Margarita
Modest amounts of Tequila had been exported into U.S. border towns since the late 19th century until the first major boost to Tequila sales in the rest of the United States came in the late 1940s when the Margarita cocktail, a blend of Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and ice was invented.
Its origins are uncertain, but Hollywood actors and cocktail parties in California and Mexican resorts seem to be involved in most of the genesis stories. It is known that crooner and actor Bing Crosby was so taken with one particular brand of Tequila that he teamed up with a fellow actor to import the brand into the United States.
The Margarita has become highly popular around the globe. In the 1970s, when Jimmy Buffet sang of 'Wasting away in Margaritaville,' the success of the song enticed millions to sip from the salt-rimmed Margarita glass. Over subsequent years from beach shack to back-street boozer, many derivatives of the Margarita have emerged.