National Margarita Day falls on February 22 each year. It’s a day carved out to celebrate one of the most popular and beloved cocktails. Who invented this day? Well, that’s up for debate, as are the origins of this famous cocktail itself.

Margarita is the Spanish word for daisy. Most likely the Margarita was just a Daisy cocktail with its gin based swapped out for Tequila. The Daisy was a category of cocktail or a type of cocktail, similar to an Old Fashioned, where you can choose the base spirit, the sweetener, and the type of bitters. Popular in the early 20th century, a Daisy usually included citrus juice, a sweet syrup or liqueur, and a base spirit.

But cocktail backstories are drunk history. The first evidence of a Daisy with tequila as the base seems to appear in a newspaper article about sightseeing in Tijuana, Mexico in 1936.  A 1937 source documents a “Picador” cocktail of fresh citrus, Cointreau, and tequila, shaken. And in 1939, the Tequila Sour recipe appeared in The World Famous Cotton Club: 1939 Book of Mixed Drinks. The presentation distinguished it: The cocktail glass rimmed with lime, a coating of salt, and garnished with a lime wedge.

So who created the Margarita that we know today?

The fun answer is to choose your own adventure. Seven prominent stories are available. We just don’t know if a bar owner created the cocktail in Taxco, Mexico in 1939. Or a Mexican hotel bar in 1936, or if a socialite in 1948 who hosted a Christmas party in Acapulco created the first Margarita.

Regardless of who created the Margarita, we’ve been enjoying them for a long time. And a well-crafted Margarita is one of those cocktails that is approachable for the masses and easy to riff on, making it a lasting favorite for cocktail lovers. With that in mind, here are four recipes to step up your Margarita game on this greatest of days.

Classic Margarita with Don Fulano Tequila Blanco. The citrus and peppery profile with notes of florals and vanilla are a killer choice for a classic Margarita.

2 ounces Don Fulano Tequila Blanco
¾ ounce orange liqueur, Cointreau is suggested
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon agave nectar

My preferred preparation for a classic Margarita is on the rocks. Prepare a rocks glass by salting the rim if desired. Shake all ingredients with cubed iced in a cocktail shaker until chilled. Strain into the rocks glass over fresh ice or serve up in a coupe glass. Garnish with a fresh lime slice.

Spicy Tequila Margarita with Siempre Tequila Reposado. Siempre’s peppery profile, loaded with baking spices and chocolate, are a match made in heaven for this spicy Margarita rendition.

2 ounces Siempre Tequila Reposado
½ ounce spiced agave syrup
½ ounce fresh lime juice

If desired, prepare the rim of a coupe glass with a mix of tajin and kosher salt. Shake all liquid ingredients with cubed ice in a cocktail shaker until chilled. Strain into the coupe glass. If the glass has not been rimmed with seasoning dust a pinch of tajin on top. Alternatively, strain the cocktail into a tajin- and salt-rimmed rocks glass over fresh cubed ice and garnish with jalapeño slices.

To make the spiced agave syrup: Add ¼ cup of water to a small pot. Add a pinch of cayenne, ginger, and chipotle chili powder, stir and bring to medium heat. Add ¼ cup of agave nectar and stir on low until the agave has dissolved. Allow the liquid to cool before building the cocktail.

Smoke & Spice Mezcal Margarita with The Lost Explorer Espadín Mezcal. Crisp and juicy fruitiness with a gentle smoky finish; a great match for the sweet and spicy flavors in this riff.

1.5 ounces Lost Explorer Espadín Mezcal
2/3 ounce Ancho Reyes Verde
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
2/3 ounce agave syrup

Prepare a rocks glass with a partial tajin rim. Add all ingredients and cubed ice to a cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh cubed ice.

Cinnamon & Spice Smoky Margarita with Manojo Mezcal. The profile of Manojo’s sweet pastry and BBQ flavors are a perfect match for cinnamon and citrus in this recipe.

2 ounces Manojo Mezcal
½ ounce cinnamon spice syrup
½ ounce fresh lime juice
½ ounce fresh split lemon and orange juice

If desired, prepare one section of the rim of a coupe glass with a cinnamon, kosher salt, and granular sugar blend. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with cubed ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Dust with a pinch of cinnamon on top and garnish with a dried lemon or lime slice.

To make the spiced cinnamon syrup: Add ¼ cup of water and 3 cinnamon sticks to a small pot. Bring to medium heat and stir well, allow to simmer gently while covered for ten minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and add ¼ cup of agave nectar. Remove from heat and stir until the agave has dissolved. Allow the liquid to cool before building the cocktail.

Cheers to National Margarita Day!

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