Don Julio

Ten Terrific Tequilas To Ring In Cinco de Mayo

Filed under: Spirits

Drinking tequila if you get drawn out to the bars on Cinco de Mayo is a must. Consider the obligation akin to ordering Guinness on St. Patrick's Day.

But instead of just imbibing some mysterious "ita" drink conjured by the bartender (though some of these can be very nice), consider trying a new brand straight and chilled in order to really note the flavors.
Not a lot of Tequila gets consumed straight in the U.S. For many, they don't want to see it unless its in a traditional margarita, or otherwise tarted up with lots of fruit.

Here is my guilty pleasure when I'm not drinking it chilled and straight. Take a shot of tequila, and a 100% fruit frozen popsicle. Cut the the popsicle off the stick into a blender, add the Tequila, blend, and serve. Garnish with lime and or salt on the rim of the glass as with a standard margarita, or get jiggy with the salt. Blend the salt with orange zest, or fresh ginger, or fresh rhubarb, mint, or even basil. Be your own mixologist.

You can also use frozen fruit in a bag, but the popsicle approach makes for a perfect serving size, and friends get a kick out of it.

Gallery: Ten Terrific Tequilas for Cinco de Mayo

Tags: Casa Noble, cinco de mayo, Don Julio, Jose Cuervo, Patron, Tequila, Tequila Anejo, Tequila Blanco, Tequila Reposado

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The Ultimate Crystal Tequila Snifter

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

If you're shelling out hundreds of dollars for a bottle of ultra-premium aged tequila, you obviously want to drink it out of a suitable glass. At that price range the spirit is meant to be sipped like a fine cognac rather than knocked back Spring Break style. With that in mind Tequila Don Julio, arguably the world's first ultra-premium tequila - founder Don Julio Gonzalez Estrada revolutionized Reposado style tequila production in Mexico back in 1942 - set out to create the ultimate tequila snifter. The company commissioned award-winning architect Jeffrey Beers to design the ideal glass for sipping their most exclusive offerings, particularly their $350 extra-añejo Real which is aged for three to five years in American Oak barrels and comes in a special decanter.

Beers worked closely with Don Julio's Master Distiller to design the crystal vessel. "Each and every nuance of the rich, smooth Real was taken into consideration during the design process, making each cut and curve essential for the architecture of the perfect sip," the company notes. The mouth blown, hand cut European crystal snifter has a "faceted, jewel-like quality with intricate cuts to help swirl the tequila and release its rich aromas." The limited edition glassware will be sold in sets of two for $350 at select retailers such as The Future Perfect in New York and Show in Los Angeles beginning this fall.

Gallery: Don Julio Tequila