Though I like tequila, both in margaritas and to sip straight, my liquor cabinet was empty of tequila until recently. To be honest, I have been too cheap to spend the $35 to $55 for a bottle that I felt was necessary to pay for the quality. Good tequila fetches a good price these days.
Like most Houstonians I had long enjoyed margaritas, but I gained a much greater appreciation for tequila several years ago when I went to visit my brother Richard who was living in Guanajuato at the time. During that visit I was introduced to the easy-to-drink Tequila con Squirt, a staple at the local clubs at the time. Even more enlightening in terms of my knowledge of the spirits world was the day was dedicated to driving the several hours to tour the distillery of one of his favorite tequilas, Cazadores. Their reposado tequila, the only one they make, was very enjoyable, and the distillery seemed more modern and accommodating (not to mention far less gloomy) than the Oban whiskey distillery I later toured on the west coast of Scotland.
This visit was the affirmation of what has occurred in the past decade or so, as the image of tequila has grown beyond that of an inexpensive mixer for frozen margaritas into one that takes its place among the world’s top spirits, including Scotch. Top quality tequila is drunk straight, as are the best whiskies. With increased availability of high quality tequila, and the subsequent acknowledgement of its quality outside of Mexico, tequila is the fastest growing type of premium spirits due to the continued and growing popularity of margaritas around the country, and the appeal of upscale tequilas in recent years.
A Very Brief Primer about Tequila
Not just the firewater with a worm in the bottle, mezcal describes the broad category of distilled spirits from the roasted heart of the agave plant. Tequila is a specific type of mezcal that was originally produced near the town of Tequila in the state of Jalisco. Tequila is legally produced in Jalisco and four other Mexican states. Tequila is made primarily from a specific variety of agave, the Agave Tequilana Weber, Variety Blue. Agave is not a cactus, but comes from its own botanical family called agavacea.
Tequilas are generally divided among mixto, which can include joven (for “young” and which caramel and sugar have been added for color and taste), that consist of at least 51% distilled agave juice blended with neutral spirits, and the three categories that are made with 100% distilled agave juice, blanco (that is bottled within 60 days of distillation), repsosado (which is aged from two to eleven months in oak), and añejo (aged for at least a year in small oak barrels). The more agave, the better. If in doubt, look for tequilas that are labeled “100% agave.” The longer the tequila is aged, the darker the color becomes, the taste of the agave mellows, and the more noticeable the flavor of the oak becomes. Aged is not necessarily better, though aged tequilas are more expensive, and much more popular for drinking straight, or neat.
In 1983 Chinaco became the first tequila in the US marketed as a premium product. The El Tesoro brand soon followed, and tequila’s popularity began to grow tremendously during the rest of the 1980's. Herradura had been the only 100% agave tequila that had been available. Everything else were far inferior mixtos that had a comparatively low amount of agave content, and helped to give tequila the reputation that it was fit only as a mixer for frozen margaritas or as a shot for college students intent on a bad hangover. The variety and quality of tequila available north of the border has improved tremendously since this time. To learn more about tequila, a very informative fan site to visit is www.pocotequila.com.
The Tequila Tasting
To understand some more about what I liked concerning tequila, and in the spirit of scientific research, I thought it would be a good idea to assemble a blind tasting of a wide range of tequilas.
The setting was Marfreless on West Gray. Though it has long sported a colorful reputation, since Marfreless changed ownership a couple of years ago, the bar has greatly increased its range of top-notch spirits. It takes pride in the quality of its cocktails, and it serves 2-ounce pours of liquor versus the 1 ½ ounces that most bars employ. Conducted by Marfreless co-owner Michael Wells, the panel consisted of Jack Thetford, the bar manager at the Rhythm Room who has been pouring tequilas for over a dozen years, and my brother, Gene, a frequent traveler to Mexico, in addition to myself, each of us veterans of many tasting events.
On a dreary, rainy Saturday afternoon, perfect for an afternoon drinking or tasting session, we blind tasted a somewhat representative sample of 4 blancos, 8 reposados, 5 añejos, and 1 mixto with retail prices from $15 to over $100 per bottle. Many of the tequilas were re-tasted to ensure consistent notes. The results for the top ten tequila in order of preference with ratings from one to four stars (with four being the best), and the prices at Spec’s for a standard 750 ml bottle are shown below.
Don Julio Añejo 1942 *** ½ $101
Don Eduardo Añejo *** ½ $48
Gran Centenario Reposado *** ½ $47
Gran Centenario Añejo *** ½ $49
Puerto Vallarta Reposado *** $21
Don Julio Añejo *** $48
Sauza Conmemerativo Añejo *** $32
El Tesoro Platinum *** $33
Sauza Hacienda Reposado *** $40
Cazadores Reposado ** ½ $32
There were very apparent differences among the general types of tequilas. The blancos were the lightest in color and in body, and tasted the most of piquant agave. These were often smooth but with rougher edges that manifested itself in a slight burn at the end of the palate. The reposados were slightly richer in color, generally more aromatic, and complex in flavor than the blancos. These were generally better to drink neat than the blancos. The añejos were a further step on the continuum beyond the blanco. Several smelled noticeably of wood, tasted much smoother and sweeter than the others, but less of agave. The best were described as having spice overtones. These were darker in color, but still generally light. Though aged in wood, these are aged typically a year or two versus the much darker-colored whiskies that are commonly aged a decade or even much longer.
As many serious tequila drinkers might expect, the five añejos placed among the top seven tequilas that were tasted. These had the best aromas, often with noticeable oak overtones, and the smoothest tastes. This is the style that is most widely enjoyed by aficionados consumed straight. The reposados we tasted varied the most widely in quality. The only blanco that cracked that top ten for us was the El Tesoro Platinum that was the smoothest of that type and noted for slightly “sweet” and having “a nice agave flavor.”
With tequila, you often get what you pay for. At $101 or more per bottle retail, the most expensive tequila in the tasting, Don Julio Añejo 1942, was also the best liked. For the tequila lover, it is worth all the $14.50 per glass at Marfreless. Described as having the best aroma and a smooth taste with “caramel and almond flavors,” and a, “great sipping tequila.” For half the price at $48 retail, the Don Eduardo Añejo was noted for its “woody” aromas, the “most consistent taste from start to finish,” and having a “very long aftertaste.” The biggest surprise of the tasting, and the best value, by far, was the Puerto Vallarta Reposado that sells for around $21. It finished fifth and was the second favorite among the reposados. Generally dismissed before the event as being fit solely as a mixer, it was described as being “very smooth,” “complex” and having an “oaky” or “woody” aftertaste. Thankfully, this is one that I can afford to restock without hesitation. Overall, the results confirmed what my brother and I had experienced at another blind tasting at Hugo’s restaurant last year, when the Gran Centenario and Don Julio products did well.
Though nearly all of the tequilas were found to be enjoyable, there were a few disappointments. The tequila that placed last in the tasting, and the only one rated below an acceptable two-star rating was the Herradura Reposado. It was described as “very hot,” and a “weird, thin taste,” and “harsh.” Another well-regarded brand, El Jimador Reposado did not fare too much better. “Harsh first sip” and “taste of alcohol evident,” was how it was described. For sense of calibration, we sampled the popular Patron Silver after we finished with the blind tasting. None of us liked it. We found it “very harsh” and “thin.” It might have been unfair to taste this after the richer and more full-bodied añejos, though our senses were probably at least slightly dulled, but still not receptive to it, at least outside of a margarita.
There was disagreement among us, and which I have also heard from serious tequila drinkers, whether or not the high quality reposados, and especially añejos, should be used in cocktails. Many believe it is sacrilege not to consume these straight up. This argument will probably have to wait for a future tasting event, formal or otherwise.