Whip it up! This summer, enjoy picnics with a glass of refreshing tequila-watermelon cooler

By John deBary

Picnics call for refreshing, unfussy long drinks—Arnold Palmers, mojitos—drinks that don’t take too much prep and provide ample hydration. But moreover, ones that hold up well to transport and long, languorous days in the sun. The Sandia Fairy, something of an elevated watermelon margarita, exceeds on both counts. It will also pique the curiosity of any cocktail nerds in your group with an unexpected combination of flavors.

“I like mixing the pepper and soil flavors of the tequila with the sweet, herbal taste of absinthe,” says Victor Lopez, an agave-spirit enthusiast and longtime bartender at PDT (Please Don’t Tell), the famous neo-speakeasy in New York’s East Village. And for the base, the most iconic of summer fruits: watermelon.


Watermelon has a great capacity to support and blend well with a wide variety of flavors, be they salty elements like feta cheese or sweet accompaniments such as berries and stone fruit. Here the juice bounces off the savoriness of El Tesoro and tempers the rich, woody notes from the bourbon-barrel aging. The tequila’s herbal notes are brought out by the fennel, mint, and tarragon of the St. George Absinthe. “They’re like two great friends that come together,” says Lopez—which is exactly how a picnic should be.

Using the mint only as a garnish provides a fresh-eyed hit of aromatics without dialing up the herbaceousness too much. If you can’t find the specific bottles listed, ask your liquor store for a reposado that says “100% de Agave” on the label, so you know it’s the real deal; any absinthe would do in a pinch, even a pastis, if pickings are slim.

For technique, the trick is to pre-batch, i.e., mix it ahead of time to finish in the glass, rather than lugging everything to the park. If you don’t have a juicer, you can purée watermelon in a blender and strain out the solids to get fresh juice. And you might find yourself needing to add a little more simple syrup depending on the ripeness of your watermelon.

Sandia Fairy
Serves 4-6

2 cups fresh watermelon juice1½ cups El Tesoro Reposado Tequila2 oz. lemon juice2 oz. St. George Absinthe2 oz. agave syrup or simple syrupMint, for garnishWatermelon slices, for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a container and stir, chilling for up to 2 to 3 hours before serving; watermelon juice is very fragile so anything beyond 5 hours is pushing it. At your picnic, pour directly into collins glasses with ice or serve in an ice-filled pitcher to allow guests to serve themselves. (Just note, the more time it sits over ice in the pitcher, the more dilution you’ll get from melting.) Take a sprig of mint and clap it between your palms, to release the oils, and garnish along with a small slice of watermelon.