tequila tasting

Rosangel Hibiscus-Flavored Tequila, A Cinco de Mayo Treat

Filed under: Spirits

Sipping a margarita made with the hibiscus-infused Gran Centenario's Rosangel's Tequila took me back several decades to when I tasted my first flavored spirit. It was a Buffalo vodka and appropriately enough, it was served to me in the former USSR on the eve of May Day.

So here on the eve of celebrating Cinco de Mayo, it seemed only appropriate to try the fanciful combination of an hibiscus-infused tequila that debuted to market about a year ago. While not a frequent tequila drinker, I was curious about the hibiscus, which as a tea drink is consumed hot or cold all over the world. In Mexico, the hibiscus is known for its mild flavor, tanginess and color.

Rosangel is made of the "finest, sweetest, highest quality" 100% Highland blue agave, and only harvested after a decade or more. The hearts of the agave are baked for up to 72 hours in traditional clay ovens to "guarantee that even the subtlest flavors of the agave remain." After the resulting spirit is fermented and distilled, it rests in new French Limousin white oak barrels for a minimum of 10 months, then blended with a small amount of older tequila reserves for balance and character and then set to rest for another two months in port barrels.

Tags: alcohol, cinco de mayo, Gran Centenario, Gran Centenario Rosangel, spirits, tequila, tequila recipes, tequila tasting

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Tasting the Luxury Corzo Tequila Trio

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

When it comes to luxury tequila, nothing I've tasted comes close to the Corzo tequila line. One of two tequila lines owned by Bacardi, I had the opportunity of sampling the three Corzo blends at the Cazadores distillery plant in Arandas. If tequila represents the revolutionary spirit of Mexico, Corzo evolves this history into the modern age.

Fabien Baron, the French designer whose work includes some of the most iconic perfume bottles of our time, was hired to design a bottle for this new brand. Inspired by the greatest of modern Mexican architects, Luis Barragán, Baron created a singular bottle fashioned in a strong, tall rectangular with an angular spout, that perfectly reflects the contemporary style of Mexican buildings. The perfume bottle shape hints at the fragrant and full-bodied tequila contained inside.

This triple distilled blend from the highlands is a sipping tequila across the three varieties, but can also serve to perfect any of your favorite tequila cocktails. For an optimum tequila tasting, it's necessary to use tequila glasses, a thin, high-waisted glass. We find that the best are made by Riedel, to experience premium flavors and intensified aromas. If you prefer, do as the locals do and find a handblown tall glass perfect for a small pour. It's important to exhale after any tequila tasting to fully enjoy the flavors of the spirit.

Tags: anejo, corzo tequila, reposado, tequila, tequila tasting

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Tasting the Tequila Cazadores Trio

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

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