Tequila Cream Soda

Tequila and cream soda — the vanilla in cream soda (soda fountain tradition, 1850s) moderating tequila's vegetal agave notes.

Tequila Cream Soda is a casual modern highball that pairs tequila with cream soda — the vanilla-flavored sweetened carbonated drink whose American commercial history dates to the 1850s, when it appeared in soda fountain culture as a sweetened, vanilla-infused soda water preparation. Cream soda takes its name from the vanilla cream flavoring rather than from any dairy content, and its high vanilla-forward sweetness and clean carbonation make it a natural pairing with tequila's agave earthiness: the vanilla moderates the spirit's vegetal notes while the carbonation provides the effervescence that makes the combination refreshing. American commercial cream soda production was dominated in the 20th century by national brands including Barq's (acquired by Coca-Cola in 1995) and A&W (produced under license by Keurig Dr Pepper), and regional craft cream sodas including Jones Soda's cream soda variety. The growth of artisan and craft beverage production from the 2000s onward produced higher-quality, more natural vanilla cream sodas that gave the tequila-cream soda pairing greater flavor depth than the sweetened-artificial-vanilla commercial versions provided. The combination appeals specifically to tequila drinkers who find the Margarita's citrus too dominant, offering a gentler, more dessert-adjacent introduction to the spirit.