Skip to content
CocktailSteps
ExploreScan your bar↗Account
  1. Home
  2. Cocktail recipes
  3. Paloma

Build over cubed ice and stir gently

Paloma

A tall, lightly bitter highball built for bright citrus and easy refreshment.

Verified by CocktailSteps Editorial Team · Reviewed August 25, 2026

Time
4 minutes
Level
Easy
Glass
Highball
Approx. ABV
12% · Medium-low
Start guided make →Quick check
Paloma served in a highball

Measured for the room

Ingredients

Number of servings
  • Clear unbranded bottle of blanco tequila
    Blanco tequila

    Recommended brandEspolòn Blanco

    2 oz
  • Fresh lime juice in a small carafe beside a cut lime
    Fresh lime juice

    Recommended brandSunkist Persian Lime

    0.25 oz
  • Flaky kosher salt crystals
    Kosher salt

    Recommended brandDiamond Crystal Kosher Salt

    1 pinch
  • Pink grapefruit soda in an unbranded glass bottle
    Pink grapefruit soda

    Recommended brandFever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit

    4 oz
  • Fresh lime wheel
    Lime wheelOptional

    Recommended brandSunkist Persian Lime

    1 slice

Amounts scale from the verified one-glass recipe. Technique and timing stay unchanged.

Choose your bottle

Bottle buying guide

Best fit is our default. Spend less with Smart buy, or choose Upgrade when you want more character.

  • Base spirit

    Blanco tequila

    Choose a bottle labeled 100% agave; bright pepper and citrus make the cleanest Margarita.

    • Best fit · RecommendedEspolòn BlancoApprox. $23–30 · 750 ml

      Bright agave and a clean finish make this the safest Margarita pick.

    • Smart buyOlmeca Altos PlataApprox. $22–28 · 750 ml

      Clean agave, citrus, and pepper deliver excellent mixing value.

    • UpgradeTequila Ocho PlataApprox. $42–55 · 750 ml

      More cooked-agave and mineral character when tequila should lead.

Approximate U.S. shelf prices reviewed July 2026. Local price and availability vary.

Measured method

How to make Paloma

  1. 01

    Season the glass

    1 pinch kosher salt

    Sprinkle 1 pinch kosher salt into an empty highball glass.

    Season the glass stage with flaky kosher salt crystals
    Season the glass visual check
  2. 02

    Build the tequila base

    Cubed ice · 2 oz tequila · ¼ oz lime

    Fill the highball with cubed ice, then add 2 oz blanco tequila and ¼ oz fresh lime juice.

    Build the tequila base stage with aged brass cocktail jigger
    Build the tequila base visual check
  3. 03

    Top with grapefruit soda

    4 oz pink grapefruit soda

    Slowly pour in 4 oz pink grapefruit soda, keeping the bubbles lively.

    Top with grapefruit soda stage with unbranded bottle of pink grapefruit soda
    Top with grapefruit soda visual check
  4. 04

    Stir briefly

    Stir · 5 sec

    Stir gently for 5 seconds to combine without flattening the soda.

    Stir briefly stage with metal bar spoon
    Stir briefly visual check
  5. 05

    Add the lime

    1 lime wheel

    Set 1 lime wheel on the rim, if using.

    Add the lime stage with fresh lime wheel
    Add the lime visual check
Key move

Add the soda last to preserve carbonation

Set the station

Tools

  • Aged-brass Japanese-style jigger
    Jigger

    Recommended brandCocktail Kingdom Japanese Style Jigger

  • Long aged-brass bar spoon
    Bar spoon

    Recommended brandCocktail Kingdom Teardrop Barspoon

  • Empty clear highball glass
    Highball glass

    Recommended brandRIEDEL Drink Specific Highball

Know the pour

Medium-low

A long tequila highball lengthened with grapefruit soda and ice.

Contains alcohol. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and enjoy responsibly.

Bartender mode

05 steps

Quick Check

The whole recipe at one glance. No tutorial animation.

Ratio
2 tequila · ¼ lime · 4 grapefruit soda · 1 pinch salt
Tools
Jigger · Bar spoon · Highball glass
Technique
Build over cubed ice and stir gently
Timing
5-second gentle stir

AI bartender

Checking your AI access…

Make this drink

Keep the station moving

Related measured recipes

Browse all recipes
Margarita served in a coupe

Shake and fine strain into a half-salted coupe

Margarita

Bright lime, clean tequila, and a crisp salted edge.

Jungle Bird served in a rocks glass

Shake hard, fine-strain over fresh cubed ice, and garnish

Jungle Bird

Blackstrap rum, pineapple, and a vivid Campari bite.

Mojito served in a highball

Gentle muddle, build, churn, and top

Mojito

Fresh mint, lime, rum, and a tall sparkling finish.

A LUQ Labs project

Technique before spectacle. Taste before hurry.

Recipe indexScan your barAboutContactPrivacyTermsCookies & storageResponsible drinking

For adults of legal drinking age. Drink responsibly. Zero-proof recipes are always available.

CocktailSteps

Legal drinking age only

Before you enter.

This site contains alcohol-related content intended for adults. U.S. visitors must be 21 or older. Visitors elsewhere must be of legal drinking age where they are located.

Are you of legal drinking age in your country or region?

PrivacyTermsCookies & storageResponsible drinking

Please enjoy responsibly.