Tequila

[jbaker]

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

Sweet deal Mike! I've had that happen with Bulleit Frontier Bourbon at a local shop. 15 nips for $15 instead of the full 750mL bottle for $30!

[New2Whiskey]

Sweet deal Mike! I've had that happen with Bulleit Frontier Bourbon at a local shop. 15 nips for $15 instead of the full 750mL bottle for $30!

I have Tres Mujeres Reposado Tequila. That is my 1st purchase. Namely, because I found 'high ranking's on review sites and the fact that it can't be purchased just anywhere. But I'm not sold on it.

The Don Felipe Tesoro Tequilas I see from my research as being top of the line. I think I'm just going to spend some money and buy it. I'm tired of reading about it. I need to see if it lives up to the hype.

[Virus_Of_Life]

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...

Bumping this thread with photos for Chuck.

You have to go into the Spanish version of their website and click Mexico for country and there it is. Maybe it is only sold here in California? As well as Mexico of course...

> And according to the website it is 45 days. Note the true Blanco is 92 proof.

[chilidawg7]

I would offer up Tres Generaciones Anejo, by Sauza.

It is, by far, my favorite tequila. I've got a mini-bottle collection (all empty of course) of 50+ bottles, as I wanted to sample many different varieties before settling on my go-to choice. Tres Generaciones won hands down.

Most restaurants carry it, including Chili's, which features it in its "Three G's Margarita."

[bigtoys]

Here's what I've returned from Mexico with. Almost got detained at the border coming into Texas, well at least sent to line #2 at the DFW Airport. You're only allowed 2 L; I had 3.75, but was willing to pay the duty on the excess. The Customs Official said the 2L rule is because they want you to buy your liquor in Texas (despite the fact that I was just passin' thru on my way to Chi-town) and they usually pour out the excess. I don't know if he was serious or just pulling my leg, but he let me through this time.

1921 Single Barrel Reposado Reserva Especial along with a 4 pack of mini's including their Tequila crema. I kind of wish I had got a few more of the mini's for gifts, but I knew I was gonna have enough trouble already with the Federales.

Esperanto Anejo. Aged 36 months. I admit, I got it a little for the cool bottle with the glass agave plant in the middle.

Revolucion Anejo and some mini reposados. On the advice of my Mexican barber. On the back, there are lines. The website says it's so a bar can leave the bottle at a table and know how many shots were done. Very clever.

Comalteco Anejo. Tasted it in one of the many company stores around PV. Small bottle a gift.

Here's the gecko that was in our shower on the last day:

[cowdery]

Bumping this thread with photos for Chuck.

You have to go into the Spanish version of their website and click Mexico for country and there it is. Maybe it is only sold here in California? As well as Mexico of course...

> And according to the website it is 45 days. Note the true Blanco is 92 proof.

My source is recent promotional material put out by Herradura's new owner, Brown-Forman. What I suspect is that they've been importing Mexican expressions into California primarily for Mexican consumers. BF is repositioning the brand for a more general, national distribution and isn't featuring, and perhaps isn't even offering, the blanco.

They have a similar situation with Appleton rum. Appleton makes, and sells in Jamaica, a very broad range of products, including an over-proof and a white rum, but only a smaller and more premium portfolio of products is being generally promoted in the U.S.

As for 40 v. 45 days, not much difference, so probably just some sloppiness on the part of either the brochure creators or the web site maker, though the web site hasn't been updated since the sale, so it's also possible the practice has changed, i.e., the brochures I have are more recent.

They are promoting el Jimador too, which is their value line, with a blanco, not a silver, so that does seem to be the distinction though, as I recall, it's not an official distinction recognized the the entity that governs tequila production. I think they use the terms white and silver synonymously.

[Virus_Of_Life]

White, Silver, Blanco, Plata and I've heard one more which I cannot recall now. Kind of makes you appreciate the more strict, yet not strict enough, bourbon industry.

Everything else aside I really hope they do not do away with either as I like them both and I hope there are not changes in quality with BF owning them!

[Sweetmeats]

Damn. The grocery store near me has a big sign "Close Out" on the 92 Proof Blanco. Time to stock up. The price isn't cheaper though.

[gblick]

There was a store where I got my Herradura Blanco 46 (the unaged 92 proof) that was selling it for $19.99. But when they ran out, within the last year, they never restocked it. Maybe they did quit distributing it to Texas, but there's still a lot of it around (but usually for >$30).

Speaking of the El Jimador blanco, I have a 1L bottle of it stated to be 100% agave. The present-day El Jimador blanco and reposado is mixto, but apparently there was a time when it was all 100% agave, or maybe they just made some batches that were 100%.

[cowdery]

Looking again at the recent sales brochures I have, the el Jimador Anjeo is 100% agave. The other expressions are not.

No tequila says "mixto" on the label. Basically, if it doesn't say "100% agave" on the label, it's mixto. El Jimador and others will even use the word "agave" several times on the label to trip you up, but if you don't see the words "100% agave" you can be pretty confident it is not.

[gblick]

Looking again at the recent sales brochures I have, the el Jimador Anjeo is 100% agave. The other expressions are not.

No tequila says "mixto" on the label. Basically, if it doesn't say "100% agave" on the label, it's mixto. El Jimador and others will even use the word "agave" several times on the label to trip you up, but if you don't see the words "100% agave" you can be pretty confident it is not.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the anejo has always been 100% agave (when it first came out it was over $100 per bottle, too), but yes the blanco and reposado are now mixto (like I mentioned earlier, above).

True, it never says mixto on the label, you will know it by the absence of the term "100% agave". But, like I said, there was once 'some' 100% agave blaco and reposado in the El Jimador line. When I get time, I'll post a pic of my bottle.

[Martian]

In addition to Brown-Foreman, Heaven Hill is now in the tequila business. HH is now part owner of Tierra de Agaves that makes La Certeza and Lunazul.

Herradura Silver won a silver medal, Herradura Resposado won a gold medal, and the Herradura Anejo won a double gold Medal at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits competition. La Certeza also won some medals. The Blanco won a bronze medal, Reposado won a silver medal, and the Anejo won a bronze.

[bent]

I am definitely not an expert on tequilas but I have tried many different bottles---el tesoro repasodo, el jimidor, cabo wabo, patron, etc.....my favorite so far has been Milagro Select Barrel Reposado Reserve. it is kinda pricey but for those who take it neat, I'm sure it will fit your tastes.

[goldenwill]

You should look for tequilas with 100% BLUE agave. Nobile is good, also Milagro. They are standouts because of the blue agave they use.

[Frodo]

You should look for tequilas with 100% BLUE agave. Nobile is good, also Milagro. They are standouts because of the blue agave they use.

FYI tequila can only be made with the Agave Weber (blue agave) variety. With Mixto tequila you can use up to 49% sugar/molasses but the agave content has to be (by law) exclusivly blue agave. This is in comparison to mezcal that can use several varieties of agave which give different flavours - kinda like using different grape varieties in winemaking.

I make no claims to know the rules for agave spirit made in places like South Africa that are sometimes called "tequila"...

[ILLfarmboy]

I'm sitting here with a glass (Riedel Bourbon) of my very first Tequila; Gran Centenario Plata (blanco). I wanted to try a quality blanco for my first because I want to get a feel for the spirit apart from any barrel notes before moving on to try an Anjeo. Wow! I'm realy digging this stuff. The nose isn't unlike many unaged spirits I have tried except it is less ethanol and slightly peppery and vegatal with an indefinable smokiness or perhaps the vegatal character combines with the pepperyness to give something like the impression of smokiness. That has to be it, right? It can't be smokey in the same way that scotch distilate is infused with peat smoke? The taste is an amped up representation of the nose. For a green unaged spitit it sure is flavorful. It has a nice finish, very peppery.

My original intent was, on the advice of an acquaintance, who knows my penchant for pairing whiskeys with food, was to pick up supper from town, fajitas Del Mar, from my wife's favorite Mexican restaurant, and after first sampling this Tequila by itself, to try it as an accompaniment to the food. Things didn't work out that way. But tomorrow is another day.

Edited to add: I just noticed while reading the back of the box that "Gran Centenario Plata rests in French Limousin Oak casks for 28 days....." So some blancos receive some aging? less than a month?

[Virus_Of_Life]

Edited to add: I just noticed while reading the back of the box that "Gran Centenario Plata rests in French Limousin Oak casks for 28 days....." So some blancos receive some aging? less than a month?

Glad you saw that Brad, I was going to point out that GC Plata was one of the few that does get some age. As pointed out I think previously in this thread Herradura is another that gets some age, but also has a 92 proof purely unaged silver.

Good choice with GC, I think the batches vary as I have had some bottles that were amazing and another that was merely good.

[Schpyder]

I'm sitting here with a glass (Riedel Bourbon) of my very first Tequila; Gran Centenario Plata (blanco). I wanted to try a quality blanco for my first because I want to get a feel for the spirit apart from any barrel notes before moving on to try an Anjeo. Wow! I'm realy digging this stuff. The nose isn't unlike many unaged spirits I have tried except it is less ethanol and slightly peppery and vegatal with an indefinable smokiness or perhaps the vegatal character combines with the pepperyness to give something like the impression of smokiness. That has to be it, right? It can't be smokey in the same way that scotch distilate is infused with peat smoke? The taste is an amped up representation of the nose. For a green unaged spitit it sure is flavorful. It has a nice finish, very peppery.

Hi Brad! Great choice, Gran Centenario's offerings are great across the board. You'll find most really good tequilas have that same vegetal characater that you pick up in the GC Plata, and it becomes more pronounced as the tequila gets older. As for the smoke, the piña (heart of the agave plant) is actually baked to hydrolize the sugars before milling to extract the juice. It can pick up a lot of flavor from this process, depending on the producer and how rustic they go with it.

If you want to try something on the opposite end of the spectrum, give an anejo a try, especially the GC, or Don Julio or Herradura.

[Martian]

The Herradura Anejo won the double gold medal at the 2007 San Francisco World Sprits Competiton. The reposado won a gold medal, and the silver won a silver medal. I really like the reposado but don't like the silver (blanco). Go figure.

[Frodo]

Not suprising if you are used to whisky. Reposado has some barrel age whereas the blanco may have up to 60 days in oak - no more.

[bigtoys]

Need to replace some basic Don Julio for margaritas. Checked Binny's and Sam's and found a couple of bucks difference. Was going up to Eagle River, WI and thought maybe I'd find a bargain. Unbelievably, it was about $10 more for the basics, but the 1942 was $99 at a grocery store--about $30 less than around here, so I got another bottle of that for the bunker. Guess I'll just get some blanco and reposado around here.

[callmeox]

When I went bourbon shopping in Myrtle Beach on vacation, one of the stores that we hit had a neat little Patron sampler "suitcase" with four 375's of Patron in it (silver, reposado, anejo and their XO Cafe liqueur) for what I thought was a reasonable price so I got it for my wife. She had already hit up the silver here at home, so she started with the anejo over some ice and she really liked it. I had been serving her the silver here at home on the rocks with a little squeeze of lime in it, but she said that the anejo was fine by itself on the rocks. Needless to say, the bottle came home empty.

I'll have to surprise her with a bottle of the anejo soon since it is such a great summer drink.

[ACDetroit]

On a hunt the other day, not sure why I was looking in the tequila area of the store but came across a bottle of Milagro Anejo for a mere $29 bucks plus tax. I did bring it home with me :grin:!

Tony

[JamesW]

I bought some Partida Anejo a few days back. Anyone like/dislike this one. I got some agave nectar with it and it makes for an excellent margarita. I don't like using a premium like the Anejo in a mixer so I'm looking for a blanco to use ... any suggestions on what should I get?

[ACDetroit]

James, IMO you can not go wrong with Milagro Blanco or (silver), there Anejo is one of my favorites. Good luck.

Tony