Tequila
Tequila is one of the fastest-growing spirits in the U.S., with America consuming even more than they do in its homeland of Mexico. The biggest growth is in the premium and super-premium categories, as drinkers discover the pleasure of sipping rather than slamming good tequila. Tequila is in fact a type of mezcal, but one that has a specific “domain of origin” status and which must be made from a single species of agave, the blue agave. Tequila must be made in certain designated areas in Mexico, the biggest being the state of Jalisco, where the town of Tequila is located. Rack “tequila” must contain at least 51% blue agave sugars, and the remainder can be just about anything, including corn syrup. However, quality tequila will state on the bottle that it is made from 100% blue agave. Anything less than this (think Cuervo Gold) is called a mixto. Within Mexico, tequila can be bottled at anything from 62 to 110 proof, but within the U.S. it must be at least 80 proof. Blanco (silver or white) tequila is sold unaged, reposado tequila must be aged at least two months in white oak barrels, and añejo (aged) tequila are aged for twelve months minimum. Finally, extra añejo must be aged for at least three years. A new variety of tequila, generally called cristalino, is aged tequila that has been filtered to remove color, giving it the appearance of a blanco but the flavor of an añejo.
Top Tequila Posts:
Understanding the Different Styles of Tequila
A Visit to Casa Herradura
A Visit to the Don Julio Tequila Distillery
Bandero’s agave is grown in the Guachimontones region of Jalisco, making it a Lowlands tequila. Available only as a blanco, Bandero lays claim to being “the world’s smoothest sipping tequila,” which is as bold a ...
Peloton de la Muerte (literally “death squad”) is a mezcal brand that’s offered a single Espadin-based expression for about three years. We haven’t reviewed it, but we recently received samples of Peloton’s two new line ...
Sotol is typically thought of as a Mexican spirit, if it’s thought of at all, but Desert Door makes the only U.S. sotol on the market, distilled from Desert Spoon plants that grow in its ...
I don’t know who country singer Jon Wolfe is, but I’m impressed by his new tequila, Juan Lobo, at least the reposado expression of it, which we recently received for review. While the name of ...
El Tequileno is an affordable brand founded by Don Jorge Salles Cuervo in 1959 that bills itself as “Mexico’s best-kept secret.” It’s made from blue agave from Los Altos de Jalisco (the Highlands) and volcanic ...
2020 has seen a raft of celebrity-branded wines and spirits, but none is arguably bigger than Teremana, which is backed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Teremana is a pot-distilled spirit made with 100% Highlands agave. ...
We told you the story of Michael Jordan’s (and others’) Cincoro Tequila a few months ago — but at the time we only reviewed the blanco and reposado expressions. Now we’ve got the anejo, which ...
At this point it feels safe to say that the 2020 holiday season will be unlike any other in our lifetimes. And while in-person gatherings may not be possible, it doesn’t mean that you’re going ...
La Adelita is a new brand of tequila that spans five expressions: blanco, reposado, anejo, cristalino, and extra anejo, all hitting the market straight out of the gate. The brand lays claim to being a ...
With celebrities ranging from Dwayne Johnson to Michael Jordan to Bryan Cranston all getting in on the tequila and mezcal game, you’d think a mass migration from Hollywood to Mexico was underway. Nope, turns out ...
