Tequila,  Mexico’s beloved  national spirit, is made from the magical maguey plant, a large Agave with formidable pencas (spiked leaves) that often takes nearly 12 years to grow before harvesting!   Jimadores (agave harvesters) then whack off the pencas to reveal a piña, a large (usually more than 100 pounds) starchy core  that resembles a huge  pineapple.  Piñas  must then be cooked  in large ovens, transforming their  inherent starch into the fermentable sugars needed for distillation.

You’ll read all about this process,  find festive recipes for cocktails and food, and share my  decades of adventures traveling through Mexico’s agave country in my book, ¡VIVA TEQUILA! 

Tequila is a most versatile spirit! You’ll find it comes in four unique styles,  Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo, each with its distinct  profile, perfect for sipping and savoring neat or mixing in cocktails.  I am not mentioning the fifth style,  Joven Abocado, best know as “gold” tequila, as this is generally a “Mixto”, or one made with 49% added sugars (such as cane, piloncillo  brown cone sugar, or glucose) and NOT  one made of 100% agave .  You’ll know if a tequila is made with only  juices from the blue agave, as the label of the bottle will state 100%  de Agave or  100% Puro de Agave.   100% Agave  is the only tequila I recommend!

 

BLANCO

I must say, I love a good Blanco tequila, the pure fresh-from-the-still tequila from which the other styles derive.  A fine Blanco will retain the  discernible sweetness of the roasted blue agave, with  vibrant, peppery, herbaceous, and  citrus tones.   If  the original Blanco is not good, how can other  styles made by a distillery be good?  Blanco tequila is sometimes called Silver or White tequila because of its pristine clarity, and is not influenced by oak or aging.  It’s  generally bottled upon distillation, though sometimes  stored  in stainless tanks for a month. Those who like white spirits may prefer Blanco tequila.  I find it much more flavorful than vodka, as enticingly aromatic as gin, and not as sweet as rum.

Flavor Profiles:

Agave fruitiness intact

Bright, crisp, mineral

Peppery, sometimes fiery

Citrus and zest

Herbaceous–mint and anise

Dry, medium finish

Drink suggestions:

Sip neat or accompanied with Sangrita, tequila’s quintessential chaser

Requisite for classic margaritas

Refreshing spritzers

Tropical  fruit or citrus punches and  drinks

Ice cold from the freezer on a hot summer’s night!

 

REPOSADO

This is the most popular tequila imbibed in Mexico, with a harmonious balance  of the natural essence of agave and the subtle influence of oak. The “repose” of Blanco in oak (a minimum of 2 months to 1 year  in roble or encino oak) mellows its youthful and feisty character, adding hints of wood and spice and giving Reposado a color that varies from pale straw to amber.  I love to simply sip a fine Reposado!

Flavor profiles:

Hint of oak with discernible sweetness of roasted agave

Earthy

Caramel

Cinnamon and spice

Medium finish

Drink suggestions:

Sip neat or accompanied with Sangrita, tequila’s quintessential chaser

Margaritas

 

AÑEJO

A fine  Añejo is a harmonious marriage of oak and agave.  Nuances from barrel aging–depth of aroma, discernible soft tannin, and vanilla tones– mingle deliciously in a fine Añejo.   This style of tequila is aged  for at least 1 year but fewer than 3 years in government sealed oak barrels with a maximum capacity of 600-liters.  Such aging gives a rich amber to  dark mahogany  color, though some of my favorite Añejos are not over-oaked  and have a lighter color. Brown spirits lovers rejoice!  Añejos can rival cognac, single malt, bourbon and whiskey.

I sip it only  from a snifter, though others enjoy to mix it in classic cocktails like a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, or as a floater for a top-shelf margarita. The newest trend is to filter Añejos back to clarity.  I am confused as to why  one would take away the color and character of aging that has taken years to accomplish.  This would make the tequila better suited for mixability, but I adhere to drinking Añejo from a snifter!

Flavor profiles:

Oak-driven tannins

Roasted agave and dried fruit

Vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, cocoa

Baking spices, buttery

Full-bodied, round, luxurious

Long finish

Drink Suggestions:

Snifter!

Classic cocktails

Coffee drinks

 

 

EXTRA-AÑEJO

This  newest category of  tequila produces character, color,  and complexity found in other Añejos and fine world spirits.   It must be aged for at least 3 years in oak barrels of maximum 600-liter capacity, producing tequila with very dark amber and mahogany hues.  Added flavor comes from using barrels that once housed  whiskey, cognac,  sherry, scotch or fine wine.   Price reflects  this lengthy aging and such Extra-Añejos often fetch prices of $300-$1000 a bottle!

Flavor profiles:

Characteristics similar to other Añejos

Very oak-driven

Agave not as apparent

Toasty, buttery

Dark leather, wood, earth, tobacco

Velvety long finish

Drink suggestions:

Snifter only, ¡por favor!

Note:  In the production of tequila, flavorings and colorings are permissible as well as the addition of distilled  water to bring tequilas to commerical proof.

 

So you see, you’ll find a style of tequila to fit any taste or any mood– from sipping neat to a refreshing spritzer, party punch, margarita or snifter.

Now tell me…which style of tequila is your favorite?

 

Dinero, tequila y amor,

¡No hay otra cosa mejor!

 

Money, tequila, and the one you adore

Who could ask for anything more?