The margarita is a true classic. The earliest known published recipe is in Esquire magazine in 1953. The recipe called for tequila, orange liqueur, and fresh lime. Over the years, the drink evolved in various ways, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Many bartenders have experimented with tequila infusions, alternative natural sweeteners, and various liqueurs. La Belle Vie's version is one of the most unique takes on the drink that still tastes like a margarita. For quite some time now, LBV's Johnny Michaels has been putting left-field flavor combinations together that fit so perfectly you wonder how you never thought of it. His Cobra Verde uses a touch of absinthe, which is all you need to get the potent taste of anise onto the palate, and a bit of cherry liqueur. These flavors combined with the sour of the lime and the salt on the rim seem made for one another.