Aejo Vs Reposado Vs Blanco
Different tequila types are categorized by how long they are aged. Añejo is aged the longest, followed by Reposado and then Blanco. Añejo is the darkest in color and is excellent for sipping on its own. Reposado will be tan in color and is great for tequila shots or mixing into heavier cocktails. Blanco is clear and is perfect for mixed drinks.
The Grilled Watermelon Margarita
The Grilled Watermelon Margarita is one of my go-to spring and summer cocktails from Cointreau because it adds a playful amount of fruit with hints of smokiness to The Original Margarita. During the spring and summer, anything grilled really embodies the warmer weather. Dominic Alling, national brand ambassador at Rémy Cointreau
Ingredients:
1 oz. fresh lime juice
0.5 oz. grilled watermelon syrup
0.5 oz. fresh grapefruit juice
Method: To make grilled watermelon syrup: Cut watermelon into slices and grill until both sides of the watermelon have grill marks. After letting cool, blend with simple syrup and then fine strain. Add all ingredients to shaker with ice. Shake and fine strain over ice into Tajin-salted rocks glass. Garnish with lime wheel.
The El Coco Carlose
The Charles
How To Make A Tequila Sunrise
The Tequila Sunrise is incredibly easy to make, but needs to be executed in a specific way to create the sunrise look. Tequila, orange juice are added to a Collins or highball glass with ice. Then pour grenadine down a spoon its so thick and heavy that it will sink to the bottom, creating a red layer, and naturally rise back up, just like a sunrise. At this point, you can also top your drink off with some soda water, if desired. The key is to serve it unmixed so each layer stays intact. Stir it and youll end up with a pink drink.
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Best For Margaritas: Casa Dragones Blanco
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Herbaceous, Green peppercorn, Anise
Instead of sipping this high-end tequila, Volfson recommends trying it in a margarita. A margarita is about the relationship of three ingredients: tequila, triple sec, and limes,” she says. This tequila from Maestra Tequilera Bertha González Nieves gives off flavors of soft herbaceousness and grassy garden crispness, green peppercorn and fennel seed, cardamom, anise seed, and a bit of juiciness, which Volfson feels mingle well with the bright cirtus character of the triple sec and lime juice.
“The layers of orange blossom in Casa Dragones, along with the orange in the triple sec, brings together the drinks fruitinessthe recipe doesnt need as much lime juice as others, so it showcases the spirits with each other. Yana Volfson, beverage manager at Cosme and ATLA restaurants in New York
Best Value: Pueblo Viejo Blanco
courtesy of Checkersliquors.com
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: White pepper, Agave, Mint
Tequila’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, and the top bottles now command cultish prices formerly reserved for the rarest of Scotches and small-batch bourbons. But there are still plenty of great values for those with the patience to seek them outand it’s hard to think of an inexpensive tequila that over-delivers on quality quite like Pueblo Viejo. A secret favorite in the mixologist comminity, Pueblo Viejo blanco is crafted using 100 percent blue Weber agave, which is cooked in stone and brick ovens and crushed by a traditional rolling mill called a tahona. The classically-made tequila boasts a nose of white pepper and a rustic, unapologetic palate replete with bright agave and fresh mint.
Once you claw your way through the limited-production bottlings and the celebrity vanity projects, you’ll discover that solid tequila can still be found at budget pricesand the Pueblo Viejo blanco is Exhibit A.
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The Best Tequila Cocktails
If you love tequila cocktails, then you cant miss these recipes. Were also covering the origins of tequila, the different types, and more!
What is tequila? Is it exquisite nectar blessed to us from the heavens? Or is it a distilled spirit harvested from the blue agave plant?
Our bets are on the latter, however if the tequila gods descended to the Earth and presented to us their finest tequila cocktails to boot, we wouldnt be surprised.
Because if there was anything wed have in common, it would be our love for the precious blue agave plant in all its intoxicating glory!
Tequila Sunrise Drink Origin
This drink has a colorful appearance and story behind it. It was created by bartenders Bobby Lozoff and Billy Rice in the 1970s at the Trident bar in Sausalito, California. The drink gained major attention and popularity in 1973 after Jose Cuervo put the recipe on the back of its tequila bottles, the Eagles song Tequila Sunrise was released, and The Rolling Stones ordered it across the country during their tour that same year. It was, indeed, the rock and roll party drink! These events made the cocktail go mainstream and cemented its International Bartender Associations inclusion.
The original Tequila Sunrise was served in the 1930s, which consisted of crème de cassis , lime juice, and soda water. It was sparkling and light, with a dark purplish hue nothing like the popular version today that includes orange juice and grenadine. I guess it didnt have any rock and roll bands to help promote it. HA!
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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 Tres Agaves El Diablo
This great classic cocktail is too often overlooked. A bit of island vibes, a bit of summerits the perfect drink from spring all throughout summer. It works anytime and is less labor intensive and less boozy than a margarita. Good quality ginger beer is good for your stomach as well. If you dont have cassis, you can substitute in another liqueur. Elderflower, orange, coffee, peach, and lots of other flavors work here as well. E. Carter Wilsford, head bartender at Joyface
Ingredients:
1.25 oz. Tres Agaves blanco tequila
0.75 oz. crème de cassis
Ginger beer
Lime, garnish
Method: This cocktail is super simple, essentially an elevated highball. No need to shake or muddle anything. Add your tequila and cassis to a tall glass. Fill with ice and top with ginger beer.
The Milagro Paloma Select
Milagro Tequila
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Best Overall: Fuenteseca Cosecha 2018
Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 45.7% | Tasting Notes: Cinnamon, Olive, Brine
This tequila is a cult favorite among experts, as Yana Volfson, the beverage manager at Cosme and ATLA restaurants in New York, calls it beautiful. Enrique Fuenteseca, the farmer and distiller behind the bottle, chooses the ripest agave in his own estate, subjects the piñas to the autoclave-and-roller mill treatment, and lets the pot-distilled spirit rest in stainless steel tanks afterward for three years. The resulting blanco, says Grover Sanschagrin, is super heavy on the cinnamon, olive, and brine notesits just amazing. Perfect for tequila aficionados, the limited-production Fuenteseca Cosecha 2013 is a worthy collectible.
Ways To Enjoy Tequila
We’ve all had tequila in a margarita before, so for National Tequila Day, let’s go beyond the Mexican classic and try tequila a different way.
10 Ways to Enjoy Tequila–Beyond the Basic Margarita
1. Tequila + Grapefruit Juice + Club Soda + A Squeeze of Lime
2. Tequila + Tonic Water
3. Tequila + Lemon + Simple Syrup + Club Soda
4. Tequila + Ginger Ale
5. Tequila + Orange Juice + Grenadine
6. Tequila + Pureed Watermelon + Triple Sec
7. Tequila + Campari + Sweet Vermouth
8. Tequila + Orange Juice + Pineapple Juice
9. Tequila + Muddled Mint & Limes + Simple Syrup + Club Soda
10. Tequila + Bloody Mary Mix
But if you decide, even after all of these awesome suggestions, you still must have a margarita, I suggest trying our Jalapeno Margaritaabove. It’s kick-ya-in-the-butt spicy, but oh so good. Cheers!
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Most Versatile: Corralejo Reposado
Region: Guanajuato, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: Honey, Peppercorn, Oak
Jenny Harris, bar manager of San Diego’s Point Loma Fish Shop, says you cant lose with this reposado produced at Tequilera Corralejo. Located east of Jalisco in the neighboring state of Guanajuato, this distillery is rated among tequilas top 100 by the Sanschagrins Tequila Matchmaker user base. This reposado is aged in American oak barrels, giving off an oaky profile that Harris particularly likesalong with flavors of peppercorn, honey, and, of course, agave. Its a tequila that starts with a woody, nutty aroma, rolls sweetly over the palate, and finishes with a slightly bitter spiciness.
Neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail, is always going to be delicious and smooth. Jenny Harris, bar manager of San Diego’s Point Loma Fish Shop
What’s The Difference Between Tequila And Mezcal
You may have heard the rumor that the spirit known as mezcal is simply a smoky version of tequila. In fact, the truth is closer to the reverse of that: the term “mezcal” refers broadly to any distillate of the agave plant produced in Mexico, so the spirit called tequila is simply one specific type of mezcal. While government regulations allow for the production of mezcal in nine different Mexican states, tequila may only be produced in five states: Jalisco, Michoacán, Nayarit, Guanajuato, and certain parts of Tamaulipas. Addionally, while mezcal may be produced from dozens of different agave varietiesresulting in numerous distinct styles and flavor profilestequila may only be produced from the blue Weber agave.
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Are All Tequilas Made Of 100 Percent Blue Weber Agave
Nearly all premium tequilas are made entirely from blue Weber agave , but there’s another category of tequila called “mixto” in which blue Weber agave need only compose 51 percent of the spirit. Producers utilize various types of sugar to make up the remaining percentage, including high fructose corn syrup and molassesalthough sometimes a lightly processed Mexican cane sugar known as piloncillo is what’s used. If your bottle doesn’t indicate on the label that it’s made from 100 percent agaveand if the price is on the lower end of the spectrumthere’s a good chance that you’re dealing with a mixto. While less expensive, these tequilas don’t reflect a historically anthentic approach to the composition of the spirit.
If You Love The Margarita
Try the Tequila and Tonic, which is a lot like the Gin and Tonic, but with tequila. Its bubbly and refreshing and delicious.
And then theres the White Lizard, with tequila, grapefruit juice and lime. This is a great cocktail for reviving you after a long day.
And definitely check out all our for lots more variations you can enjoy.
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Ultimate Spirits Challenge Best Mezcal
Every year, the Ultimate Spirits Challenge names the “best” in various liquor categories. In 2020, the challenge named Mezcal Vago Elote its top mezcal with a score of 96 points. It’s a unique mezcal in that along with agave in the mash, it is also infused with roasted corn , which imparts unique, un-mezcal-like flavors. The result is a toasty mezcal with flavors of corn, nuts, and agave that’s lightly sweet. Expect to pay around $50 per 750 mL bottle.
Best Extra Aejo Tequila
Extra añejo tequila is aged for longer than three years in oak barrels, giving it time to mellow and absorb the characteristic vanilla and caramel flavors and aromas from the wood. Flaviar’s top rated extra añejo tequila is Avion Reserva 44 extra añejo community members rate it 9.1 out of 10 stars. It’s a small-batch tequila aged for 44 months, and you’ll find notes of vanilla, marzipan, and spice with just a hint of smoke. Expect to pay about $110 per 750 mL bottle. It’s an excellent cocktail and mixing tequila.
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Of The Best Tequila Cocktails To Enjoy At Home Or At The Bar
May 5, 2020
- Pin
Tequila doesnt have the same refined ring to it that you find with spirits like whiskey, rum, or gin. Instead, it is often thought as of a party drink, one that has a distinctive flavor. Even so, there are many delicious tequila cocktails that you can add to your repertoire. In this post, were highlighting a selection of the best tequila cocktails, ones that youre certain to enjoy.
First though, lets talk a little about tequila. The spirit is created from the blue agave plant. It is most commonly consumed as a shot and can be anywhere from 35% to 55% alcohol.
Unlike most other spirits, tequila is protected under designation of origin laws in many countries. As part of these laws, tequila can only be produced in a limited number of Mexican states.
Tequila can be found in a variety of colors, with white and gold being the most common. The white version has been through very little aging, while the gold version is often aged longer and may have added ingredients to increase the golden color.
If you want to explore some of the best tequilas around, then a tequila of the month club should be on your list. They’ll deliver hard to find, rare, and just plain delicious selections to your door every month. You’ll get the best of the best, and won’t have to spend hours researching and finding places to buy online!
- Dulce de Tequila
How To Make A Tequila Lime Mojitarita:
- Get a simple cocktail shaker you dont needa fancy one.
- If youve ever watched a skilled bartender in action you know theres an art to shaking a cocktail. But still, anyone can do it and make a delicious drink. Be sure to shake vigorously to dissolve the sugar and bruise the mint for the best flavor.
- Squeeze your own fresh lime juice please dont even think of using bottled stuff. Its easy to juice citrus with a handheld citrus juicer or reamer. Unfortunately, limes are notoriously inconsistent in their juiciness, but in general, count on at least one tablespoon juice per lime.
- Crushed ice is ideal for filling the shaker .
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Ultimate Spirits Challenge Best Tequila
The Ultimate Spirits Challenge top two tequilas for 2020 aren’t available in the United States. However, their tied for third finisher, El Tesoro Extra Añejo is, and it receives a 94 point rating. It’s aged for five years in bourbon barrels, and it has notes of coffee, herbs, apricots, and almonds. Expect to pay around $130 for a 750 mL bottle.
For Your Sipping And Mixing Pleasure
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Whether you’re looking to take some tequila shots with friends or mix up some delicious margaritas or cocktails, finding the perfect tequila can be a tedious search. The important thing is, you want to find a tequila that you can savor no matter how you’re using it. With so many on the market, it can seem impossible to find one that’s right for you.
So without further ado, here are the best tequilas to satisfy your needs on any drinking night.
Technically, a margarita is just a soura cocktail family comprised of a base spirit, a sweetener, and some citrus. Sours stand the test of time and trend because theyre refreshing and easy to execute. But a cocktail with so few ingredients requires each ingredient to hold its own. You dont need to spend a lot of money, but you do want quality.
To make a good margarita , your base spirit should be easygoing, but not wimpy. It should bring some personality to the table without stealing the show. For those reasons, Cazadores Tequila Blanco is one of the best tequilas for margaritas. With notes of basil and lemon blossom, its great for sipping, too, but it is especially well-suited for your margarita thanks to its freshness, roundness, and agave character.
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Take A Sip Of This Iconic Mexican Spirit
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Liquor / Chloe Jeong
Every spirit has its “moment”sometimes more than onceand just like whiskey in the pre-prohibition era, rum in the midcentury tiki craze, and vodka in the swingin’ sixties and seventies, tequila is currently the darling of the spirits world. Nutrition consultants saddle it with various health claims , and it seems like every day that yet another celebrity is launching a new tequila brand. However, to longtime aficionados like Grover and Scarlet Sanschagrin, the Jalisco-based founders of the website Tequila Matchmaker, there’s something to be said for the old, artisan production methods and for the flavors they yield: herbs, spices, and the briny, bittersweet signature of agave.
But the sheer volume of tequila brands currently competing for shelf space means that there’s truly a bottle out there for every consumer. The Consejo Regulador del Tequila, the spirits regulatory body, lists 1,754 tequilas currently in productionand these include bottles labeled blanco , reposado , añejo , and several other increasingly esoteric categories. Whether you like your tequila neat or mixed with cocktails, here are the best tequilas available today.