Tequila Forum

[smokinjoe]

No. Like the other poster posted, if it's 51% tequila, it can still be called tequila. So long as it is in Jalisco (for the most part, I think there are a few exceptions) and has a NOM and is approved by the Mexican government, it can be called tequila. 51% is the minimum amount that it can be and still called tequila.

But like I said, it's the same as making a spirit 51% bourbon and 49% filler and calling it bourbon just because the government says it's OK.

So, if I have this right, it's not at all shocking that it's called "Tequila"?

[Max Power]

So, if I have this right, it's not at all shocking that it's called "Tequila"?

Correct. They are well within the laws to do so. The statement of "shocking" was a bit of hyperbole. Although, it is strange that something that is 51% of something with 49% filler can be classified the same as something that is 100% juice.

[unclebunk]

My closest Mexican friends think us Americans get carried away with what they call "boutique" tequilas. Two of them are well-paid bankers who travel often between Mexico and the USA and can afford pretty much anything they see on a well-stocked store shelf (unlike myself), bringing back tequila from small estates that generally produce only for local consumption. I've tasted many of these tequilas, which ranged from very good to exceptional, but truthfully have never encountered anything significantly better than the best Herradura, Don Julio, etc. products that I find in my local Binny's or well-appointed tequila bars that I've visited in Texas. These are the very brands that these Mexican friends of mine stock in their own homes, and I would say their love for tequila is certainly equal to my love of bourbon and single malts.

Admittedly, I have no expertise in this area whatsoever and no doubt sound like a neanderthal to those with a true passion for tequila, but are my Mexican friends that far off base with their recommendations for my own home liquor cabinet? As a means of comparison, I've sampled hundreds of single malts over the years and personally owned roughly a hundred different bottles by several dozen different distillers, but when push comes to shove would have to concede that many of the most common and highly-regarded expressions produced by the big name distilleries (Lagavulin, Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Macallan, etc. to name a few) were, in the end, the finest I've come across. That doesn't mean to say that I haven't been immensely impressed with some of the whisky from much lesser known distilleries, only that my pursuit of the finest drams eventually led me back to where I initially started. I know that I'm not articulating my thoughts on this particulary well, but have any of you tequila buffs reached a similar conclusion after years of sampling? And what brands/expressions would you consider "must haves" in the cabinet for someone working on a limited budget?

[Bmac]

Admittedly, I have no expertise in this area whatsoever and no doubt sound like a neanderthal to those with a true passion for tequila, but are my Mexican friends that far off base with their recommendations for my own home liquor cabinet?

Yes and no. My wife is from Mexico and when I visit we go shopping for Tequila. They would rather buy El Señor or JCE because it's cheap; not because it's good. These same folks swear by Buchanan's and Chivas Regal blended Scotch.

However, they did seem to like certain brands if they had the money. Don Julio being their favorite. So that's what I took home, plus a tasty rare and cheap gem: Orendain Crema De Almendrado. Essentially it's Tequila aged with almonds. It's an awesome substitute for triple sec in a top shelf margarita.

[sob0728]

So that's what I took home, plus a tasty rare and cheap gem: Orendain Crema De Almendrado. Essentially it's Tequila aged with almonds. It's an awesome substitute for triple sec in a top shelf margarita.

mmm.....almond tequila. I had a bottle with a group of friends 5-10 years ago. I remember it being delicious. Now I am going to have to go buy some.

[unclebunk]

Yes and no. My wife is from Mexico and when I visit we go shopping for Tequila. They would rather buy El Señor or JCE because it's cheap; not because it's good. These same folks swear by Buchanan's and Chivas Regal blended Scotch.

I have several Mexican friends who shop the same way--they only go for what's cheap. But these two fellows I was referring to aren't that way at all. They have money to burn and routinely buy expensive bottles of bourbon and ridiculously pricey cigars. When it comes to tequila, they believe there is a definite point of diminishing returns and routinely tell me not to go crazy spending money on "the exotic stuff" when high quality tequila can be had for $40-$50 buying Herradura Reposado, Don Julio Reposado, Siete Leguas Reposado and El Tesoro (a favorite, in part because it is produced very near where they grew up). I should add that these brothers are purists about many things in life and often look down upon food and drink that aren't "traditional." Their elderly grandfather, on the other hand, is a dyed-in-the-wool Sauza lover and rarely strays from their product line. He once told me (through an interpreter) that "everything else is for women."

[CorvallisCracker]

No one has mentioned El Jimador, which is 100% Agave and priced about the same as Jose Cuervo (in fact here in Oregon it's a buck cheaper).

I haven't had it myself but a friend in Eugene has and says it's way better than Cuervo. I plan to try a bottle when we finish our open bottle of Milagro.

According to the Jimador website it's the #1 selling tequila in Mexico. If true, I'm surprised that your "Mexican friends who buy the cheap stuff" don't seem to know about it.

[Gillman]

Inspired by this thread, I am drinking some Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, bottled in 2010. This was a gift from a friend who works a lot in the country. It is heavy-bodied, sweetish, a little bourbon-like (caramel and some tannins) but the tequila stamp is huge, it is a very big drink in every way. I can't say it stands out greatly as compared to others I've tried, i.e. the odd blanco, the regular Cuervo Gold (still my favourite), Herradura and Olmecca, because the tequila taste is similar.

It does clearly have a richer body than those but there is something about the Cuervo Gold I like more, its "proprietary" taste is very good, at least for my untutored tequila palate.

But I'm willing to learn more, including about mescal, which I've never had and know nothing about.

Gary

[unclebunk]

According to the Jimador website it's the #1 selling tequila in Mexico. If true, I'm surprised that your "Mexican friends who buy the cheap stuff" don't seem to know about it.

Actually, El Jimador and Hornitos are the two brands my budget-minded friends drink the most. They are both very serviceable tequilas for the price and, while inexpensive, are very popular in many Mexican households around here. If someone hands me a glass of either one, I'm happy to drink it.

[timd]

No one has mentioned El Jimador, which is 100% Agave and priced about the same as Jose Cuervo (in fact here in Oregon it's a buck cheaper).

I haven't had it myself but a friend in Eugene has and says it's way better than Cuervo. I plan to try a bottle when we finish our open bottle of Milagro.

It's very inexpensive here in Texas. I can get a handle for under $30, usually - and that's the Repasado.

I really, really like El Jimador - and I also like the Milagro you mention.

I've done some interesting home-aging with El Jimador that has turned out very nicely... and it seasons the barrel for some nice experiments with whiskey later.

I give the entire El Jimador line thumbs-up, but the Repasodo is my favorite.

Another super cheap one is Camarena... The reposado is quite nice. I actually sip it (not just for mixing). It's... different. Many folks frown on it because it's fairly inexpensive (under $20 for a 750), but I really enjoy it (not so much the Silver, however).