Tequila

[Jake_Parrott]

The regular Tonala anejo is quite fine as well. I haven't popped my bottle of Tonala SR yet.

[CrispyCritter]

I was over at my nearby Binny's the other day, and there was a nice lady pouring samples of Distinguido tequila - blanco, reposado, and añejo. They're 100% agave tequilas, and all of them, IMO, were vastly better than the Cuervo Gold that I tried earlier this year.

I ended up picking up a bottle of the reposado - it's quite nice neat, and I think it'll be quite mixable as well.

[Gillman]

Amongst my admittedly small tequila selection, I find Herradura Reposado the best. It is very balanced, slightly sweet (only a little, but just enough to take the edge off), vegetal and spicy (peppery) and a little saline too. I like just a little later in the evening.

My second favouite is Cuervo Gold. This drink has, I know, little cachet amongst most connoisseurs, but that doesn't mean they're right. It has a very good house flavour. Sweet it is, but I don't mind sweetness and it goes well after dinner, I find. In a margarita, I just add less triple sec and get the house taste without excess sugar in that classic cocktail.

My 4 Copas Blanco is good but more austere: bone dry, perhaps too authentic for me.

I have a couple of (personal) vattings but they are not successful due to my adding a South African tequila-like drink and it just doesn't work with the real thing: too earthy and raw. Oh well. (In margaritas though the vats are fine).

For some reason when sipping the Herradura I feel like smoking a Camel or some other American cigarette - but I won't.

Gary

[cowdery]

There is nothing wrong with drinking and enjoying whatever you like. The issue with Cuervo Gold is that most people don't understand what it is, especially with regard to its color, which most people assume comes from aging. It does not. Cuervo Gold is a mixto tequila (i.e., not 100% agave) with caramel coloring added to give it color and a little more flavor and sweetness. It's the equivalent of a blended whiskey. Nothing wrong with that, but that's what it is.

[Gillman]

I think the Especial Oro is an excellent product because it has a unique and first rate flavor. All the rest is of interest (e.g., blend-type tequila, uses cane sugar as the non-blue agave element (presumably), added color, etc.) but secondary to its excellence as a drink in the tequila family. The only change I'd make is to make it slightly less sweet, but I can modify the sweetness in various ways (e.g. by adding some 100% blue agave tequila and maybe some white rum, I actually do this from time to time).

Gary

[Sweetmeats]

Anyone know of any 100 proof Tequila besides JB Wagoners which is not quite Tequila anyway?

[Vange]

Sweet,

Why are you looking for 100 proof? I am pretty sure all (or most) tequila is either 80 proof (US imports) or 76 proof (in Mexico).

I am a huge tequila fan. It was the catalyst that started me on the articles and collecting and consuming premium spirits in all categories.

[Sweetmeats]

I've discovered that I do not care for spirits as much if they are 80 proof. I like them higher. So if I enjoy a good tequila at 80, then I wonder what a good tequila at 100 tastes like. I can't find any other than the aforementioned "Temequila" and I'm not sure if I want to spend 50 dollars on that.

[afisher]

The PA LCB are closing out Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia at an only moderately scary price. It has a nose like cognac, with just enough of a vegetal cactus note to tell you it's tequila. At 80 proof there's no lack of flavor; again you can tell it's tequila, but it's dominated by sweet oranges, vanilla and smoke. It finishes long and slightly astringent. I will be reserving this for special occasions and guests.

[Ubertaster]

The PA LCB are closing out Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia at an only moderately scary price. It has a nose like cognac, with just enough of a vegetal cactus note to tell you it's tequila. At 80 proof there's no lack of flavor; again you can tell it's tequila, but it's dominated by sweet oranges, vanilla and smoke. It finishes long and slightly astringent. I will be reserving this for special occasions and guests.

In its price range this is my favorite Tequila. I always have a bottle of this on hand. Shoppers Vineyard has this on sale for $72.

bj

[doubleblank]

I happened by Village Liquors the other day and the Republic Beverage folks were there making a delivery and showing the owner some new products. They pressed me to taste and give an opinion on a new tequila they carry......Tezon. It is a new "super premium" tequila owned by Pernod Ricard. So first, here's the marketing hype.

100% tahona processed.......where they use a 2 ton millstone made from tezontle, a mexican volcanic stone. The pictures are impressive.

A three day fermentation of both the pulp and juice....most just ferment the juice.

Of course, its 100 % blue agave from their "estate".....no purchased plants.

Three days baking in their brick ovens.

So much for their story....how does it taste? They poured me their anejo....aged 18 to 20 months in oak. Very nice. The oak doesn't overshadow the spirit like I find in many anejo tequilas. This is very easy to drink.....somewhat analogous to some of the Van Winkle wheated bourbons compared to the rest of bourbondom. I asked the retail and was quoted $65....but I could have it at his wholesale price of $40 for being the first customer. So I ended up with it as I do enjoy tequila from time to time.

The packaging is a little hokey......a replica tezontle millstone for a bottle cap and a metal plate on one side of the bottle with hieroglyphics telling their story.

I haven't done a side by side with some of my other favorites yet.

Randy

[Virus_Of_Life]

So much for their story....how does it taste? They poured me their anejo....aged 18 to 20 months in oak. Very nice. The oak doesn't overshadow the spirit like I find in many anejo tequilas. This is very easy to drink.....somewhat analogous to some of the Van Winkle wheated bourbons compared to the rest of bourbondom. I asked the retail and was quoted $65....but I could have it at his wholesale price of $40 for being the first customer. So I ended up with it as I do enjoy tequila from time to time.

I haven't done a side by side with some of my other favorites yet.

Randy

Sounds good Randy, curious did you only taste the Anejo? I know I rambled about this a bit at the Gazebo, but a lot of late night talk is kind of foggy... I'll have to keep my eyes open and grab a bottle of the Tezon.

I personally am not a fan typically of Anejos, and this past weekend in Oregon I tried the Mexican release version of Gran Centenaurio Anejo. I was not impressed and I don't think the the fact that it was only 76proof helped any! Its too bad because there Plata is one of my all time faves.

.... All that said I do very much enjoy the Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, which I believe is an Anejo.

Mark, as for higher proof Tequilas I have long wanted some myself, the only one I know of is the Herradura Blano (not silver) which is 92proof. Bevmo does typically carry it, have not tried it myself, but am getting thirsty...

[TBoner]

I happened by Village Liquors the other day and the Republic Beverage folks were there making a delivery and showing the owner some new products. They pressed me to taste and give an opinion on a new tequila they carry......Tezon. It is a new "super premium" tequila owned by Pernod Ricard. So first, here's the marketing hype.

100% tahona processed.......where they use a 2 ton millstone made from tezontle, a mexican volcanic stone. The pictures are impressive.

A three day fermentation of both the pulp and juice....most just ferment the juice.

Of course, its 100 % blue agave from their "estate".....no purchased plants.

Three days baking in their brick ovens.

So much for their story....how does it taste? They poured me their anejo....aged 18 to 20 months in oak. Very nice. The oak doesn't overshadow the spirit like I find in many anejo tequilas. This is very easy to drink.....somewhat analogous to some of the Van Winkle wheated bourbons compared to the rest of bourbondom. I asked the retail and was quoted $65....but I could have it at his wholesale price of $40 for being the first customer. So I ended up with it as I do enjoy tequila from time to time.

The packaging is a little hokey......a replica tezontle millstone for a bottle cap and a metal plate on one side of the bottle with hieroglyphics telling their story.

I haven't done a side by side with some of my other favorites yet.

Randy

Interesting. I also got to try some Tezon at a local liquor store here in Dallas yesterday. The store was pouring the reposado and the blanco. They were both very good, I thought, showing strong flavors of pepper and herbs. In the case of the reposado, I picked up a bit of a dried fruit note. Both were, as you said, very smooth to my admittedly untrained tequila palate.

BTW, the store I tasted them at prices the anejo at $44 and the other two a couple of dollars less. I didn't buy them, as that's the everyday price, but I'll likely pick up the reposado or anejo soon.

[Virus_Of_Life]

I picked up a bottle up the Herradurra Blanco 92 proof today, I'll report back after I give it a tasting.

[bigtoys]

My favorite: Don Julio 1942, a special edition anejo. Bought my first bottle at La Casa Del Tequila in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco--the home state of tequila--before it was even available in the U.S. Each side of the bottle is shaped like an agave leaf, although I think I've seen some bottle recently that are the usual Don Julio shape labelled 1942--not as distinctive.

Another esoteric favorite is 1921 Reserva Especial.

Tried Tezon at Adobo Grill on Wells St. (Old Town next to Second City) and really liked it. Bought a bottle when I saw it at Binny's.

[Sweetmeats]

I picked up a bottle up the Herradurra Blanco 92 proof today, I'll report back after I give it a tasting.

And...did you taste it yet? I'm waiting.

[gblick]

Longtime tequila drinker here, though I've recently been converted over to drinking bourbon.

I'm no 'tequila afficianado' by any means, mainly because I prefer the extra aged anejos over the blancos that most true tequila afficianados seem to prefer (probably why I recently switched to bourbon).

My favorite tequilas are Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia (though the past couple of years have not been as good as say the 2004 which I consider one of the very best years), Jose Cuervo Anejo (no longer made but just as good as the Reserva de la Familia IMO, still have several bottles bunkered), El Tesoro Paradiso, Don Julio 1942, Tonala Reserva Suprema 4yr. Those are the more expensive ones.

My favorite mid-priced tequilas are El Tesoro (all of them but I mostly like the anejo), vintage 'green-labeled' Chinaco Anejo (I still have several bottles of this and have never actually tried any of the newer style bottle), Espolon, Gran Centenario, and El Jimador Anejo.

I'm terrible at tasting notes and picking out flavors and stuff. About all I can say is that I either like it or I don't.

But honestly, after I recently became hooked on good bourbon there may be no turning back for me (shhhh...don't tell the folks in the tequila forum, I feel like I've betrayed them), and my wallet prefers bourbon too.

Edit: Oh, how could I leave out Porfidio Single Barrel Anejo as one of my favorites, but it's been out of production for a good while (probably why I forgot about it). There are newer versions of it which didn't seem as good to me as the old original stuff, but some other people have said it is still as good as ever so what do I know.

And Sweetmeats, the Herradura Blanco 46 (92 proof) is good but it is pretty hot stuff.

[Virus_Of_Life]

And...did you taste it yet? I'm waiting.

Damn it Mark, I am so sorry! It is good, I am really not much for tasting notes, especially when it comes to tequila. I will say that for only being 12 proof higher there was some kind of a quicker kick to the blood stream or something. The nose on this was probably one of the best I have come across being very distinct citrus and pepper, all in all I'd have to say it is a very good drink. I have had it in shot form, as well as sipped with a squeeze of lime (a poor man's margarita) and it was super both ways. The bottle is over 1/2 gone so that should say something.

I don't work tomorrow so maybe I'll try some more specific notes tonight after taking a nap...

[Sweetmeats]

I suck at tasting notes too so no worries. I went to BevMo and bought myself a bottle as well. Wonderful stuff.

Any idea how Brown Forman buying Herradura will effect it here? This one was distributed by Sazerac. I hope Brown Forman doesn't change anything.

[Vange]

Any idea how Brown Forman buying Herradura will effect it here? This one was distributed by Sazerac. I hope Brown Forman doesn't change anything.

Me too, HSS is my favorite tequila!

[Sweetmeats]

Anyone tried those single village Mezcals? I'm thinking about trying one but 64 bucks is making me cringe.

[Frodo]

I've had the Chichicapa and the Minero. They are pricy, but they are worth it IMHO - especially the Minero! It helps if you like smokey flavours though. I wouldn't recommend someone buying it on a lark unless you have $$ to burn, but if you like the smokey taste of Mezcal, the Minero has a flavour profile clear as a bell (burnt lemon and honey) and powerful too. Helps that it's a bit overproof (for tequila/mezcal) at about 48% abv.

[jbaker]

I gotta say, I'm surprised slightly that no one has mentioned el Jimador Reposado yet. I can't say that it's particularly "interesting" in any technical sense, but damn if it doesn't do double-duty as both a great margarita tequila and a decent Tuesday night sip. It's not 100% de Agave, but for the same price as Cuervo Gold (or less in some instances) it's fantastic and a real reposado. #1 selling tequila in Mexico, I have on decent authority. I'm a believer. Did I mention that it's a Herradura product?

For the better stuff, I reach for Chinaco Anejo for woody moods. I recently bought Gran Centenario Anejo and was left somewhat disappointed. Not enough wood and conversely not enough agave flavor.

Any fantastic blanco/platino recommendations? I really want to try a white tequila that showcases the agave flavors.

[Martian]

Jeff, I would suggest going here for some blanco recommendations. http://www.tequila.net/

Steve

[scratchline]

Was on my out of the local liquor store when I noticed that the mini-bottles of Don Felipe Tesoro Tequila were on sale for a buck each. That's 15 bucks for a 750 bottle of 100% agave tequila! I had already paid so I told the girl I'd be back later. Drove a couple of miles and then u-turned. Just couldn't pass up a deal like that. Ended up with 3 for one: a bottle of silver, reposado, and anejo. And the 750 bottles were on the shelf at regular price. Go figure.

-Mike