Table of Contents
Here's something most Americans don't know: the paloma history is the story of Mexico's actual favorite cocktail. Not the margarita. Not the tequila sunrise. The paloma—a simple, refreshing mix of tequila and grapefruit soda that Mexicans have been drinking at backyard gatherings and cantinas for decades while Americans were busy freezing margaritas.
The margarita may dominate resort menus and American bar orders, but in Mexico—especially in tequila country—the paloma is what people actually drink. Sometimes called the "lazy man's margarita" for its simplicity, it's less fussy, more refreshing, and arguably a better match for tequila than lime ever was.
The margarita is for tourists. The paloma is for drinking.
What's in This Guide
- The Paloma Origin Story (Such As It Is)
- The Song, the Dove, and the Name
- The Wikipedia Hoax That Fooled Everyone
- Why the Paloma Stayed in Mexico
- Paloma vs Margarita: The Real Differences
- The Paloma Timeline
- FAQs
The Paloma Origin Story (Such As It Is)
Unlike cocktails with elaborate origin myths—pirates, literary legends, famous bartenders—the paloma origin is refreshingly humble. Nobody really knows who made the first one. There's no dramatic story. Just tequila, grapefruit soda, and a squeeze of lime that somehow became a national obsession.
Before the paloma existed, Mexicans in the 1940s were already mixing tequila with whatever carbonated soda was available—cola, orange Crush, ginger ale. They called these combinations "changuirongo," essentially meaning "tequila cut with soda." The paloma emerged from this tradition when a specific soda arrived on the scene.
In 1955, Squirt grapefruit soda—invented in Phoenix, Arizona in 1938—was first exported to Mexico. Almost immediately, people started mixing it with tequila. It was an obvious pairing: grapefruit's bitter sweetness complementing tequila's earthy agave character. No genius inventor required. Just thirsty Mexicans doing what made sense.
The most commonly cited inventor is Don Javier Delgado Corona, owner of La Capilla bar in the town of Tequila, Jalisco. Don Javier is also credited with inventing the Batanga (tequila, Coca-Cola, and lime), so the attribution makes sense. He was famous for stirring drinks with the same knife he used to cut limes—a signature move that became part of the bar's identity. He operated La Capilla for over six decades until his death in 2020.
But here's the thing: Don Javier himself reportedly denied creating the paloma. He popularized it, sure. Invented it? Probably not.
Here's another telling detail about the paloma history: the first written recipe didn't appear until 2000—in a book called Cowboy Cocktails by Grady Spears. That means the drink existed for roughly 50 years before anyone bothered to write it down. It was always a "make it at home" drink, not a bar menu item. Mexicans didn't need a recipe. They just knew.
The paloma wasn't invented. It was discovered—the same way people discovered that chips go with salsa or that beer goes with lime.
The Song, the Dove, and the Name
"Paloma" means "dove" in Spanish—but why name a cocktail after a bird? The answer might lie in one of the most famous songs ever written.
In the 1860s, Spanish Basque composer Sebastián Iradier visited Cuba and wrote "La Paloma" (The Dove), a habanera-style love song about a sailor leaving Havana and asking his beloved to treat any dove that arrives at her window with kindness—because it might carry his soul. Iradier died in obscurity in 1865, never knowing his song would become one of the most recorded pieces of music in history.
"La Paloma" spread from Cuba to Mexico, where it became something close to a second national anthem. It was reportedly a favorite of Emperor Maximilian—the ill-fated Habsburg ruler who requested it be played during his execution by firing squad in 1867. The song traveled the world, becoming a quasi-folk song in places as far-flung as Afghanistan, Romania, Germany, Hawaii, and Zanzibar.
Did the cocktail take its name from this iconic song? Nobody knows for certain. But in Mexico, where "La Paloma" is practically in the cultural DNA, the connection seems more than coincidental. The paloma origin of the name remains a mystery—but a poetic one.
The Wikipedia Hoax That Fooled Everyone
Here's where paloma history takes a bizarre turn into the internet age.
In 2009, a Boston bartender named Evan Harrison got frustrated that his opinions weren't being taken seriously at work. His revenge? He logged into Wikipedia and edited the paloma entry to claim that he had invented the drink, citing a fictional 1953 pamphlet called "Popular Cocktails of the Rio Grande."
The hoax got elaborate. Later edits added a completely fabricated backstory about a rival bartender named "Manuel Gonzales" who had supposedly created the drink for his true love, only to shoot both her and himself in a jealous rage when Harrison published the recipe first. The fake Wikipedia entry even included Manuel's supposed last words: "con limón, no es pomelo" (with lime, it's not grapefruit).
The prank worked too well. The fake information stayed on Wikipedia until a moderator discovered and removed it in 2013—but by then, the damage was done. Cocktail blogs, industry publications, and even the prestigious Death & Co bar in New York had cited "Evan Harrison" as the paloma's creator.
The real Evan Harrison is very much alive, currently a partner at several Cambridge, Massachusetts bars, and—ironically—did not invent the paloma. He was born about 50 years too late to have created a drink that emerged in 1950s Mexico. The hoax is now cocktail industry legend: a cautionary tale about trusting the internet.
Why the Mexican Paloma Stayed South of the Border
If the paloma is so beloved in Mexico, why did the margarita become the international star? The paloma history in the United States is really a story of what didn't happen—at least not until recently.
A few factors kept the mexican paloma from crossing the border:
The soda problem. Traditional palomas use Mexican grapefruit sodas like Jarritos or Squirt—brands that weren't widely available in U.S. bars. American bartenders defaulted to Fresca or tried to improvise with fresh juice, losing the authentic flavor profile.
The frozen margarita machine. As Houston bar owner Bobby Heugel has noted, the margarita "skyrocketed in popularity nationally in the '70s because of the ease of serving and drinking frozen margaritas, which led to pre-mixes and high margins." You can't put a paloma in a frozen margarita machine.
The soda goes flat. Carbonated mixers create waste. Margarita mix doesn't. For bars focused on efficiency and shelf life, the margarita was simply easier to standardize and sell at a markup.
The perception problem. A drink made with soda seemed "low-class" to American cocktail culture. Margaritas had triple sec and fancy salt rims. Palomas had... Squirt. The simplicity that made the paloma great in Mexico made it seem unsophisticated in the U.S.
Paloma vs Margarita: The Real Differences
The paloma vs margarita debate isn't really about which is "better"—it's about understanding what each drink is trying to do. They're built for different purposes.
| Paloma | Margarita |
Citrus | Grapefruit + lime | Lime |
Sweetener | From the soda | Triple sec / agave |
Carbonation | Yes | No |
Flavor Profile | Bitter-sweet, refreshing | Tart, spirit-forward |
Typical Calories | ~150-200 | ~200-300 |
Best For | Hot days, casual sipping | Meals, cocktail hour |
One tequila expert from Guadalajara put it perfectly: "The essence of the cocktail is so basic and so delicious. I think the paloma vs margarita comparison misses the point—the citrus notes of the grapefruit work so well with tequila. It just makes more sense."
The margarita demands attention. The paloma just wants to keep you cool.
The Paloma Timeline
A quick look at how paloma history unfolded:
- 1860s: "La Paloma" song composed by Sebastián Iradier; becomes a Mexican cultural touchstone
- 1929: Ruby Red grapefruit discovered in Texas Rio Grande Valley—first U.S. citrus patent
- 1938: Squirt grapefruit soda invented in Phoenix, Arizona
- 1940s: Mexicans mix tequila with various sodas—"changuirongo" style
- 1950: Jarritos founded in Mexico; Squirt begins advertising as tequila mixer in U.S.
- 1955: Squirt officially imported to Mexico—the paloma as we know it likely begins
- 1970s: Squirt runs "Tequila has appeal with Squirt" campaign
- Mid-1990s: Paloma explodes in popularity around El Parián plaza in Tlaquepaque, near Guadalajara
- 2000: First written paloma recipe published in "Cowboy Cocktails" by Grady Spears
- 2009: Wikipedia hoax claims Boston bartender invented the paloma
- 2013: Wikipedia hoax discovered and removed
- 2019: National Paloma Day established (May 22nd)
- 2020: Don Javier Delgado Corona dies after six decades at La Capilla
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The Drink Mexico Actually Drinks
The paloma history isn't a story of genius invention or celebrity endorsement. It's a story of simplicity that works—tequila and grapefruit, discovered rather than designed, beloved for decades by the people who know tequila best.
It's a drink so natural that nobody bothered writing down a recipe for 50 years. So authentic that a Wikipedia hoax fooled cocktail experts. So good that it inspired a saying: the margarita is for tourists, the paloma is for drinking.
Americans built an entire mythology around the margarita. Mexicans just poured palomas and got on with their lives. There's something appealing about that.
Next time someone orders a margarita thinking it's what Mexicans drink—tell them about the paloma. Then make one. They'll understand immediately.
Ready to discover what Mexico already knows?
FAQs
Is the paloma really more popular than the margarita in Mexico?
In tequila-producing regions like Jalisco, yes—the paloma is generally considered the favorite. Drinks writer David Wondrich has called it the "National Drink of Mexico." The paloma vs margarita popularity contest depends somewhat on location, but among locals (not tourists), palomas often win.
What does "paloma" mean, and where did the name come from?
"Paloma" is Spanish for "dove." The paloma origin of the name may reference the famous 1860s song "La Paloma," which became deeply embedded in Mexican culture—but nobody knows for certain.
What soda should I use for an authentic paloma?
In Mexico, Squirt or Jarritos grapefruit soda are the traditional choices. Fresca works too. For a "craft" version, use fresh grapefruit juice with club soda. Each approach is valid—it just depends on whether you want authentic or elevated.
Who actually invented the paloma?
Nobody knows for sure—and don't believe anyone who claims otherwise (especially if they cite a pamphlet called "Popular Cocktails of the Rio Grande"—that was a hoax). Don Javier Delgado Corona is often credited but denied creating it. The paloma history is more evolution than invention.
Why is it called the "lazy man's margarita"?
Because of its simplicity. A margarita requires fresh lime juice, triple sec, and often a shaker. A mexican paloma is just tequila and grapefruit soda poured over ice. No shaking, no special ingredients, no fuss.
