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
Fosforo Mezcal is one of a growing list of mezcal brands started with the help of famous people. But this isn’t exactly your typical celebrity spirits backer. The mezcal was launched in 2022 by Lisa Detwiler with support from her husband and “agave ambassador” Jim Cramer, the animated former hedge fund manager famous for emphatic…
21 Seeds is a now well-established brand of flavored tequila made with all-natural fruit infusions. Available in three flavors — Valencia Orange, Grapefruit Hibiscus, and Cucumber Jalapeño — the tequila is “cultivated from a proprietary blend of agaves from the lowland and highland regions of Jalisco” and bottled without the addition of high fructose corn…
Tres Generaciones is an old school tequila brand. The premium offering from the Sauza portfolio launched in 1977 when it was difficult to find many tequila options at most American bars. How times have changed. We first reviewed the core portfolio – plata, reposado, and anejo – back in 2009, and even in that time,…
Made at what is reportedly the second oldest tequila distillery in the world, the Dano’s Dangerous Tequila brand is based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and dates back to just 2018. While it started with its pineapple/jalapeno infused tequila (see below), it has since extended the brand to the standard trio of unflavored varieties. The operation…
Crafted at an altitude of 9000 feet above sea level in the Sierra del Tigre mountains, Alto Canto is billed as “Tequila de Altura” — tequila from height. Made with organic agave, the ingredients include only said agave and water: The tequila is wild-fermented, so even yeast is not on the ingredient list. The operation…
Cinco de Mayo, celebrated on May 5, commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. While it is a minor holiday in Mexico, it has become a major celebration of Mexican culture in the United States. What better occasion to enjoy cocktails that highlight Mexican agave spirits? Mezcal offers…
Yeyo has long been a solid tequila that refuses to release anything other than a blanco expression — or to go away. After a 2010 launch, the brand vanished, then was revived in 2019 at the same distillery. Now, finally, a new expression of Yeyo is on the market — and it’s not an aged…
Mara Smith, a former Chicago attorney, launched the Inspiro Tequila brand in 2021. As a lover of tequila, Smith felt it was difficult to know which tequilas on liquor store shelves were truly additive-free, which is a growing concern amongst tequila consumers and which continues to draw controversy. The additive-free tequila movement faces issues from…
Trulussó is a new ultra-premium tequila brand based in Houston and produced at the Feliciano Vivanco distillery, with Master Tequilero Sergio Cruz at the helm. Officially launched this year after four years in the works, the operation takes a hybrid approach melding tradition with modern techniques to craft three expressions designed to keep you on…
Cantera Negra, which translates to “Black Quarry,” is led by Master Blender Don Alberto Becherano, who has over 40 years of experience making tequila. The brand sources their Blue Weber Agave from a remote region in central Mexico known for its volcanic rock, hence the name Cantera Negra. Cantera Negra makes all of its tequilas…