Tequila

[roadwarrior]

2007-12-19 00:06 (New York)

Review by Paul Goguen

    Dec. 19 (Bloomberg) -- I got hooked on tequila about 10

years ago when a friend served me a blissful cocktail mixed with

Rose's Lime Juice. It's been a love affair ever since.

    Though tequila was first produced in Mexico in the 16th

century, it wasn't imported by the U.S. until the late 1800s. By

1973, U.S. tequila sales topped 1 million cases. Last year,

according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., almost

11 million cases were sold.

    Tequila is made from blue agave, a succulent with spiky

leaves. There are now four types of 100 percent agave tequila:

Silver, Reposado, Anejo and Super Anejo. Silver isn't aged,

while the others are stored in oak barrels for periods ranging

from two months to three years.

    Silver generally tastes light and smooth. The other three

have more complex flavors, derived from the oak barrels in which

they're stored. All contain about 40 percent alcohol.

    Many brands of tequila, including Cuervo Gold and Sauza,

are made from a blend of agave and grain alcohol instead of pure

agave. I prefer the real thing.

    I recently visited three Manhattan restaurants to sample

their tequila selections. All prices listed are for a standard

shot, though precise amounts may vary depending on the

generosity of your bartender.

                         Rosa Mexicano

    Rosa Mexicano, a Lincoln Center eatery featuring a giant

fountain adorned with figurines of divers, offers a wide variety

ranging from $14 to $100 per shot. My favorites:

    Patron (Reposado): Tastes good straight up or with Rose's.

Best bet for a first-timer. $16.

    Don Julio (Anejo): Terrific body with a strong oak flavor.

$17.

    Gran Patron Platinum (Silver): Silky smooth with a very

clean finish and a hint of vanilla. $40.

    Gran Patron Burdeos (Super Anejo): This double-distilled,

ultra-premium is finished in hand-selected Bordeaux barrels.

$100.

    The next stop on my journey -- not on the same night, by

the way -- was Dos Caminos at Park Avenue and 27th Street. It's

a modern place where a sophisticated crowd sips margaritas and

downs shots from a vast tequila selection. My picks:

    Siete Leguas (Silver): Smoky flavor with an oak and spice

finish. $13.

    Don Julio 1942 (Anejo): Went down smooth with a strong

finish of oak, vanilla and lime rind. $14.

    Casa Noble (Super Anejo): Nice blend of butterscotch and

vanilla, with a hint of smoke. $29.

                           La Esquina

    Finally, there's super-trendy La Esquina on Kenmare Street

in Soho, which offers more than 100 brands of tequila. You enter

through a taco stand, walk downstairs and pass through the

kitchen en route to the restaurant and giant bar. Try these:

    Diago Santa (Reposado): A wise recommendation from the

bartender. Rich butterscotch and vanilla, with a clean finish,

made this the best value of any tequila I tried. $12.

    Patron (Anejo): Smooth, with a light-oak flavor and scent

of vanilla. Makes a terrific margarita. $15.

    Cabo Wabo (Anejo): This brand is owned by former Van Halen

frontman Sammy Hagar. The butterscotch and vanilla flavors go

down smoothly, unlike a Van Halen reunion. $17.

    Once the booze of choice for young party animals, tequila

is coming of age. Still, I'm reminded of the old college chant:

    One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor!

    Five tequila, six tequila, seven tequila, morgue!

    (Paul Goguen is a radio producer for Bloomberg News. The

opinions expressed are his own.)

--Editors: Rick Warner, Jeremy Gerard.

[Redlinerobert]

Funny you should bring up tequila

I'm getting ready to open my new venture in LA, a super high end tequila shop on famous Olvera Street in LA. Should be ready by the spring time. I'll be doing pairing events as well as tastings, so it should be fun. I'm also looking at branching it out and opening up more stores in different locations.

[Cigarlover 1]

I think I have an idea for the '09 BR Roadtrip.

Party at Redlines place.  

[TournyFish001]

Funny you should bring up tequila

I'm getting ready to open my new venture in LA, a super high end tequila shop on famous Olvera Street in LA. Should be ready by the spring time. I'll be doing pairing events as well as tastings, so it should be fun. I'm also looking at branching it out and opening up more stores in different locations.

I like the way you think- sounds like a great opportunity! I would go there and put down some Don Julio- my boss got me hooked on that as well as other higher end tequilas.

[Raul]

Not all spirits obtained from the blue agave can be called Tequila, Tequila is a denomination of origin for all spirits obtained from the blue agave but from a limited geographical zone in the states of Guanajuato & Jalisco. The town of Tequila is located right in the center of the zone.

The most common tequilas you can drink oustide Mexico come from the houses like Sauza, which is to a certain point what we call "industrialized" tequila which I may say are not the "gourmet" tequilas ( finest and purest ) those can only be bought locally and their distribution is limited to the region. The towns of Arandas, Atotonilco and Ayotlán ( not far from my hometown ) are famous for their gourmet tequilas which in many cases aren 't even bottled.

[Matt Fly]

I am a big fan of Cabo Wabo.   One of the smoothest tequilas I have ever had.

    This tequila is so smooth, you drink it naked with no regrets.

For those of you who don't know, Ordering a shot of tequila without salt or lime in Texas and probably other states as well is simply stated.

A shot of Cabo Wabo naked please!

[Redlinerobert]

There are so many different tequilas available, and like Raul says, many of them not in the states due to low production numbers from the "boutique" distillers.  

I have a few favorites, 3,4 y 5 is one, Herradura Sellecion Suprema, and 4 Copas are all great tequilas.  The 5th generation fro the Sauza family just came out with Los Abuelos, which makes probably the best blanco I have ever tried.  I would love to hear what are Raul's favorites.

[Catt]

Two words: Oaxaca's Mezcal  

[Long Mike]

I quit drinking the stuff.  I enjoy it so much it makes me forget my name.

[bassnleo]

I had Tequila 2 times in college.........

Going down then coming up :-[

Last time I ever had the stuff.

For me, TAKILLYA is exactly what it did to me.

[fishbear]

I may be considered a Tequila heretic, but in my opinion, nothing is better than 1800 Gold chilled over ice, then poured off and sipped.

Me and Jose go waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy back to the 80s.  He is a very good friend of mine, and I think of him as family.  I have drank it mixed, as shooters, and as a slow sipping drink..   NOTHING beats tequila, unless it is good Kentucky Bourbon.

I have also imbibed in Mescal quite a few times and have eaten the worm...  still waiting on the hallucinations though...   : :

[Redlinerobert]

I had Tequila 2 times in college.........

Going down then coming up :-[

Last time I ever had the stuff.

For me, TAKILLYA is exactly what it did to me.

What you had in college was probably a "mixto", like Cuervo Gold.  That stuff is

Tequilas that are made from 100 agave are on a different level altogether.  If you tried one I am sure you'd change your mind.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

or melt it......

Robert's house stock is something else. I noticed a huge bar when I first got there. It wasn't till a few days later that I realized it was a complete bar of tequila's.  He's got stuff given to him from President's to distillery (?- I know there's a special word for it) owner's, to you name it. I had no idea how different even some of the best ones can be.  

Can't wait for the opening, surely a party not to miss.

[skillet]

 Use to really like it myself! The only thing was all the women wanted to take advantage of me ;D...

                                      As Ever,

                                       skillet

[Redlinerobert]

Use to really like it myself! The only thing was all the women wanted to take advantage of me ;D...

                                    As Ever,

                                    skillet

I hate when that happens.  :

[Jimzee]

Use to really like it myself! The only thing was all the women wanted to take advantage of me ;D...

                                    As Ever,

                                    skillet

I hate when that happens. :

I think this is how I met my wife, not sure, everything was fuzzy.   ;D

[KU_Bassmaster.]

You mean that $12 Montezuma "College Special"  isn't the best stuff around??  I don't know .... we have had some awesomely awful nights together :-[ : ;D

Hey Robert,

In your opinion is there a good bang for your buck tequila out there that is somewhat readily available.  I am thinking of maybe Christmas gift for my grandfather.  He kind of considers himself somewhat of a tequila connoisseur.

[Redlinerobert]

Plenty of good tequila's in the $50 - $70 price range.  Asombroso silver is good, and all of the Corazon Tequila's are good as well.  

[.ghoti.]

Use to really like it myself! The only thing was all the women wanted to take advantage of me ;D...

                                    As Ever,

                                    skillet

I hate when that happens. :

I think this is how I met my wife, not sure, everything was fuzzy. ;D

I know this is how I met mine. ;D ;D