I must admit Tequila is not something I know a lot about. So, to enjoy this Mexican created liquor I thought I should do a little research and find out why this is a favorite of many.
One of the comments I ran across, which refers to me is, ‘if shots and margarita are your experience with Tequila, it’s time to go back to school.’
There are a lot of stories of the origin of tequila, but non are consistent nor reliable, but we do know it has been produced for thousands of years.
To be called Tequila the spirit must meet three requirement. It must be produced in five specific states of Mexico; Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuanto, Nayarit or Tamaulipas. It must be made of blue agave or Agave Tequilana. It must also be approved by Mexico’s regulatory body. The way you can tell if it is a certified Tequila is a small rectangle on the bottle that has the letters CRT.
The highest quality tequila is made with 100% blue agave; however the requirement to be called Tequila is that it must contain 51% blue agave to be a certified.
A blue agave plant takes a minimum of seven years to mature. The plant is hand harvested and is then cooked. Interestingly agave has no taste until it is cooked. The cooking breaks down the agave and the juice is pressed out using a large stone wheel. The juice is then fermented and distilled. At this point the juice can be made unique by aging in barrels, or adding water.
The flavor profile of a tequila mostly comes from the soils and location that it comes from and from aging. Unaged Tequila (Blanco) has citrus and floral notes. Reposado, a slightly aged tequila, is a little spicy with aromas of vanilla and caramel. Aged tequila (Anejo), is sweet and oaky in taste. Extra Anejo is a new category that is aged more than three years.
Tequila has taken on new complexities and is now enjoyed by many like bourbon, as a sipping libation.