Most liquors have a stereotypical personality. Whisky is known by many as “mean juice.” Gin is associated as often with the high-class as it is with homeless. Vodka is thought of as the drink of choice of Eastern European and Russian military members and mobsters.
Thank you Hollywood for all of this!
But tequila? Wow, this is the party liquor for everybody. Some people claim — and we’ve seen it for ourselves — tequila makes their clothes come off! Can’t beat that, right?
But beyond the shots and frozen margaritas, lays a very influential, well-crafted, and very misunderstood liquor.
So let’s put down the salt, leave the lime on the napkin, and keep our clothes on as we take a brief journey down the basics of tequila.
The history
Harkening back to 1000 BC, when a milky, white substance was first drawn from the agave plant by the Aztecs. After fermenting this substance, they prized the drink — called “pulque” — for centuries. Certainly not the drink as we know it today, it was still good enough to to last nearly 24 centuries!
That all changed when the Spaniards arrived in 1400 AD. Not only were they looking for God, glory, and gold, they wanted some booze. With their brandy supplies drawing down, they needed something to start distilling. After “experiencing” the Aztecs and their pulque, the Spaniards began using the agave plant to produce mezcal, the umbrella liquor that tequila falls under.
By 1600, they created the first mezcal factory in Tequila, Jalisco. Within a century and a half, two main families began mass-producing mezcal and distributing it throughout the Americas and soon, the world — the Cuervo and Sauza families. Soon, tequila was born. To be considered tequila, it had to be distilled from blue agave and in the Jalisco state. Once the United States entered that horrible time called prohibition in the 1930s, tequila became a popular smuggling drink throughout the southern states and eventually throughout the entire country. This introduced Americans to a new exotic drink, cementing itself in bars nationwide.
The advent of the margarita in the United States opened the liquor up even further, especially to women who preferred mixed drinks. Approximately at the same time in the 1970s, Mexico claimed tequila as its intellectual property. The government would not allow tequila to be produced outside of its borders and only in certain areas in Mexico. The rest, well, is history!
Tequila types
There are essentially two types of tequila — Blanco and Reposado. Within these categories are some sub groups, but then, there is not much more to worry about from the label.
Blanco (aka silver or white) tequila is the most fresh and preserves the most flavor from the agave plant. These are the most common in mixed drinks. They also have more “bite” than others and have less complexity due to its freshness.
Reposados are aged in wood barrels for up to a year, providing a woody, oaky, or nutty flavor, depending on the aging barrel used. Reposados are usually not used in mixed drinks as the additional flavors do not work well with the mixers used in most drinks. The mellower Reposados are nearly always sipped at room temperature from a fluted glass, allowing the liquor to air out.
Añejo tequila is a type of reposado, but has been aged up to three years. They present a very complex flavor and are extremely mild due to the aging process. Añejo tequila tends to be the most expensive and are usually served in a snifter, much like a well-aged bourbon. Pricing on tequila is pretty simple — the longer it is aged, the more expensive.
Tequila tips
So now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s look at choosing the right tequila. First, figure out what you are looking for.
Mixed drinks — Going for a margarita or tequila sunrise? The base level, well tequila will work. The mixers used in these drinks will mask any of the taste issues you may have with the liquor. It is best, however, to use a blanco so that your drink doesn’t include any woody flavors.
Shots — People who shoot tequila are looking for one thing, and we all know what that is! Most bars do not use a blanco in their well since there are so many cheap reposado options available. We suggest doing a shot of blanco since you are not really worried about the taste. This is where the salt and lime come into play. Since blancos have such a bite, you may need something to bite into afterwards.
Casual enjoyment — If you are looking to drink your tequila on the rocks or straight up, go with a moderately-priced reposado. It’ll be mellow with subtle complexities that you’ll miss in a shot or mixed drink.
Impressing the boss — Trying to stay safe on a first date or after-work meeting with the boss? Definitely get a more expensive reposado or an añejo. Do not dilute it with water or ice and certainly do not put a lime wedge in it. Smell it when you sip and enjoy.
At the store — If you are looking at purchasing a bottle of tequila, look for those made from 100 percent agave. This is very important for taste and also the day after. Steer clear from highly- designed bottles, which tend to be cheap tequila designed to capture the eye of novice drinkers. Make sure your bottle lists where it is made. Most are made in Jalisco, but there are some other areas in western Mexico (Michoacãn, Guanajuato, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas) that can produce tequila. Lastly, look for the NOM label, which states when the tequila is distilled. If there is not one on there, definitely don’t buy it.
Hopefully this helps in your quest to enjoy tequila. We can’t help you make the right decisions or keep your clothes on, but at least we can point you in the right direction when choosing your drinks.