want a smooth, classic and sophisticated drink suited for a sunny afternoon, or you're more in the mood for a red, white and blue sweet treat, I've got you covered!

Cheers!

1. Tipsy Arnold Palmer

Is there anything that this supremely refreshing classic drink can't do? It doesn't seem that way. If you like it a little sweeter, you're more than welcome to mix in some honey, extra simple syrup and/or mint. For the full recipe (including how to make the iced tea from scratch), click here.

8 cups iced black tea, sweetened
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup Bulleit bourbon

2. Sandia Margarita

What goes better with a barbecue than cool, juicy hunks of watermelon? A watermelon margarita, that's what! Pro-tip: Freeze the watermelon chunks so that they keep your drink extra cold. If you want, you can also blend this up with some ice (and mint, if you'd like) for a more decadent approach.

1 1/4 ounces DeLeon Platinum Tequila
3/4 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce agave
3 large chunks of watermelon

3. Red Sangria

Sangria is great, because you can throw together a bunch of stuff willy-nilly and it'll still taste good, if you want to diverge from the recipe, so feel free to improvise based on what fruit is fresh and available. Let the sangria mix mingle for between a few hours and a day before you serve!

1 bottle of mid-range red wine
1/2 cup liquor (great with a mix of brandy and orange liqueur)
2 peaches, sliced
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1 lemon, sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
Sparkling water, to top upon serving

4. DeLeon Repoloma

​

If you've never had a Paloma, give this excellent version a try! You can make it as sweet as you want, but it'll still have that tart, slightly bitter kick from the grapefruit that goes stupendously well with this slightly spicy, robust yet balanced tequila.

1 1/2 ounces DeLeon Reposado Tequila
1 ounce grapefruit juice
3/4 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Pinch of Kosher salt

5. Platinum Fresco

If you're running around or swimming on a hot afternoon, or the temperatures climb past what is pleasant on Independence Day, make sure that you and your guests stay hydrated, especially if you're drinking a lot of booze. That's where this coconut water mixture comes in. It's sort of like a lighter spin on a pina colada, so you know those flavors are going to work.

1 1/2 ounces DeLeon Tequila
1 1/2 ounces coconut water
1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice

6. Patriotic Passion Cocktail

I absolutely love the stunning, festive jicama stars (if you must, you can use green apple slices instead), although any shape will go smoothly with this perfectly balanced drink.

3 ounces vodka
1 ounce Blue Curacao
2 1/2 ounces unfiltered apple juice
1 1/2 ounces lime juice
1 ounce jicama stars (see recipe)
2 tablespoons raspberries 

7. Bomb Pop Jell-O Shots

​

The star molds look awesome and patriotic, but if that's too much work, you can just make them straight in little clear plastic cups.

8. El Nino

Do you love tiki drinks? The ingredient list for them can be a little overwhelming, but with just four ingredients, including almond syrup and tropical, flavorful passion fruit juice, this recipe proves that it's not as hard as you'd think to whip up a perfectly beachy concoction.

1 1/4 ounces DeLeon Reposado
3/4 ounce lime juice
3/4 ounce passion fruit juice
3/4 ounce orgeat