Tequila is likely one of the fastest-growing spirits classes on the earth. The poor repute of the previous, the place it was the celebration shot of selection with a slice of lime and a pinch of salt, is fading as extra premium merchandise seem in the marketplace aimed on the discerning drinker. The spectrum of aroma and flavour in tequila might be vastly complicated, and lots of might be sipped and savoured like a wonderful Scotch whisky or Cognac.
Subsequently, we referred to as upon the assistance of agave spirits knowledgeable and educator Zalorén González, to assemble a listing that showcases a number of the greatest tequilas for this goal.
ArteNOM | 1414 Reposado
Handcrafted all through, ArteNOM is a tequila for individuals who know tequila. It’s distilled within the city of Arandas within the Jalisco area by the Vivanco household, who began as agave farmers within the Twenties. Unusually, they ferment utilizing wild yeast in open-topped vats, producing a barely completely different flavour profile than many count on. The quantity on the label is the quantity of people that have been concerned in making that particular tequila.
This reposado has been matured in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. This, mixed with the wild yeast fermentation and double distillation, creates a posh profile.
Anticipate notes of butterscotch, caramel and vanilla married with cinnamon spice, floral honey, drying oak and a peppery kick. A late trace of bread dough and yeast provides additional depth of flavour.
Purchase now at Grasp of Malt
Fortaleza | Nonetheless Energy
Fortaleza is the brainchild of Enrico Sauza, the previous proprietor of the well-known Suaza tequila distillery and model. He began his personal small craft manufacturing with the goal of constructing tequila in essentially the most conventional method attainable. This contains cooking the piña of the agave in small brick ovens, utilizing a stone tahona to extract the juice and distilling in small batches via copper pot stills.
This tequila is a blanco and brought straight from the nonetheless. This power offers most flavour, with loads of extra-ripe agave on present. Additional notes of opulent tropical fruit, white pepper and dried grass mix fantastically.
The story, manufacturing and flavour profile make this a tequila lover’s tequila. Fortaleza Nonetheless Energy is in excessive demand and might be difficult to pay money for, however it’s value monitoring down.
Purchase now at The Whisky Inventory
Pancho Datos | Reposado
This model is crafted from 100% Blue Weber agave and is designed exactly for sipping and savouring. Based by Luis Carlos Grijalva, the family-run enterprise pays tribute to his grandfather, the creator Ricardo Grijalva de Leon, who wrote a collection of legendary poems in regards to the character Pancho and his experiences within the Mexican Revolution.
Pancho Datos Reposado has been rested for 10 months in American white oak barrels acquired from the bourbon trade in Kentucky. The spirit is earthy and smooth, with the time in oak accentuating a fragile sweetness. Anticipate additional notes of vanilla, caramel and white chocolate with a touch of peppery spice.
That is one to sit down down, chill out, and take your time with.
Purchase now at Grasp of Malt
This beautiful tequila is produced by Germán González, who was one of many first folks to design a ‘sipping tequila’ to be loved like an excellent whisky or Cognac. The tequila is made utilizing 100% Blue Weber agave grown on the volcanic slopes of the Jalisco highlands and is matured for 5 years in three completely different barrel sorts—these have beforehand held Scotch whisky, brandy and sherry.
Tears of Llorona Additional Añejo is a deep, complicated and multi-layered tequila that mixes loads of agave character with very good affect from the three oak barrels. Anticipate notes of darkish chocolate, dried fruit and caramel with a chic marriage of woody spices.
It’s good, and it’s straightforward to see why this tequila constantly wins a number of the high worldwide awards.
Purchase now at The Whisky Alternate
Volcan | Blanco Tahona
The Volcan De Mi Tierra distillery makes use of conventional strategies to make its merchandise. This contains clay ovens to prepare dinner their agave, adopted by a tahona to crush it and extract the juice. The tahona, which provides its title to this launch, is made from volcanic stone. In addition they use open-top fermenting tanks, and the distillery is known as after a volcano within the Jalisco area.
Blanco Tahona is tequila with a distinction and one which elevates the drink into the super-premium class. The bottle is a murals – tall, elegant and placing. The tequila is a blanco and has had no ageing. It’s vibrant and vibrant.
Earthy and dusty spices lurk and intensify a scrumptious sweetness, whereas there are additionally natural and mineralic qualities.
Purchase now at Home of Malt
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What’s tequila?
Tequila is constituted of blue agave, with the guts (referred to as the piña) of this huge, succulent plant used for manufacturing. The piña is roasted to transform compounds to usable sugars, fermented and distilled to turn out to be the spirit. Like different drink areas, similar to Champagne and Cognac, tequila carries a geographical distinction (DOT—Denomination of Origin for Tequila).
Strict legal guidelines govern that tequila should be produced within the Mexican area of Bajio, which incorporates the state of Jalisco, plus the encompassing states of Nayarit, Guanajuato Michoacán, and the northern state of Tamaulipas. Most manufacturers hail from these areas, and if a product isn’t made there, it can not legally be referred to as tequila.
Types embrace blanco (‘white’ in Spanish – these are unaged or aged for as much as two months), reposado (‘rested’ in oak barrels for between two months to at least one yr), añejo (‘aged’ between one and three years) and additional añejo (aged for 3 years plus).
The early drink in Mexico was referred to as pulque. It was constituted of fermented sap from the agave coronary heart and consumed by indigenous teams at festivals. As famous earlier, pulque’s manufacturing course of was completely different from that of tequila or different agave spirits.
Importantly, the Bajio area, now the guts of tequila manufacturing, was ruled by the Kingdom of Galicia quite than Spain. They informed the Pope, who primarily dominated all the things on the time, that if they didn’t let the Indigenous folks have ‘vino mezcal’ (‘mezcal wine’, though it was a distilled spirit quite than a wine), then they’d die.
By the late 1700s, the regulation said that vino mezcal should be produced by indigenous households. This prompted the Spanish to start marrying into indigenous teams to achieve management of vino mezcal manufacturing and gross sales. This centred across the city of Tequila, and over time, this title turned related to the spirit, finally lending its title to it.
