Is 1800 Een Premium Tequila
1800 staat algemeen bekend als het jaar waarin tequila voor het eerst met succes op hout werd gerijpt. Oorspronkelijk bekend als Cuervo 1800 Tequila, werd 1800 Tequila in 1975 gelanceerd als een premium nippende tequila. De labels Silver, Añejo en Reposado werden in 2004 geïntroduceerd. Sinds 2008 wordt het in de VS gedistribueerd door Proximo Spirits.
Visiting Tequila In Mexico
If you want to level-up your tequila knowledge, then go and do some tasting in the town of Tequila in Mexico.
Occupying little more than two dusty streets, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the town of tequila retained a sleepy, small-town vibe. Of course, the peace was interrupted each day when a coach load or two rolled a bunch of tourists into town, but Tequila was otherwise absent the mass tourism that has bulldozed through other parts of Mexico .
Taking pride of place and owning much of the main street in tequila is Jose Cuervo..and boy do they have some big plans.
Before leaving the town of tequila I tried to burn the image of the street into my memory because Jose Cuervo has announced its intention to pump around USD$25 million into developing the town of Tequila with the intention of driving international tourism to the town.
Of course, it has to be a good thing that more people visit tequila and taste this drink in its home location, but I fear it will be at the expense of the towns authenticity.
So, if there were ever a place to visit sooner than later, tequila is it. And why not because there is no better place to learn how to drink tequila like a Mexican?
Best For Sipping: G4 Tequila Reposado
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Both long-time tequila fans and those who are new to the category will love this reposado from Destileria el Pandillo, where the fourth-generation Camarena family uses a special tahona, or millstone, made from recycled metal parts to break down the agave. Their innovative ways dont stop there they also distill their tequila using a blend of neutral rainwater and mineral-laden spring water for an approachable yet structured spirit.
Aged in both American and French oak, G4 Tequila’s reposado offers buttery, orange flavors but with a mineral-driven backbone and a cinnamon finish. Sip it neat and enjoy the craftsmanship.
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Is 1800 Een Goede Tequila
1800 Tequila is een van de meest bekroonde tequilamerken, en tijdens de New York International Spirits Awards Competition 2021 wonnen de Silver-, Reposado- en Cristalino-edities van 1800 allemaal de zilveren medaille voor de beste agave/tequila. De 1800 Añejo won de gouden medaille voor beste agave/tequila.
Tequila Reposado Drinking Tips
One advantage of tequila is that its a drink you can enjoy anytime, all year round. It is also a good idea to learn how Mexicans drink tequila reposado to appreciate this beverage. Lets examine various ways you have a blast drinking reposado tequila.
1. Make Sure You Are Drinking the Right Stuff
To appreciate the taste of real tequila, you must drink 100% blue agave and not a mixto. The best quality reposado tequila is made from 100% blue agave plant. This means no sugars are added to agave extract before its fermented. Most 100% agave tequilas are bottled at the source.
Mixto on the other hand refers to tequilas that are mixed with corn or cane sugars before fermentation. The Tequila Regulatory Council allows distilleries to label their drinks as tequila as long as their fermentation extract is at least 51% blue agave juice. The agave flavor in a mixto is subtle and you can miss, especially if you have never tasted 100% agave tequila.
Unfortunately, you will never see a distillery labeling its drinks as 51% tequila. You can also not differentiate mixto from 100% blue agave tequila by comparing their shades. It is important to note that mixto tequilas are primarily meant to be used on cocktails and not to be served neat. To avoid drinking a mixto make sure that your bottle has a 100% blue agave label.
2. Sip it Neat
3. Tequila Reposado Food Pairing
4. Enjoy Reposado Cocktails Too
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Best In A Bramble: Don Julio Reposado Tequila
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Great for any type of cocktail, this classic reposado is aged eight months in American white oak and is produced by Don Julio, which has been making tequila since 1942. This one goes down nice and easy, according to Easterbrook. Its super smooth, but it stands up to mixers and sweeteners. One of his favorite ways to use a reposado like this is in cocktails with muddled fresh berries and herbs: cilantro and blackberries, mint and strawberries, or any other combination. Its an amazing, delicious marriage, he says.
Other Types Of Tequila
Aside from reposado tequila, there are four other types with distinct characteristics:
- Plata/silver/white/blanco tequila takes on the sweetness of Blue Weber agave. Its unaged or aged in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels for under two months.
- Joven/gold/oro tequila is blended unaged silver with aged or extra-aged tequila, and sometimes caramel coloring, oak extract, or sugar syrup. This type is typically less expensive and more common in cocktails than other types of the spirit.
- Añejo tequila is aged for anywhere from one year to less than three years in oak barrels that contain up to 600 liters. This type of tequila turns out dark, rich, and amber in color and rich, smooth, and complex in flavor.
- Extra/ultra añejo was created in 2006 so is a relatively new tequila type. Its aged for at least three years in oak barrels and comes out with a peatiness and caramel flavor much like scotch.
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Has She Won Awards For It
According to Jenner’s Instagram, her brand won Best Reposado Tequila at the World Tequila Awards and the Chairmans Trophy at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge.
For almost four years Ive been on a journey to create the best tasting tequila, Jenner wrote on Instagram, revealing the launch of the company.
After dozens of blind taste tests, trips to our distillery, entering into world tasting competitions anonymously and WINNING , 3.5 years later I think weve done it!
“This is all weve been drinking for the last year and I cant wait for everyone else to get their hands on this to enjoy it as much as we do!
The Verdict: Is Casamigos Worth The Money
Casamigos is on that fine line of expensive tequila. Compared to many of its counterparts, the brand did do an excellent job of keeping it below the $50 price point that can be a deterrent for many drinkers. Its the magic number for the majority of us because once liquor passes it, it becomes a real luxury.
We do think that Casamigos is worth the money. It is a nice tequila that is premium but not overpriced for what it is. Its a tequila that you can save for those special occasions without feeling like youre either wasting it in a mixed drink or sacrificing your hard earned dollars.
Though weve only tasted one of the three Casamigos Tequilas, we suspect that the blanco and añejo follow suit with the reposado. Is this going to be a tequila for those who love the bold agave flavors? No. This is a tequila for drinkers who enjoy the softer side and it is a gentle introduction for the new tequila aficionado.
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How Do Mexicans Drink Tequila
Until I tasted good tequila, the idea of sitting and sipping tequila, as Mexican people commonly do, seemed like an absurd activity. Yet the truth is that good tequila is to be savoured, not slugged down at speed.
Heres how to drink tequila like a Mexican.
Pick a tequila that is 100% agave and at least reposado.
Fill a shot glass in the normal way .
To drink, simply take a small sip of tequila straight and enjoy.
If you feel the need as a new tequila drinker, you can try your tequila with some lime and some salt. After every sip or two, dip your wedge of lime into a small amount of salt and suck on it. However, dont use too much as you will drown out the flavour of the tequila.
Ideally, try to buy the tiny limes that are light green because they are sweeter and juicier than their larger, darker counterparts.
And there you have it: how to drink tequila like a Mexican.
What Tequila Is Considered Top Shelf
- Best Overall: Casamigos Blanco Tequila.
- Best Top-Shelf: Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Añejo Tequila.
- Best Cheap: Sauza Silver Tequila.
- Best Mid-Price: Herradura Silver Tequila.
- Best Añejo: Don Julio Añejo Tequila.
- Best Blanco/Silver: Espolòn Blanco.
- Best Reposado: Olmeca Tezòn Reposado Tequila.
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Exotico Reposado 100% Agave Tequila
BEST PRICE
Surprisingly, reposado tequila doesnt always have to reach a crazy price in order to be tasty, just take Exotico for example. This six-month aged bottle sits typically at the $25 mark, making it an affordable bottle when checking out reposado for the very first time. Its aged in white oak bourbon barrels, imparting a flavor that hits somewhere between boisterous and low-key, giving an all-around blend of vanilla, dry fruit, spices, with an aftertaste of oak, caramel and cinnamon. Youll be confused as to why this one isnt priced higher, thats for sure.
Don Julio Aejo Vs The Competition
- 1800 Añejo
- Tequila AviónAñejo
- Casamigos Añejo
- check Don Julio Añejo
Sweet and peppery characterize the initial palate of the 1800 and mid-palate transition. The 1800 Añejo shows traces of cinnamon, candied pears, butterscotch and toasted oak, plus a finish of cocoa and banana bread. On the other hand, wild honey and butterscotch are on display when the Don Julio/DJ Añejo enters your mouth.
However, what sinks 1800 is an observed strong presence of smokiness in the taste. For some, strong traces of the roasting process may have settled in the final product, likely an oversight due to 1800 being part of the mass market tequila assembly line of Jose Cuervo. In contrast, the DJ consistently keeps the smoky taste to a minimum, or even at zero presence.
Don Julios añejo may be more expensive than the Avión añejo.
However, the Don Julio/DJ presents a strong case of value-for-money tilting brains, lips, noses, tongues, throats and opinions towards its entry level aged tequila.
One, the DJ añejo consistently displays no alcohol burn, with a nip in the Avión. Everything is bright, lightly spiced, rich and smooth, and you dont forget the agave presence in the Don Julio.
Second, the DJ has a consistently minimal tinge of American oak residue when the añejo hits your mouth. On the other hand, the Avión has an up-down presence of oak in the taste, which was a turn-off for some.
Casamigos añejo is neck-and-neck against Don Julios añejo in terms of pricing.
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It Begins With Production
To qualify as tequila, the spirit must be distilled in one of five regions in Mexico, the best known of which is Jalisco. Technically, tequila is a form of mezcal, but it does not have the smoky flavor commonly associated with that spirit.
Like mezcal, tequila is agave-based. It can be either mixto , or the much higher-quality, 100 percent agave version. Bribon Tequila is made from seven to 10 year old agave that has been cooked for 18 hours at the distillery. The juice from the shredded agave is fermented using Don Robertos proprietary strain of yeast. Finally, the liquid is distilled twice in both pot and column stills.
Top Shelf Tequila Reposado
1. Clase Azul Reposado Tequila
The entre Clase Azul collection is top-of-the-line, premium tequila from the infamous region of Jalisco, where the best of the best is produced. Clase Azul Reposado Tequila is made from 100 percent organic blue weber agaves which are cooked for an above-average 72 hours.
Every part of the process is closely monitored and carefully executed to produce the utmost best quality possible. The result is a silky smooth expression with a rich and unique flavor profile.
The nose offers a mix of fruity and woody aromas followed by an equally woody flavor with strong notes of cooked agave, caramel, and vanilla.
2. Roca Patron Reposado
Ever the household name in the world of tequila, Patron has created something unique with their Roca Patron Reposado Tequila. Roca comes from the Spanish word for rock and the entire Roca collection is bottled at a higher ABV than their core selection.
Once harvested, the agaves are crushed by a two-ton volcanic stone, a method that dates back centuries and works well to break down the fibers. After fermenting, the agave is distilled in small batches using handmade copper stills to create a nice earthy flavor. Its aged in used American bourbon barrels.
The nose offers a mix of American oak, citrus, and vanilla, followed by a smooth palate. Youll find flavors of caramel, ginger, and mushroom with a complex, lingering finish.
3. Don Julio Reposado
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El Tequileo Reposado Rare
Founded in 1959 in the pueblo magico of Tequila by Don Jorge Salles Cuervo, the La Guarreña distillery continues under Don Jorges grandson, Jorge Antonio Salles. This intense, woody reposado is fermented in cement tanks, cooked with copper pot stills, and aged six years in giant wooden tanks, making for a truly rare high-end reposado. The extra time and production methods yield big natural vanilla, caramel, and spice flavors and aromas.
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Best Under $: Herradura Reposado Tequila
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A favorite go-to for Easterbrook, Herradura’s popular tequila, produced by a distillery known for its environmentally-friendly practices, launched the entire reposado category back in 1974. Today, it is easy to find and remains inexpensive.
With a super smooth mouthfeel and a pleasing cooked agave flavor, this tequila is overlaid by rich, creamy vanilla notes from a full 11 months spent in American oak. Its a very well-rounded reposado that you can sip neat, throw on rocks, or mix into an amazing cocktail, says Easterbrook. It hits all the points I like. Its not too sweet or too spicy its perfectly balanced.
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What Are The Different Types Of Tequila
There are several different kinds of Tequila, and most are categorized according to how long theyre aged. The three main types of Tequila are silver or Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo. In 2006, a new category called was created. Here is a breakdown on how long each style is aged:
- Blanco or can be bottled immediately or aged up to two months.
- Reposado Tequila is aged for two to 12 months in an oak container, giving it time to turn a pale golden color.
- Añejo Tequila spends one to three years in an oak barrel similar to the ones used for aging whiskey or wine. It gets smoother, darker and the taste is sweeter thanks to the barrel.
- Extra Añejo Tequila is barrel-aged for more than three years. The spirit becomes a dark amber color, and the flavor is rich with nuts, caramel, fruit, and spice, similar to whiskey or an old rum.
How Is Tequila Reposado Made
All Tequila starts with the blue agave, a spiky succulent that grows throughout the regions where Tequila is made. For a Tequila Reposado, the sweet sap in the heart of the blue agave is fermented, distilled, and then aged for two to 12 months in oak.
- Making Reposado Tequila takes patience. The blue Weber agave plant grows slowly. The succulent must be six or seven years old before it develops a sugary sap called aquamiel that forms the base of Tequila.
- The heart of the agave plant called the piña is harvested with machetes. Then the massive hearts, which weigh 100 pounds or more, are steamed or baked in a clay oven. Experts say baking is better because the cooking process is slower and creates a smoother spirit.
- The cooked hearts are shredded and pressed to extract the juice. That juice is fermented, and then the fermented juice is distilled in either a column still or an old-fashioned pot still. During the distillation process, Tequila retains much of the vegetal, floral, and earthy flavors coming from the agave.
- To make a Reposado Tequila, the distilled spirit will be aged in an oak container of any size for anywhere from two months to just less than a year. During that time, it turns a deeper amber color. It can take on barrel characteristics such as vanilla, cocoa, and baking spice notes.
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How Much Does Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila Cost
Jenner’s tequila costs around $59.99 per bottle.
There are three different types in her collection: añejo, reposado and blanco.
Her reposado tequila, meaning rested in Spanish, has rested anywhere from two months to a year before it is bottled. Reposados take on the gold hue from the barrels in which they are aged.
But, añejo tequila is, by definition, aged at least a year and up to three in oak barrels, bringing out a rounder texture and sweeter flavors.
According to panelists at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, 818’s añejo tequila has “earthy aromas of pine and yellow fruits mix with vanilla. Sweet on the palate with brown sugar, vanilla syrup, spicy cinnamon, the rich texture coats the palate. Hints of roasted agave come through on the long spicy-sweet finish.”
Blanco tequila, which is clear with no color, is aged less than two months if at all. Drinking blanco is how to appreciate the “purest expression of the agave.”
Her tequila is “handcrafted in small batches” in Jalisco, Mexico.
In September 2021, Jenner announced an initiative to raise profits for the community of Jalisco after she received backlash for appropriating Mexican culture and failing to credit the local agave farmers.
She appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to announce her sustainable new initiative involving the community of Jalisco.
Jenner went on to explain how the bricks were being used to build hospitals.