Tequila Sunrise - Tequila, Orange & Grenadine IBA Highball

The Tequila Sunrise is a three-ingredient tequila highball built for color as much as flavor. Blanco tequila brings clean agave character, orange juice adds citrus and body, and grenadine settles through the drink to create its signature sunrise effect. The key is simple: add the grenadine last and leave the finished drink unstirred.

Background

The modern Tequila Sunrise became a defining cocktail of the 1970s, when the tequila, orange juice, and grenadine version gained widespread popularity. Earlier cocktails also carried the Tequila Sunrise name, but used substantially different ingredients. The familiar three-ingredient version became closely tied to 1970s music and drinking culture and is now recognized by the International Bartenders Association.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• Tequila Blanco: Provides the clean, peppery agave base of the cocktail.
• Orange Juice: Adds citrus sweetness, acidity, and most of the drink's body.
• Grenadine: Supplies a concentrated sweet-tart fruit note and creates the red sunrise gradient.

Substitutions: Freshly squeezed orange juice gives the cleanest citrus flavor. A good pomegranate-based grenadine works particularly well. Changing the tequila, juice, or syrup may make a good variation, but it will no longer follow the official IBA specification.

Equipment

• Highball Glass
• Jigger
• Ice

The Gradient Is Part of the Drink

A Tequila Sunrise should not finish as a uniformly orange mixed drink. Grenadine is denser than the tequila and juice, so adding it last lets the syrup sink toward the base while gradually bleeding upward. That transition from deep red to orange gives the cocktail its name and creates changing sweetness as you drink.

Substitutions & Variations

• Reposado Sunrise: Use reposado tequila for more oak, vanilla, and cooked-agave character.
• Blood Orange Sunrise: Replace standard orange juice with blood orange juice for deeper citrus flavor and color.
• Drier Sunrise: Use a less-sweet, pomegranate-forward grenadine to reduce the candy-like finish.
• Tropical variation: Replace part of the orange juice with pineapple juice for a richer tropical profile.

For the official IBA version, stick with tequila, fresh orange juice, grenadine, a Highball Glass, and the unstirred sunrise presentation.

Helpful Tips

• Use fresh orange juice: It produces brighter citrus flavor and better balance than heavily processed juice.
• Add grenadine last: This is what creates the sunrise gradient.
• Do not stir the finished drink: Stirring erases the visual effect the cocktail is known for.
• Pour the grenadine gently: A controlled pour gives you a cleaner transition between red and orange.
• Use plenty of ice: A full glass stays colder and slows unwanted dilution.
• Serve immediately: The gradient becomes less defined as the drink sits.
• Keep the garnish simple: A half orange slice or orange zest matches the IBA presentation.