How To Drink Reposado Tequila

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.

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.

Tequila Reposado Drinking Tips

One advantage of tequila is that it’s 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. Let’s 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 it’s 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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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?

The Ultimate Guide To Reposado Tequila

4 months ago

If you are into liquors, then tequila may not be new to you. It is a Mexican spirit distilled from the blue agave plant. Tequila is available in three major labels, namely blanco, reposado, and añejo. There are over 1,000 brands registered with the Mexican Tequila Regulatory Council. More than 30 of these brands bottle their tequila internationally. The high number of tequila brands gives you a wide range of reposado tequila flavors to pick from. In this article, we’ll review the unique qualities of tequila reposado and offer you infallible tips on the best ways to drink the spirit.

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Why I Love This Recipe

Much like my cooking philosophy, I believe that using fresh, fragrant ingredients will yield the best possible results when making a cocktail, and this reposado paloma is no different.

While the original version of Palomas were made with grapefruit flavored sodas, I much prefer the flavor of real juice. I call for fresh grapefruit juice and a real lime to make this cocktail extra refreshing.

My advice for anyone who wants to make tequila cocktails is to use 100% agave. This is a spirit that should be made entirely from the agave plant. I dont understand why people choose to make margaritas or palomas with cheap tequila. I promise you, its just not worth the hangover .

Treat yourself to an artisanal cocktail at home by making this reposado paloma with Exotico Tequila. Exoticos reposado has hints of vanilla, caramel and cinnamon that gives this paloma a very rich and smooth taste without a lot of bite. I promise that this is a bottle youll want to buy again and again!

And dont worry, friends. Even though this delicious reposado paloma could easily command a cool $12 to 15 at your local watering hole, making it at home means it will be much more affordable. So, sit and enjoy the setting sun a little longer tonight youll definitely want a second round of this tasty beverage!

What Is The Best Tequila To Drink Straight

Here are the best sipping tequilas our experts recommend to drink right now.

• Best Overall: Tequila Ocho Plata.
• Best Blanco: Don Fulano Blanco.
• Best Reposado: Siete Leguas Reposado.
• Best Añejo: Don Julio Añejo.
• Best Extra Añejo: Gran Patrón Burdeos.
• Best Valley: Fortaleza Blanco.
• Best Highlands: El Tesoro Reposado.

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Blood Orange Cinnamon Margarita Recipe

This sweet and spicy twist on the classic Margarita is perfect for summer sipping or for fall lounging. The original recipe calls for Bribon Tequila Blanco, but substituting in Bribon Tequila Reposado gives the drink deep vanilla notes.

2 ounces Bribon Tequila Reposado1/2 ounce fresh lime juice3/4 ounce fresh blood orange juice3/4 ounce cinnamon syrup1 blood orange slice

Add all the ingredients to a shaker. Add ice and shake to chill. Strain over fresh ice into a Margarita glass. Garnish with a blood orange slice.

Tequila Tours In Mexico

For now, tequila tours havent hit the stage of mass tourism outside Mexico . For that reason, I was one of only two non-Mexicans on a 52-seater coach tour. Dont worry if your Spanish isnt great the guide on the bus and the tour guide at the distillery could speak good English. Plus, drinking tequila with 50 Mexicans is the perfect time to learn some new words. Salud!

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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. It’s 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. It’s a tequila that you can save for those special occasions without feeling like you’re either wasting it in a mixed drink or sacrificing your hard earned dollars.

Though we’ve 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.

Celebrate Tequila Day With These 3 Reposado Cocktails

If you’ve just been shooting tequila or drinking it in margaritas, we’ve got some new ideas for you.

If youve shot tequila at some point in your life, chances are it was blanco tequila a clear spirit that never sees the inside of a barrel. And blanco can be good stuff, but were also huge fans of reposado tequila. Reposado translates to rested. Its the middle of the road between blanco and long-aged añejoaged in oak barrels for between two and twelve months. That aging allows tequilas signature sharp bite to mellow a bit, without the barrel-aged oak flavor taking over great reposados, like the one weve got right now from Fortaleza, have a beautiful vegetal, almost savory quality. And of course, it comes out beautifully in cocktails. In honor of National Tequila Day, here are three we love.

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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.

The 5 Types Of Tequila: How They Taste And How To Enjoy Them

• There are five core types of tequila: blanco, joven, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo.
• The length of the aging process is the main factor that distinguishes these types.
• Blanco and reposado are great for mixing, while añejo and extra añejo are best enjoyed neat.
• Visit Insiders Home & Kitchen Reference library for more stories.

Tequila enthusiasts will tell you that theres something special about this distilled spirit: its versatile enough to sip neat or to add to a wide variety of cocktails. Tequila can only be produced in certain areas of Mexico because its made from the native Weber blue agave plant.

What distinguishes each type of tequila from blanco to extra añejo is how much time it spends aging in the barrels, says Miguel Saavedra, head bartender at Sotol Agave Bar at Hilton Los Cabos Beach & Golf Resort.

Saavedra says the origins of tequila production can be traced back to the 16th century. Legend has it that during an electrical storm, lightning struck some agave plants, causing a fire that resulted in a honey-like taste and a powerful aroma. Tequila was born once people tasted the plants sweet nectar.

However, Alexa Delgado, beverage manager at Lake Nona Wave Hotel, adds that it wasnt until Spanish conquistadors ran out of brandy and began distilling agave that tequila, as it is known today, began to take shape.

Whether are your go-to drink, or you consider yourself a purist, heres what to know about the main types of tequila, and how they differ.

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If You Have Tequila You Can Definitely Make One Of These 3

We already know tequila is delicious on its own. When you’re using a quality 100% agave spirit, cocktails don’t need much to complement the herbal, sweet, and spicy flavors. So keep your tequila cocktails simple.

We’ve rounded up some three-ingredient drinks that cover all the bases, from and agave-enhanced classics to nostalgic throwbacks like the Tequila Sunrise.

The Best Way To Drink Tequila Today

The following is a guest post from our friends at Men’s Health Guy Gourmet

Regardless of what your drink of choice is, sometime this Saturdaywhich is Cinco de Mayo for those of you who dont eagerly anticipate drinking holidaysyou will knock back some tequila. Itll go down one of these three ways: as a shot, in a cocktail or frozen margarita, or sipped in a nice glass.

The good news is that on Cinco de Mayo theres no wrong way to drink tequila . There are, however, methods to selecting and drinking tequila that will make your Cinco de Mayo experience far more enjoyable. Jason Silverman, bar manager at Agave Tequila Bar in New York City, is exceedingly familiar with those methods.

The big problem I see, whether guys are ordering tequila at a bar or grabbing a bottle at the liquor store, is that theyre too influenced by whats familiar. They choose tequila based on whats popular, thinking that popularity equals quality. With tequila, thats not always the case, he says. What matters first and foremost is that its made from 100 percent agave.

Here are Silvermans favorite tequilas, and how you should drink each to fully enjoy the spirit and all its complex flavorswhether youre shooting it, mixing it, or sipping it.

Shots and Cocktails

Agave Nectar Margarita

1 oz. fresh lime juice1/2 oz. agave nectar sweetener

Silvermans Favorites: Kah, Corazón, Partida, Oro Azul, Tributo

Sipping

Choose 100 percent agave añejo tequilas

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How Is Casamigos Made

Tequila production is very regulated and it is the little details that make the difference in one tequila’s production versus another.

Casamigos Tequila’s production involves:

• Blue Weber agave is grown in the red clay soil of Jalisco, Mexico, an area known for producing the richest-tasting tequilas.

• Distilled at Productos Finos de Agave in Jesús María, Jalisco.

• Agave pinas are slow-roasted for 72 hours in brick ovens.

• The fermentation process takes 80 hours.

• Casamigos Blanco is rested for 2 months.

• Casamigos Reposado is aged for 7 months and Añejo is aged for 14 months, both in used American whiskey oak barrels.

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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Drink The Oldest Tequila You Can Find

Like a fine whiskey, tequila is one of those drinks that improves with age. And, the longer tequila has been aged, the more mellow and, yes, the more drinkable, it will be.

The clear tequila that we most commonly slug back in bars is usually fresh out of the vat and as a result is pretty rough to drink even in Mexico. Hence the need to chase this baby brew with lime and salt.

However, drink a tequila that is even a little bit older and the taste and drinkability increases dramatically.

Tequila usually falls into these categories:

• Blanco completely unaged tequila that has spent less than 2 months in steel or neutral oak barrels
• Joven as above but is often gold coloured
• Reposado aged more than 2 months but less than 1 year in oak barrels
• Añejo aged 1-3 years in oak barrels
• Extra Añejo aged more than 3 years in oak barrels

The Spicy Blood Orange Margarita Recipe

Not ready to give up your beloved Margarita just yet? This recipe brings a little bit of fall into the citrus-forward beverage, introducing flavors of blood orange and jalapeño to the drink. The result is full of the spicy depth we look for in seasonal drinks, without losing the sessionable quality that makes the Margarita a fan favorite.

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Pairing Food With Reposado Tequila

Having been aged in oak for a relatively short period of time, bottles of reposado tequila often balance distinct oaky and smoky flavours with the more familiar agave, citrus, and pepper. Because of this, the best food pairing options for these tequilas is with many smoked or cured meats, as the flavours mentioned above match well with the salty or spicy flavours present in the food. Outside of this, barbecue meat dishes, in particular those made from pork or chicken, are sublimely paired with these tequilas due to the cooked meats taste of smoke and spice.