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Jumping into the world of tequilas


Your first experience with tequila was probably in college at a pregame or a party where someone came back with the cheapest tequila handle they could find. Overindulging in this throat-burning cheap tequila is not the best choice, however, finding a good-tasting tequila could result in a far more enjoyable experience when you know what you are looking for. So, let's try and find that perfect tequila for you.


Appreciation of the Process


Before exploring the various tequilas available, I would like to highlight the labor that goes into making a bottle of tequila. Distilleries typically have different methods of preparation for tequila, moving forward we will be taking a look at how Tequila Fortaleza produces their spirit. It all starts with the Blue Weber agave plant, grown in the Tequila Valley of Jalisco, Mexico for at least 8 years, “Jimadors” harvest these blue agaves quickly and efficiently in the grueling sun of Mexico. 



The harvested agave hearts are then sent to be slow-cooked for 36 hours in a traditional stone oven. The cooking of the agave hearts turns the starches in the hearts to sugar resulting in the build-up of various flavors. After 24 hours of cooling, they are then transported by hand to an area to be crushed by a “tahona” (a large round 2-ton volcanic stone). This process separates the sugars from the fibers of the agave.


Following the crushing process, the sugary liquid is then fermented in wood open-air tanks. For those who are not familiar with alcoholic fermentation, yeast is added to the sugary liquid to convert the sugars into alcohol. It takes 4 days until the yeast is done converting the sugar to alcohol where it is then moved to another area for distillation.

Specific to Tequila Fortaleza, they distill their tequila twice in traditional copper pot stills that are over 100 years old. The first distillation creates a product known as “ordinario” that has an ABV of 20% which is then distilled once more to create tequila with an ABV of 46%. 


Lastly, the aging process determines the type of tequila created. The aging process consists of letting the tequila rest in barrels for a certain period. Fortaleza uses oak barrels however other distilleries may use different wood types to instill a different flavor (“Our Process”).

  • Blanco - typically not aged but can be for up to 60 days

  • Reposado - aged for up to 1 year

  • Añejo - aged between 1-3 years

  • Extra Añejo - aged over 3 years

(Kissick)


Having explored the process and types of tequilas, I would now like to go over their flavor profiles and the common stigmas surrounding them. 


Flavors of Agave


As I said before, many people are used to $10 tequilas such as Jose Cuervo that are drunk in colleges across the country, however, I think that the college experience of tequila takes away from its true beauty consisting of its long line of culture and tradition. A good tequila can be sipped and appreciated, on the rocks or neat, just like any other fine spirit such as a bourbon or scotch. There are many different tequilas with complex and delicious flavor profiles. The factors that make cheap tequila taste different than well-made tequila are both diffusers and additives added in the production process. 


Mass production has resulted in the use of diffusers being added during the fermentation process to speed up the production time, however, the time that the agave spends fermenting is where the flavors are built up. The diffusers create a product that can legally be called tequila but it is a shell of the true thing. Additionally, additives are then used to add flavor to this “tequila” (Aranita). 


This is where brands like Casamigos push these additive-filled “tequilas” that are catered to consumer’s tastes rather than the true flavor of tequila. Of course, at the end of the day, people will drink what they like, but I think that it is important to at least try to understand the process and tradition that goes into a true tequila.


Now into the flavor profiles of each tequila:

  • Blanco - crisp and bright, more of a simple flavor profile

  • Reposado - warm and slightly nutty, the agave flavors start coming through more

  • Añejo - woody and cinnamony, the flavors from the cooking and aging come through

  • Extra Añejo - caramel, nutty, and vanilla, lots of sweeter flavors start coming through 


Lastly, before I give some recommendations I want to go over an often overlooked aspect of tequila and that is the artisanry of the bottles themselves.


The Artisanry of Tequila


Tequila is truly a product of culture and tradition, this can be seen in many of the bottles they come in. One brand that has undoubtedly shown off the beauty of tequila bottles on a global scale is Clase Azul. The bottles from Clase Azul showcase the heritage and tradition of Mexico. Clase Azul works with renowned Mexican artisans such as Jesús Guerrero Santos, to create beautiful art pieces. The bottles created tie into cultural themes such as Dia de los Muertos or the long history of glass blowing in Mexico (Fields). There are many more beautiful bottles that I will leave for you to discover. Now onto my recommendations.


Recommendations


For recommendations, I will highlight each type of tequila at different price points and how they are best consumed.


Blanco

At the lower price point sitting around $25-$30 is Espolòn Blanco. It is a palatable additive-free blanco tequila to sip, but I will say I find it best in a margarita or paloma. At around $50-$60 Fortaleza Blanco is a great tequila to sip on the rocks or neat. It is additive-free and has a delightful flavor profile for people trying new tequilas.


Reposado

Again at the lower price point, for about $35 you can get Herradura Reposado. It tastes peppery, however it still has a little bit of that tequila bite. Going back to Fortaleza, their reposado has great vanilla flavors and will give a good representation of what agave flavors are like. Starting with this Fortaleza Reposado and onward I would recommend sipping them neat or my preferred way is on the rocks.


Añejo

I think that once you get to añejo tequilas you should not cheap out so the next recommendations will be a bit on the higher end. For ~$65 you can get Tequila Ocho Añejo. I find this one to be fruity and has hints of cinnamon.


Extra Añejo

This is my favorite type of tequila, as I find it to taste the best since I have a sweeter palate. My recommendation for extra añejo tequilas would be El Tesoro Extra Añejo at $105. It has strong nutty and chocolate flavors.


Furthermore, I recommend using the Tequila Matchmaker app to look for other tequilas that may interest you.


Citations

Aranita, Kiki. Https://Www.Foodandwine.Com/Additive-vs-Non-Additive-Tequila-6912542.

Kissick, Carolyn. “The Different Types of Tequila.” ST Online, Inc, siptequila.com/blogs/tequila/the-different-types-of-tequila. 

Fields, Jessica. “When Did Tequila Bottles Get so Artsy?” When Did Tequila Bottles Get So Artsy?, VinePair, vinepair.com/articles/tequila-bottle-artsy-design/#:~:text=While%20glass%20was%20the%20most,conveyed%20finesse%20and%20oozed%20luxury. 

“Our Process.” Tequila Fortaleza, tequilafortaleza.com/our-process/. 

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