HOW TO SELECT A TEQUILA

The most common question I am asked, is “what is my favorite tequila?”
Mexico offers so many varieties, that I can’t say I have just one favorite. So, rather than trying to settle on just one tequila, let me try to explain what a GOOD tequila is.

When I was young, I used to think that Two Fingers Gold, was “good” tequila. The bottle was kept in the freezer, and Real Lemon in the ‘fridge. A beer mug of each, and the party was on…

As I have gotten a little older, I find that “cheap” tequila, makes me hurt in the morning. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I don’t like to hurt.
When I go into a restaurant, and feel the desire for a margarita, the first question is, “what is your top shelf brand?” If their answer is Patron, or 1800, I’ll just go with a beer.

At this point, some of you may think, “Patron is NOT “cheap” tequila.” Let me be clear, when I say “cheap”, I don’t consider the cost, but consider the taste.
Here are my 3 rules for helping YOU select a “good” tequila.
1) Select an aged tequila.
Tequila comes in 4 main types
a: Silver – taken from the still, and bottled
b: Gold – taken from the still, bottled, and caramel food coloring added
c: Reposado – aged in a charred white oak cask, for no less than 4 months.
d: Anejo – aged for no less than a year. There are more costly examples, that are aged 4 years.
2) Make certain that the tequila is 100% BLUE agave (agave azul in Spanish) Tequila is made from the blue agave cactus. Mexican law dictates that the distiller MUST use 51% juice of the blue agave, the rest, can be from other, lesser cacti. Again, through dedicated experimentation, I have determined that 100% blue agave tequila, is the smoothest. It IS more expensive, but it is worth it to me.
3) Buy a double, or even triple distilled tequila The more often a tequila is distilled, the more of those pain causing toxins are removed.

If you will keep these in mind while shopping, following two of these three rules, will give you a decent tequila. Following all three will give you a GOOD tequila.

A well made tequila should be sipped room temp, from a small snifter, much like one used for cognac.

This will allow you the pleasure of getting a “nose”(or aroma), off the tequila, which will further enhance the taste.
If you have to slam your tequila, you are drinking the WRONG tequila.

This is the end of this tutorial on how to select a tequila. Future posts will involve photos and discussion of tequilas that I would like to recommend. I will review across the price spectrum, so that I can help you obtain a tequila that is within YOUR budget.

Should anyone have any questions, or special request, please feel free to ask.