Tasting the Tequila Cazadores Trio

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed)
Apr 5th 2010 at 11:01AM

Tequila, the favored spirit of spring breakers far and wide, is often given a bad rap for being an amateur's liquor. A longtime fan of agave, I was thrilled to be a part of a trip to the tequila trail of Mexico in Jalisco, to learn more about this mysterious spirit. Although you'll find tequila aficionados experimenting with ultra-aged blends, for the masses there are three well-known types of tequila: silver, reposado and añejo. Extra añejo (for the ultra-aged) is gaining popularity among those who like their spirits saturated in oak,tequila purists would argue that too much aging overwhelms the delicate agave taste. And while I'm the first to say keep it in the barrel for most spirits, tequila is one of those rare liquids that has such an intense flavor and body all to its own (all credit due to the agave plant) that I'm the first to admit that anything aged over a year might negatively detract from the flavor of the tequila.

And beyond the tequila trinity, what about all this gold tequila we see everyone? As a devote to all things gold, these blends were most likely the bottles I was most drawn toward purchasing before being properly educated. But after learning the basics, say it ain't so, gold tequila is in most cases a lesser quality than silver tequila. Gold tequilas are more often than not silver tequilas with coloring or sugar additives. Fortunately for us, there wasn't a gold tequila in sight at the Cazadores distillery, except for the naturally aged reposados and añejos that naturally gain a slight coloring from oak barrel aging.

The story of Cazadores starts with Jose Maria Bañuelos, who created the recipe in 1922 and kept it in the family for three generations like all famly secrets deserve. It wasn't until his grandson Don Felix perfected the recipe and opened up a factory in 1973 that the special recipe was released to the public. He named the blend Cazadores, "hunters," in honor of his grandfather to signify a man hunting down his dream, and marked it with the symbol of a deer, the favorite animal of his grandfather, which he often watched at night mingling with the gorgeous blue agave plants in the field.

Gallery: Cazadores Distillery Bar

We began our tasting with Cazadores silver, a beautifully clear spirit that reflects silver light when held over a white area. We swirled the delicacy in our glasses, watched as the solid legs of the spirit fell down the side of the glass, sniffed citrus and black pepper, and finally took a sip, swished and exhaled. The taste went down smoothly, and we were left with an overwhelming sensation of fresh mint in the mouth. Although I knew the best tequilas were yet to come, I was overwhelmingly impressed with this fresh silver, made for mixing, but one I would pointedly enjoy solo.

Next we were invited to try the Cazadores Reposado, a much fuller blend that equated to being aged in oak for at least two months. The spirit had a gorgeous gold reflection when held up to the light. We smelled ripe fruits from this highlands liquid, notably pear.

And finally, the añejo, a premium blend meaning it has been aged in oak for at least a year. The añejo had a rich, full body, and released scents of caramel, apple, and coffee. Any tequila aficionado would tell you it's a sacrilege to mix añejo, but as a fan of oak-bodied spirits, I quite enjoyed it in several tequila drinks to cut the sweetness of the mixer. According to Cazadores Brand Ambassador Tania Osequera, añejo is best enjoyed solo in a sniffer, accompanied only by an orange wedge sprinkled with cinnamon.

We then had the pleasure of sampling Cazadores straight from the barrel. It delivered a heavenly scent, reminiscent of the aroma of the oak and tequila blend living in barrels in the aging room. After swirling the liquid in our glasses, we found that the legs of the tequila took forever to fall, a hint at the richness to come. The natural color of the liquid was a subtle gold. The barrel tequila tasted both dry and sweet, with smooth notes of bittersweet chocolate. It went down smooth but left a harsh tingling in the throat, signifying the importance of a further distillation in the process. The barrel, which had been aged for a year, was a trial at a Cazdores extra añejo, the first of its kind to be released from the brand. Keep your eyes out for this sure to be interesting bottle.

My visit to Jalisco was sponsored by Tequila Cazadores, but the opinions expressed in the article are 100% my own.

Tags: agave, anejo, cazadores, jalisco, tequila, tequila review, tequila tasting

Filed under: Spirits

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Deborah Apr 6th 2010 3:22PM

Cazadores has been our favorite for years. Guess now that the word is out, we'll have trouble finding it on the shelves?

jaliscoesmexicoemail Apr 8th 2010 5:20PM

We posted this on www.facebook.com/jaliscoesmexico and www.twitter.com/jaliscoesmexico

FISHNOFF Apr 16th 2010 8:44AM

BEEN DRINKING IT FOR YEARS!

Joseph Leslie Apr 16th 2010 6:42PM

Sorry Folks,
You can keep your "Oak Aged Tequila! I am a Tequila Sauza man! I don't want any Gringo Cabo Wabo. I don't need tequila that looks like it already went through some Horny college kid's urinary tract. Some salt, a shot of Sauza, a scantly clad Senorita (who doesn't have something dangling from her navel) or a clean shot glass and I am happy!
The Burgie

Joseph Leslie Apr 16th 2010 6:49PM

Sorry Folks!
I don't need any Oak Barrel Aged Tequila! I don't need some tequila that looks like it already passed through some Horny College Kid's urinary tract! I don't need any Gringo Cabo Wabo! All I need is some salt, a bottle of Tequila Sauza, a pretty, young Senorita (with no lint or any trinkets dangling from her navel) and a slice of lime!
The Burgie