Some cocktails have crossed generations without losing their identity. The Margarita is one of them. Fresh, bold and instantly recognizable, it has built its reputation around a balance that is as simple as it is difficult to perfect.
But what happens when you take a great classic and move it in a completely different direction?
In UGO’s new Cocktail Odyssey 2026, the Margarita becomes the starting point for a journey to Neptune. A cocktail that preserves the character of tequila while introducing less predictable ingredients: birch and wild blueberry.
The result is Neptune, an original interpretation that explores the relationship between freshness, fruit and botanical notes.
The Margarita: A Classic That Leaves Room for Creativity
The Margarita is one of the world’s best-known tequila cocktails. Its traditional recipe combines tequila, orange liqueur and lime, creating a balance between alcohol, sweetness and acidity.
It is precisely this structure that makes it so interesting for contemporary mixology.
A well-made Margarita does not depend on a long list of ingredients, but on the precision with which they are balanced. Changing just one element can transform the character of the entire cocktail.
That is why reinterpreting it requires more than simply adding an unusual flavor. It takes an idea capable of maintaining a connection with the original while creating a new identity.
Neptune: Four Ingredients, a New Direction
The recipe for Neptune, featured in UGO’s 2026 cocktail menu, brings together four ingredients:
Espolòn Tequila, birch, wild blueberry and lime.
Tequila provides the most direct connection to the traditional Margarita. Lime maintains the familiar citrus freshness.
But it is the other two ingredients that make this interpretation particularly interesting.
Wild blueberry introduces an intense fruity character, while birch opens the door to a botanical dimension rarely associated with traditional cocktails.
The idea is not simply to reproduce the original Margarita in a different color, but to use some of its essential elements to explore a new aromatic profile.
Wild Blueberry in Contemporary Mixology
Fruit has always played an important role in cocktail making, but not all fruity ingredients behave in the same way.
Wild blueberry, in particular, has a distinctive aromatic identity. Compared with more delicate fruits, it can contribute intense notes and a certain tartness that pairs naturally with spirits.
In a tequila-based cocktail, this type of ingredient allows bartenders to explore combinations that go beyond traditional citrus flavors.
Color also becomes part of the drink’s visual identity.
Neptune is presented in a striking deep-red shade, served in a short glass with a decorated rim. A minimalist presentation that allows the cocktail’s color to take center stage.
Birch: An Unexpected Botanical Ingredient
Among the most distinctive elements in Neptune’s recipe is birch.
It is an ingredient that evokes an aromatic world quite different from the one normally associated with the Margarita: plants, forests and botanical notes.
In contemporary mixology, ingredients like these can become interesting tools for developing new aromatic nuances.
Their presence does not necessarily need to dominate the cocktail. Instead, they can contribute depth and help connect ingredients that, on paper, seem to belong to entirely different worlds.
In Neptune, birch is part of a combination that brings together tequila, lime and wild blueberry in a recipe far removed from more conventional interpretations of the Margarita.
From Margarita to Neptune: Cocktail Odyssey 2026
UGO’s new cocktail menu is built around a specific idea: transforming familiar references from cocktail culture into a journey through an imaginary universe.
Each planet becomes the name of a creation, while the recipes reinterpret different cocktail structures and inspirations.
For Neptune, the reference to the Margarita is stated directly in the menu through the phrase:
“On Neptune, the Margarita goes deep.”
A short description that perfectly captures the spirit of the cocktail: starting with something familiar and venturing into less explored territory.
It is an approach that maintains a dialogue with the great classics without simply reproducing them.
Where to Try a Reimagined Margarita in Milan
Milan offers plenty of possibilities for cocktail enthusiasts. From timeless classics to contemporary interpretations, the city continues to be a destination for those looking to discover new approaches to mixology.
In the Navigli district, this variety meets one of Milan’s liveliest nightlife areas.
At UGO Cocktail Bar – Bistrott, on Via Corsico, the selection includes classic cocktails and original creations, alongside a wine selection and bistrot cuisine.
For anyone looking for a Margarita in Milan but interested in something beyond the traditional recipe, Neptune is one of the interpretations featured in the new Cocktail Odyssey.
A cocktail that keeps tequila at the heart of its recipe while building a distinctive identity around botanical and fruity ingredients.
A Margarita That Goes Beyond the Classic
Great cocktails continue to be reinterpreted because they possess one essential quality: a structure strong enough to remain recognizable, yet versatile enough to leave room for creativity.
Neptune is born from precisely this possibility.
Tequila and lime preserve the connection to the Margarita. Wild blueberry and birch introduce a different aromatic language, creating a recipe with a personality of its own.
It is one of the destinations on UGO’s Cocktail Odyssey 2026, where every drink tells a different story about the art of mixology.
And this time, the journey takes us all the way to Neptune.
