For so many people the mention of the word ‘tequila’ conjures up images of taking ‘gold’ tequila shots at a place packed with 21 year olds, neon lights, and foam. But the reality is, tequila is one of the most unique, tasty, and natural liquors you can enjoy. There are even arguments that tequila can be good for you (in moderation of course) since it is the least processed and most pure of alcohols. Tequila is just plain cool and here’s why:
1. In order to be called ‘tequila’ it has to come from the blue agave plant in the Jalisco region of Mexico. Like champagne, if it doesn’t come from the Jalisco area it isn’t technically tequila. The reason – the blue agave is native to this region and grows bigger here than anywhere else.
2. The blue agave is pollinated by long nosed bats. Without these bats there would be no tequila.
3. There are 4 types of tequila: Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, and Extra Anejo. Blanco, Silver, or Plata this is not aged and best for mixed drinks. Reposado aged up to 1 year and slightly gold in color. Anejo is aged 3 years and is dark in color and more the consistency of bourbon, to be sipped. Extra Anejo aged 3 years plus, expensive and very smooth, to be sipped.
4. Many tequilas still use the ancient process called ‘Tahona’ in which a 2-ton volcanic stone wheel pulled by a mule in a circle slowly crushes the shredded, cooked agave. The agave juice and fibers are then placed in pine wood casks for fermentation. During the next step, distillation, the fermented mosto (or basic liquid) is distilled once with the agave fiber, then again without. Then it is fine filtered to produce tequila.
5. Tequila comes from the ‘pina’ which is the core of the agave plant and looks like a huge pineapple. The pina weighs between 80-200 lbs.
6. The machete used to cut the agave plant is called a ‘coa’ and the men who cut it are called ‘jimadors’.
7. Tequila can last unopened for years and after opening up to 3 months.
8. Tequila is not a depressant. Unlike many other alcohols, the properties of tequila seem to elevate the mood.
9. Good tequila that is not overly processed or tampered with does not cause hangovers. If you are hung over look to the sugar you were consuming in the margarita not the tequila, enjoyed in moderation on the rocks with just fresh lime juice and salt and you should not garner a headache the next morning.
10. There are close to 1,000 registered brands of tequila, many that are small companies who still hand label their bottles.
We also did a taste test to let you know our favorite tequilas, here divided into the 4 categories are our favorites:
Blanco/Silver/Plata
Casa Dragones – The champagne of tequilas, if you are looking for smooth flavor it doesn’t get any better than Casa Dragones. The creation of founders Bob Pittman (former COO of AOL and founder of The Pilot Group and MTV) and the first Maestro Tequilero Bertha Gonzalez Nieves, Casa Dragones is prepared with special attention to every step with each bottle being hand numbered and signed, $275.
Gran Patron Platinum – Produced from the highest quality blue agave Weber plants in the Highlands of Jalisco. The agaves for this tequila are hand selected for their sugar content. The tequila is triple distilled then rests in oak barrels for a short time making it full bodied, $195.
Casamigos – George Clooney, Rande Gerber, and Mike Meldman have come together to create one hell of a tequila. Smooth, flavorful, and at a great price $44 and up.
Grand Mayan Silver Triple Distilled – If the hand painted decanter wasn’t enough for you to fall in love with this brand, the taste will make you love Grand Mayan. Grand Mayan Silver tequila is the perfect white spirit, during its production is distilled slow 3 times. This light, crystal clear tequila with fresh agave aromas and hints of citrus is a favorite of tequila connoisseurs and mixes flawlessly into most any cocktail, $69.
Corralejo Blanco Tequila – Blanco comes straight off the copper pot still and is bottled not aged. Don Leonardo calls Blanco “The Truth” because it best captures the authentic character of the Blue Weber Agave that all our Tequilas are made from, $28.
Casa Noble Tequila Blanco – With Santana a member of the brand, this tequila is full of passion and full of pure agave flavor. The fermentation process is 100% natural and followed by triple distillation for the purest tequila, $40.
Ocho Plata – Tequila Ocho takes the exploration of terroir in tequila a giant step forward by producing batches of tequila from single fields (ranchos), much the way fine Burgundy wine is produced. For example, in the village of Vosne Romanee in Burgundy, wine is produced with the following appelations: Les Beaux Monts, La Montagne and Aux Brulees to name a few. Tequila Ocho has done the same thing by producing in Arandas the following names: El Carrizal, Las Pomez and Los Corrales. Ocho is the first tequila to designate both the year it was produced and the precise field from which the family grown agaves were sourced. Each batch comes from a different field or rancho contributing distinctive characteristics of that place, $45.
Tequila ArteNOM Seleccion 1580 Blanco – Tequila ArteNOM presents aficionados with the personal selections of world-class artisan tequila distillers. These limited release Selecciones celebrate the best of tequila craftsmanship by highlighting the agave cultivation altitude, soil and masterful distillation techniques of different tequila-producing regions, $55.
Esperant0 Tequila Blanco – in one of the oldest and traditional distilleries of Tequila, Jalisco well-known as “El Llano”. Esperanto is made from carefully selected blue agave, “Tequilana Weber”, and after cooking the extraction of the nectar is initiated, and then the tequila is submitted under a process of triple distillation. The design of the case is hand crafted by the reknowned Mexican artist Genaro Pimientel, $54.
Tres Generaciones Plata – So smooth and so easy to drink, even though blancos are not your typical sipping tequilas Tres Generaciones with its triple distilled light and refreshing taste can be a great sipping blanco, $44.
Reposado
Ocho Reposado – Tequila Ocho takes the exploration of terroir in tequila a giant step forward by producing batches of tequila from single fields (ranchos), much the way fine Burgundy wine is produced. For example, in the village of Vosne Romanee in Burgundy, wine is produced with the following appelations: Les Beaux Monts, La Montagne and Aux Brulees to name a few. Tequila Ocho has done the same thing by producing in Arandas the following names: El Carrizal, Las Pomez and Los Corrales.Ocho is the first tequila to designate both the year it was produced and the precise field from which the family grown agave was sourced. Each batch comes from a different field or rancho contributing distinctive characteristics of that place, $45.
Tequila ArteNOM Seleccion 1414 Reposado – Tequila ArteNOM presents aficionados with the personal selections of world-class artisan tequila distillers. These limited release Selecciones celebrate the best of tequila craftsmanship by highlighting the agave cultivation altitude, soil and masterful distillation techniques of different tequila-producing regions, $65.
Corzo Reposado Tequila – Aged in small white oak barrels for additional smoothness and flavor, Corzo Reposado combines the elegance of Corzo Silver with hints of oak and honey. To best savor the full flavor of this carefully crafted tequila, we recommend sipping it neat, $56.
Cazadores Reposado – Tequila Cazadores Reposado is 100% Blue Agave and rests for over two months in new, small, American white oak casks. Aging in new oak casks creates a unique Reposado Tequila that is rich in aroma & flavor. Great for drinking in classic tequila cocktails like a Margarita or simply enjoyed neat. Tequila Cazadores, Spanish for “hunters”, symbolizes Señor Jose Maria’s constant pursuit to create the world’s finest premium Tequila, $32.
Clase Azul Tequila Reposado – Clase Azul is an ultra premium, 100% Weber Blue Agave, Reposado Tequila. Clase Azul tequila is the perfect marriage between the finest Tequila and a beautiful handcrafted, hand-painted Talavera carafe. It is produced and bottled in the Jesus Maria region of Arandas, Jalisco, MX from 100% Tequilana Weber Agave. Clase Azul is aged for a minimum of eight months in small oak barrels. We are using a blend of Bourbon, Cognac, and Sherry casks in the aging process. This aging period and the use of these different barrels differentiates Clase Azul and gives it an award winning taste profile. It has distinct, smooth flavors and aromas, as well as an excellent balance over the palate, $89.
Don Ramon Reposado – Tequila Don Ramon Reposado is 100% agave, and is aged at least 2 months in oak barrels. One of my favorites – a great sipping tequila that is so smooth and a great price, $24.
Casa Noble Tequila Reposado – Tequila Casa Noble Reposado is 100% Agave and produced at La Cofradia in Jalisco, Mexico. This smooth, flavorful tequila is matured in French white Oak barrels for three hundred sixty four days, $50.
Luna Nueva Reposado Tequila – An amber-hued, limited edition tequila with a satiny medium-weight body and an alluring bouquet of vanilla, red currants, apricots, butterscotch and toffee.Its complex palate presents the flavors of zesty orange, toasted oak, tobacco, chocolate and cloves. The finish is long, smooth and slightly spicy, $36.
Anejo
Don Julio 1942 – Aged for 2 1/2 years in white oak barrels, a silky smooth taste coats the palate with roasted agave, sun-ripened fruits, and vanilla, $125.
Tequila ArteNOM Seleccion 1146 – Tequila ArteNOM presents aficionados with the personal selections of world-class artisan tequila distillers. These limited release Selecciones celebrate the best of tequila craftsmanship by highlighting the agave cultivation altitude, soil and masterful distillation techniques of different tequila-producing regions, $75.
Ocho Anejo – Tequila Ocho takes the exploration of terroir in tequila a giant step forward by producing batches of tequila from single fields (ranchos), much the way fine Burgundy wine is produced. For example, in the village of Vosne Romanee in Burgundy, wine is produced with the following appelations: Les Beaux Monts, La Montagne and Aux Brulees to name a few. Tequila Ocho has done the same thing by producing in Arandas the following names: El Carrizal, Las Pomez and Los Corrales.Ocho is the first tequila to designate both the year it was produced and the precise field from which the family grown agave was sourced. Each batch comes from a different field or rancho contributing distinctive characteristics of that place, $59.
Casa Noble Tequila Single Barrel Anejo – The aging process begins by using the finest, hand-selected French white oak barrels that are lightly charred for the optimal aging of the anejo tequila. This lengthy process is carefully monitored by our Maestro Tequilero for flavor evolution and evaporation which is known as the “angel’s share.” The hand-made black porcelain bottles in our single barrel program are hand-painted with Platinum, then individually numbered, labeled and signed by the Makers, $60.
Luna Nueva Anejo Tequila – A velvety smooth body and an engaging bouquet of cinnamon, spices, vanilla and fresh citrus. The palate is loaded with spice, butterscotch, cocoa, vanilla and light peppery notes. Thankfully, the finish lingers on the palate for an agreeably long time, $46.
Extra Anejo
Grand Mayan Ultra Aged – Grand Mayan Ultra Aged Tequila is dark in color with the sweet aroma of nuts and a distinctive scent. The taste is extraordinarily smooth and pleasurable to the palate and presented in a beautifully hand painted in Mexico decanter bottle, $99.
Gran Patrón Piedra Tequila Extra Añejo – Meticulously aged for more than three years in new American and French oak barrels, offering a distinct range of flavors and aromatics to satisfy the most sophisticated and discerning palates. Gran Patrón Piedra is also distinguished by its very unique “Tahona” production process, a time consuming and ancient method for creating tequila. To produce this tequila, the steam-cooked Agave is slowly crushed with a large Tahona stone wheel. The resulting juice is then fermented and distilled along with the agave fiber. Piedra, which means “stone” in Spanish, is created entirely from the Tahona process, $399.
Tequila Arette Gran Classe Extra Anejo – Aged for more than 3 years, Arette Gran Clase Anejo Tequila is one of the best tequilas in the world. A true favorite with tequila connoisseurs, $115.
Gran Centenario Leyenda Extra Anejo – Gran Centenario Leyenda is among the first Tequilas to ever be awarded the classification “Extra Añejo.” Combining only 100% Blue Agave with an average aging process of 4 years in French Limousin oak barrels, Leyenda has remained the best kept secret in the highlands of Jalisco. The Seleccion Suave process marries the spirit with Tequila reserves that are aged up to fifteen years for richness and complexity, unveiling a light and sweet woodiness, accentuated by aromatic flavors of oak, maple, roasted almonds and cloves. Gran Centenario Leyenda’s dark amber color glimmers with highlands of bright copper, $50.