Tequila

theogt

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I'm a Scotch snob and I've never really "enjoyed" tequila. Yes, it's useful for certain obvious purposes, but the taste? Not pretty.

I had always heard of "tequila tastings" but never tried one because I had the obvious response in that I thought it'd be disgusting -- until this weekend. When having dinner at a place called Hugo's here in Houston, someone in the group suggested we order a Tequila tasting, which consisted of about 8 or so different fine tequilas. I'm not talking about "top shelf" Patron or anything like that, which is carried at just about any bar -- I'm talking about the real stuff (don't even ask me the names, because I haven't the slightest clue).

It was fantastic. I mean really superb. I had no idea you could get such wide range of flavors and complexity out of tequila. To be honest, some of them were more interesting than your typical Scotches, actually. So I was wondering if anyone else had discovered, and become knowledge about, the tequila world? While it won't likely replace Scotch for me, it's not a bad "sipping" liquor.
 
It is an acquired taste and while not my favorite, I do sip it occasionally. More commonly, I will have it in proper margaritas, not the slush you get at a typical bar.

The equivalent of the single malt scotch in the tequila world is 100% blue agave, the plant which it is made from. Mezcal is a cousin to tequila but is made from maguey, a different type of agave plant. Tequila prices spiked about 10 years ago due to an illness in the plant plus surging world demand. The kicker is it takes about 20 years for one of these blue agave plants to mature.

My favorite is Silver Patron.

My favorite margarita recipe is:

1.5 oz Tequila
1 oz cointreau
0.5 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice

Shake vigorously over ice. Serve in a cocktail glass or margarita glass with the exterior of the rim lined with kosher salt.
 
Eskimo;3432323 said:
It is an acquired taste and while not my favorite, I do sip it occasionally. More commonly, I will have it in proper margaritas, not the slush you get at a typical bar.

The equivalent of the single malt scotch in the tequila world is 100% blue agave, the plant which it is made from. Mezcal is a cousin to tequila but is made from maguey, a different type of agave plant. Tequila prices spiked about 10 years ago due to an illness in the plant plus surging world demand. The kicker is it takes about 20 years for one of these blue agave plants to mature.

My favorite is Silver Patron.

My favorite margarita recipe is:

1.5 oz Tequila
1 oz cointreau
0.5 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
0.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice


Shake vigorously over ice. Serve in a cocktail glass or margarita glass with the exterior of the rim lined with kosher salt.

I never had it with the lemon juice but that's how a tasty margarita is made. :)
 
Cheap tequila is absolute murder. I've only thrown up from being drunk twice in my life and both times cheap tequila was involved.
 
Eskimo;3432323 said:
My favorite is Silver Patron.
I've had the Patron Platinum before and it was absolute ****. That's why I said to exclude all Patrons -- even the "fine" ones aren't very good, in my opinion. The tequilas we were tasting had actual nice flavor to them.
 
I love good scotch, bourbon and whiskey. But a good tequila will do just fine any time. It's amazing the flavors that come out when you sip it instead of shooting it.

One of my favorites is called Casa Noble Anejo
 
c0wb0y_m0nkey;3432412 said:
I love good scotch, bourbon and whiskey. But a good tequila will do just fine any time. It's amazing the flavors that come out when you sip it instead of shooting it.

One of my favorites is called Casa Noble Anejo
Thanks, I'll check that out.
 
theogt;3432406 said:
I've had the Patron Platinum before and it was absolute ****. That's why I said to exclude all Patrons -- even the "fine" ones aren't very good, in my opinion. The tequilas we were tasting had actual nice flavor to them.

It goes great in Margaritas. :D
 
Eskimo;3432435 said:
It goes great in Margaritas. :D
Right, and as a shot. I meant "sipping" tequilas. I don't drink American (or Canadian) whiskey, except in mixed drinks. And I don't mix Scotch whisky with anything, including water. Just the same way, some tequilas are made for sipping and some for shooting/mixing.
 
Tequila-01-g.jpg


This looks good...
 
I still think the best way to drink it is 1 shot glass, salt and lemon. Once you run out of salt and lemon the shot by itself is still pretty good. :D
 
I'm no connosseiur (sp?). I just kinda go with what I like or what's available.

Patron is one of my favs and readily available almost anywhere.

My friends turned me onto this Antigua Cruz tequila. It's MUCH smoother than any Patron I've had.
 
theogt;3432436 said:
don't drink American (or Canadian) whiskey, except in mixed drinks.

You're really missing out on a lot of great bourbon then.
 
masomenos;3432874 said:
You're really missing out on a lot of great bourbon then.
I'm not saying I haven't tried them. I'm saying I've tried them and now refuse to drink them except in mixed drinks.
 
I've never been a Tequila drinker. Never cared for the taste of any that I have tasted. I will drink a Margarita sometimes, but thats the extent of my Tequila intake.

For me though, Tequila has two strikes against it. Most mean drunks I've met all drink Tequila. Above all, they are usually much more of a **** when they in fact were drinking Tequila.
 
theogt;3432888 said:
I'm not saying I haven't tried them. I'm saying I've tried them and now refuse to drink them except in mixed drinks.

Same here. I find most American whiskey too sweet to drink straight. That's why I prefer scotch.
 
High school. 11th grade. First alcohol party. Drank Tequila............. To this day, I can't stomach the smell of anything with tequila in it. Not even a margarita. Oh, I'm sure the half a bottle of Cold Duck Cherry wine, the 8 or so beers (mixed) and the $1.95 champagne didn't help.... but I can never forget that Tequila smell.


There's a Gardunos in Phoenix that specializes in Tequila. They have over 300different tequilas. Disgusting............... :cool:
 
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