Hey, it’s Cinco de Mayo, and that means drinking Mexican booze and beer with wild abandon! Or does it? Instead of reliving your binge-drinking college days, why not take the time to celebrate the day with some super classy tequila cocktails?

We’ve compiled a list of tequila cocktails that you can make at home that will impress your friends and make you look like you just walked off the set of Mad Men. Give these recipes a try, and keep it classy, people!

Tequila Old Fashioned (Sazerac)
This is an absolutely delicious and crowd-pleasing cocktail for people who prefer to drink their tequilas neat, and it’s not a very difficult one to create at home. You may be surprised how much you will love this.

What you’ll need:
Fortaleza Añejo tequila
Agave nectar
Peychaud’s Bitters
Ice
Absinthe (in a spritzer bottle if possible)
Orange peel

Remember Me, Mang
This is an agave-modified version of a classic cocktail called “Remember the Maine”, which usually involves bourbon or rye whiskey. Mexican spirits (tequila and mezcal) are used instead, which makes it perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

What you’ll need:
Casa Noble Anejo
Wahaka mezcal (to coat the glass)
Cherry Heering (a Danish cherry liqueur)
Sweet Vermouth
Angostura bitters
Ice

Tequila Last Word / “My Heart Will Go On”
This recipe puts a tequila twist on a classic cocktail called “The Last Word,” which originally used gin. Thanks to Adam Stemmler for creating this cocktail for us!

What you’ll need:
Blanco tequila
Green Chartreuse (a French cordial)
Luxardo Maraschino Originale liqueur
Fresh squeezed lime juice
Ice

The “Pure” Margarita
If you absolutely must go with a margarita, we suggest keeping it pure and simple, and stick with tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar. It just may be the most delicious margarita you’ve ever had, and it’s very easy to make.

What you’ll need:
Blanco tequila
Fresh squeezed lime juice
Agave nectar
Spring water
Ice

Tequila, neat!
Of course, the best way to drink tequila is straight. It only involves 1 ingredient and requires no special bar tools, which makes it the easiest cocktail recipe in the world! Why not encourage your friends to slow down and taste a quality 100% agave tequila? Challenge them to “warm up” their mouths prior to tasting, and experience the variety of complex aromas, flavors, and sensations that tequila can deliver.

We created a 2-part video series that will show you how to conduct a proper tequila tasting in your own home.

Hardcore Tequila Tasting, Part 1: Warming Up Your Mouth
This might seem a little silly, but give it a try. It really does make a big difference!

Hardcore Tequila Tasting, Part 2: The Casa Noble Treasure Bottle
Choosing a high quality tequila is important when you slow down and sip. This video will tell you what to look for in the aromas and flavors, and where you can find them in the glass.

What you’ll need:
100% Agave Tequila
A Riedel tequila glass, a champagne flute, or something similar

If you want to get really traditional, then you could also drink Sangrita (a tequila ‘chaser’). We have a fantastic sangrita recipe that you can make at home.

No matter which you choose, you’ll be celebrating Cinco de Mayo in style!

We’ve never had to start off a story with a disclaimer before, but here it goes: DO NOT attempt to make this cocktail recipe at home. This is the “most dangerous tequila cocktail in the world.”

Luckily, we had Dustin Haarstad, a trained professional (and a bit of a pyromaniac) create this cocktail for us. He’s from Blind Tiger Cocktail Company and pulls these kinds of crazy cocktail stunts all the time.

We met up with Dustin at tequila mecca Cantina Mayahuel in San Diego. He showed us how to create a “Tequila Blue Blazer,” cocktail using tequila, mezcal, and a whole lot of fire.

Dustin used Siete Leguas reposado tequila and Del Maguey Vida Minero mezcal to create a combustible mixture that puts on quite a show.

Here’s the recipe, but don’t try this at home!

1) In a metal pitcher combine:

 - 1 ounce reposado tequila

 - 2 ounces of high-proof mezcal

2) In another metal pitcher add:

 - 2 ounces of boiling hot water

3) Use a long lighter to light the tequila/mezcal mixture and let it sit for a few seconds

4) CAREFULLY pour the flaming contents into the other pitcher and pass the liquid back and forth between them several times

5) Put the flame out by covering the top of the container with the liquid in it, taking away the oxygen needed to burn

6) Add the following ingredients:

 - 3/4 ounce of lime juice

 - a few dashes of bitters to create an added complexity

7) Mix the liquid again by passing it back and forth between the pitchers

8) Pour into a small brandy-snifter style glass and let it cool down a bit before serving

This cocktail is served warm and is great for cold days. It’s a nice, bright, flavorful tea-like cocktail that is not overpowered with alcohol.

Sometimes 40% alcohol (80-proof) just isn’t enough. I say this not because of any need to hurry up and get a fast buzz on, but rather that a quality tequila made at 100 proof (50% alcohol) can be more true to the real nature of tequila than one that is at the traditional 40% found in most stores.

In some cases, 100-proof (or above) tequilas are done for product positioning or marketing reasons. But this does not appear to be the case for Dulce Vida, a line of 100-proof organic tequilas that makes very effective use of that additional ten percent.

If you’ve ever been to a tequila distillery where they’ll let you walk right up and sample what’s coming directly out of the still, you may already know what I’m getting at. I was lucky enough to get this type of access at the distilleries that produce Casa Noble, Siete Leguas, and Fortaleza tequilas.

A blanco tequila that comes directly from the still can be anywhere from 50% to 70% alcohol, which is extremely “hot” and can be difficult to drink. But a very small amount in your mouth goes a long way. After the initial wave of alcohol fades, you are often left with an intensely pleasant burst of oily flavor that is sometimes fruity, sometimes vegetal, or sometimes earthy.

You usually can’t experience tequila like this with normal store-bought tequilas because just before bottling they are run through a charcoal and/or micro-fiber filters, and then water is added to bring the alcohol level back down to 40 percent.

I say “usually” because there actually is a way to experience this without making the journey to Jalisco and sweet-talking a master distiller. Dulce Vida Blanco is a 100-proof tequila that brings me right back to those stills. It is loaded with sweet and fruity aromas of cooked agave and a touch of citrus, and it coats the mouth with a nice, long, minty finish.

Tasting a reposado or añejo tequila that has come directly from a barrel is another rare treat for a tequila fan. After the blanco tequila goes from the still to a barrel, it is aged for anywhere from a few months to many years. As it ages, the amount of alcohol (usually) increases.

If you taste a quality tequila directly from a barrel, you will experience an initial wave of alcohol, and then intense aromas and flavors that have been introduced by the wood (common flavors would be butterscotch, nuts, coffee, chocolate, oak, vanilla, and caramel). The high level of alcohol seems to maximize the delivery of these flavors to your palette.

I found the aged varieties of Dulce Vida to be very pleasant, making effective use of its 100-proof. Both the reposado and the añejo are aged for 12 months in used Makers Mark and Jim Beam whisky barrels. Once I let it rest in the glass a bit, the Dulce Vida Reposado had an aroma similar to that of cream soda. I experienced a wave of flavors, including nuts and cinnamon.

But as good as the reposado is, the añejo is even better. The tequila is aged for 24 months and it smells absolutely fantastic. It’s got a rich, thick taste, with a wave of subtle vanilla and a touch of spicy crispness, as well as a long, enjoyable, nutty finish. The cooked agave from the blanco is still there, greeting you like a familiar friend.

Sadly, for us, this tequila isn’t available in California yet. I hope this will change soon. Richard Sorenson, the founder of the brand, is based in Austin, Texas where the brand is plentiful. But you can also buy it online at The Party Source.

The entire Dulce Vida lineup gets a thumbs-up here in our house. Don’t let the 100-proof scare you. Just close your eyes and imagine you’re in a Mexican distillery, sampling right from the still or barrel. No airfare or passport needed.

– Grover

In a tequila rut? We’ve been there. It’s easy to keep grabbing the same few bottles on your bar rather then splurge on a new tequila that you may or may not like.

Fortunately, we had the opportunity to go to some great tequila trade shows last Fall, where we sampled some impressive newcomers that would like to share with you.

(“Fall?!,” you say – we know, we’ve been busy getting the new version of the Tequila Matchmaker app out the door so please excuse the delay! By the way, what are you waiting for? Install the app, it’s free!)

One of the newer brands on the market that caught our attention was Tequila Alquimia. Alquimia is an organic tequila made in the highlands of Jalisco. I distinctly remember Grover pulling me aside at the Monterey Tequila & Mezcal Expo and saying, “You need to try their blanco!”

This was unusual because a good blanco can be very hard to find. It’s easier to make a good reposado or añejo since you can use the aging process to cover up any potential flaws in the blanco. But, to produce a high-quality blanco you have to hit it out of the park straight from the still.

Needless to say, I was excited, and Grover’s recommendation wasn’t wrong. The Alquimia blanco offers pleasant aromas of lemongrass and citrus, with hints of cinnamon after it opens up. In the mouth it starts with the smooth citrus flavors and ends with a peppery finish. Delicious!

Their reposado, aged 6 months in white oak, is also tasty. It adds vanilla and buttery notes to the flavors of the blanco. The añejo is aged three years in white oak and I think I like it even more than the reposado. It brings with it not just more buttery wood notes, but also aromas of pitted fruits (plum!) which are incredibly pleasing.

We haven’t tried Alquimia’s 6-year extra añejo yet, but based on the quality and consistency of the rest of the lineup, we fully expect it will live up to our expectations.

And when you consider that Alquimia has been crafted out of pure passion by Dr. Adolfo Murillo, an optometrist from Oxnard, California, the quality of this lineup is even more impressive.

Murillo, a third-generation tequila maker, grows his own agave on his family ranch in Jalisco. He is an expert in organic growing methods, and has been growing agave this way for the past 18 years.

We can’t help but think that the special care and feeding that goes into his agaves is one of the main reasons why the entire lineup is outstanding.

If you’re looking for something new to try, and enjoy a spicy finish, think about Alquimia. It just might be the thing to get you out of a tequila rut!

- Scarlet

George Clooney + tequila. Do we have your attention yet? The group behind the new Casamigos brand sure hopes so. They released a viral video campaign featuring Clooney, his girlfriend Stacy Keibler, Cindy Crawford, and her husband Rande Gerber, all falling into bed together after a night of drinking. (Clooney and Gerber are behind this brand.)

And the Casamigos website makes claims that caught our attention as well, including “The best tasting, smoothest tequila” and “a tequila that is smooth with no burn.”

So the question we wanted to answer was, “Is Casamigos worth all the hype?”

We initially learned that this tequila was coming to market several months ago, when a store clerk poured us a sample from an unmarked bottle he had stashed behind the counter. He told us it was George Clooney’s new tequila, and solicited our feedback. We couldn’t spend much time with it in the store, so we didn’t rush to judgement, but thought it was something that deserved examination in a better environment, using the proper glassware, and giving it plenty of time.

When we got home, we wanted to learn more about it, so the first thing we did was try to find out the NOM. The NOM is a four-digit number issued by the Mexican government to each legal entity that produces tequila. The NOM must appear on each bottle of tequila, and helps you identify the distillery where it is made. By looking for the NOM, we can start to figure out what a tequila may taste like based on where it was made. Casamigos is made at NOM 1416, which is the same distillery that makes well-known brands Avion (the “Entourage” tequila) and Clase Azul, among many others.

The next thing we examined was price. BevMo in California is charging $45 for the blanco and $46 for the reposado, so it’s competing in a space where Fortaleza Blanco lives. The reposado is more expensive than another one of our favorites, Casa Noble Reposado, which retails for $43.

This price range set our expectations pretty damn high, so we picked up a couple bottles hoping for the best.

The Blanco

Before the blanco opened up we got faint aromas of mint and green agave. After a few minutes, some cinnamon started to come through, but for the most part, the aroma wasn’t very prominent.

Upon visual examination, the tequila clung to the side of the glass like a nice, oily tequila should, but once it hit our mouths it didn’t quite measure up with what we were expecting. It is sweet and slightly watery and lacks the sophistication and complexity of a tequila that commands this price range.

Casamigos Blanco is a relatively simple tequila with mint and cinnamon flavors, and a finish that is remarkably short.

The Reposado

Casamigos Reposado brings all of the characteristics of the blanco, but with a heavy dose of caramel (which smells very good, by the way). It is aged 7 months in American Oak. It has a smoother mouth feel in the front, but has a slightly rougher (or ‘scratchy’) finish.

The Verdict

After spending a couple hours with Casamigos Tequila, we decided that although it was pleasant and sippable, it really didn’t live up to its price tag.

The question now is can its celebrity endorsements keep the brand afloat?

- Grover & Scarlet

Fall is definitely here – what better time than to hunker down at home with a fine tequila-based cocktail to warm the spirits? Yes, please!

Here at TasteTequila we are always looking for great tequila cocktail recipes, and we have to admit we don’t see very many on local San Francisco menus these days, probably because pisco and mezcal are the spirits de jour. Well, we say, give us more tequila!

Fortunately, our friend Adam Stemmler at Blind Tiger Cocktail Co. is a master at creating delicious and well-balanced cocktails using agave spirits. We had the fortune of meeting up with Adam at tequila mecca Cantina Mayahuel in San Diego not long ago. He showed us a tequila twist on a classic cocktail called “The Last Word,” which originally used gin.

Adam replaced the gin with Corazon blanco tequila, and magic was made.

Here’s the recipe if you want to try this at home.

In a shaker tin combine:

-1.5 ounces blanco tequila

-1 ounce green Chartreuse (a French cordial)

-1 ounce Maraschino Originale from Luxardo (an Italian cherry liqueur)

-1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice

 Add ice and shake.

 Strain into a cocktail glass. (No garnish needed!)

 Enjoy!

If that wasn’t enough to get you excited, there was also an edgy Vaudville-style carnival going on (one that only San Francisco could provide) right smack in the center of all the action.

The quality of the tequilas at the show was impressive. Being able to buy these tequilas on-the-spot through Cask was a huge plus, and we left with our arms full of delicious goodies!

We were also able to meet up with many tequila friends, including Richard Sorenson of Dulce Vida Organic Tequila, Marko Karakasevic of Charbay and Tequila Tapatio, Jose Torres Medina and Jesse Alderete of Alderete Tequila, Dr. Adolfo Murillo of Tequila Alquimia, Steffin Oghene of Olmeca Altos, Nicole O’Neill of Tequila Casa Noble, and Frank Mendez of Gran Dovejo Tequila.

Check out the pics Grover took, and look for reviews of many of these brands in the coming weeks! We can’t wait to dig into our new bottles and share the tequila love with you.

Straight, sipping tequila is usually what’s on the menu at our house, but every once in a while I’m in the mood for a tequila-based cocktail – nothing too fruity, or blended, but a good old spirit-forward concoction. That’s when we are very fortunate to know Dustin Haarstad and Adam Stemmler of Blind Tiger Cocktail Company. These two really know the nuances of different tequilas and how to pair them perfectly with other cocktail ingredients to highlight the spirit in new and surprising ways.

While we were in San Diego for the Spirits of Mexico festival last month, we had the opportunity to meet up with Dustin and Adam at local agave spirits mecca Cantina Mayahuel. We had a great time catching up, talking shop and shooting some cocktail videos. The theme of the day was to take classic cocktail recipes and switch out the traditionally used spirit for tequila.

First up in the “Classic Cocktails with a Tequila Twist” series is Dustin’s “Remember Me, Mang“, where Casa Noble Añejo replaces bourbon or rye whiskey, and Wahaka mezcal replaces the traditional absinthe rinse. Watch how to make this super tasty drink here!

If you want to make it at home, here’s the recipe:

In a pint glass or shaker, add:

2 oz Casa Noble Anejo
½ oz Cherry Heering (a Danish cherry liqueur)
¾ oz sweet vermouth
Couple dashes of Angostura bitters

Then add ice and hand stir (don’t shake!)

Take your cocktail glass and pour enough mezcal to just coat the glass (we used Wahaka mezcal)

Strain the mixed ingredients into your cocktail glass and you’re done.
No garnish needed!

California tequila fans, you’re in for a treat! Over the next couple of months there are some exciting opportunities to try some new brands and polish up your palate at tequila festivals around the state.

First up is the 3rd Annual Santa Barbara Tequila Harvest this Saturday, Aug. 18th, where you can sample over 25 premium tequila and mezcal labels. And, with a VIP ticket, you can attend a Tequila 101 presentation and tasting session with our friend Clayton Szczech of Experience Tequila!

In September, we’re really looking forward to the Spirits of Mexico (SOM) festival in San Diego, which is the largest tequila event of the year. The week-long festival kicks off Sept. 9th with the Tequila Trail, in which you get walk (or stumble – your choice) around Old Town San Diego’s bars and restaurants to sample a range of agave spirits paired with tasty food.

The main tasting event is on Sept. 15th, and we will be there with Reidels in hand! There is also an awards dinner and silent auction, so make sure to check out the show calendar so you don’t miss any of these great events.

Finally, on Oct. 6th, don’t miss the Fourth Annual Monterey Tequila and Mezcal Expo where you can sample a variety of tequilas and mezcals and sample food prepared by local chefs. Once again, our friend Clayton will be offering a special one-hour educational and tasting session for VIP attendees. He really knows his stuff, so take note.

There is also a silent auction and after party to round off the evening. (Monterey is Scarlet’s hometown so we will definitely be there, perhaps with a few surprises, so stay tuned!)

The bottom line is that if you want some great opportunities to sample new tequilas, make new friends, and develop your tequila knowledge, try to attend one or more of these great events.

(Thinking of attending the Monterey festival or SOM? Send us a note so we can meetup!)

Salud!

I’ve been a long-time Bloody Mary fan, but I’m not a fan of vodka. Tequila is my beverage of choice. (Go figure.) Luckily, you can substitute tequila for vodka, and PRESTO! you’ve got a tasty “Bloody Maria“.

Creating an amazing Bloody Maria is hard work if you really want to do it right (like a hardcore mixologist) with all fresh ingredients and spices. I am a little lazy in that department, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I will use pre-mixed helpers from time to time. (OK, every time.)

But there are a ton of Bloody Mary mixes available in the market, so I met up with my Bloody Maria-loving friend Lippy, (the famous “Tequila Whisperer“) to find out which mix is best matched with tequila.

To make sure that all things were equal, we used the same tequila for each, Tapatio Blanco, which is a high quality tequila with very pleasant vegetal notes that brings good things to the mix.

Spoiler Alert: Here are the results of our “Bloody Maria Taste-off”

Lucille’s Bloody Mary Mix (Cajun Hot)

This is a powdered mix that you add to tomato juice, and I found it in a store on Haight Street in San Francisco. They make a normal mix, and a “Cajun Hot” version of it – so, being the lover of heat and spice that I am, I went with the Cajun variety.

Verdict: Sadly, this was our least favorite. The Cajun spice is a definite creeper, and it really catches up on you after you’ve swallowed it, then lingers for a while. While we both like spice, this one just felt too weird. Perhaps it lost something when it was turned into a powder? Who knows.

Stirrings Simple Bloody Mary

This was purchased at BevMo in San Francisco (sells for $7.99), and by looking at the label in the store, I somehow felt that this was going to be the winner. It’s called a “Simple Bloody Mary” mix, which sounded great. We all like simple, right?

Verdict: While we were tasting this, Lippy made a comment that it smelled and tasted like shrimp cocktail, and at first I wasn’t sure what he meant. But, after we turned off the cameras, I took another taste, and he was totally right — it smelled exactly like shrimp cocktail, which is awesome … assuming you’re eating an actual shrimp cocktail! Neither of us wants a fishy-taste to our Bloody Maria, so we both ended up passing on this one.

Powell & Mahoney Bloody Mary

This was also purchased at BevMo (sells for $8.99) and it says “Micro Batch” on the label. That also sounds great, doesn’t it? The label makes it look like it was put together by high-end mixologists, so I had high hopes for this one. It’s “all natural” and is made with organic cane sugar.

Verdict: This was Lippy’s favorite of the batch. He felt that it was sweeter, a tiny bit lighter, and that the spicy horseradish punch wasn’t overly-done. He felt that this was a long-term sipper. He said it felt more balanced, and had an “interesting sweet tang” to it.

Zing Zang

Based on the label design alone, I had very low expectations for this one. Even though it says “Award Winning” on the label, I was still suspicious. But it sells for $5.99 and I thought, “Ok, why not?”

Verdict: This was my favorite, by far. Lippy awarded it 2nd place. For me, there was no comparison – it had a nice level of spice, a good “mouth feel”, and it has a familiar Bloody Mary taste of celery that none of the others contained. To me, it was the most complete Bloody Maria experience of all the mixes we tried. I think I would even drink this by itself, it’s so good.

Jimmy Luv’s Bloody Mary Mix

At $5.99, I didn’t know what to expect with this one, but since they used a red jalapeño pepper in their logo instead of an apostrophe, I was curious. Perhaps it had the spicy finish that I love in a good Bloody Maria? Only one way to find out!

Verdict: This was the first one we tasted, and after I tasted it (and before I had the others) I thought that it might win. It was a solid mix, but after trying the rest it seemed to be a little more “safe” for my spice-loving palate. Lippy found it to be very peppery and it had lots of horseradish, but it felt thin and watery.

There are a lot more Bloody Mary mixes in the world, and we certainly didn’t try them all. If you have favorite, please share it here – we’d love to try it!

We spent a few hours with Tapatio Blanco last night, and really started to get a nice feel for this tequila. We plan to do a full video-style review of it very soon, but there are a few things worth mentioning right away.

1) It’s selling pretty fast. I went down to Liquid Experience yesterday, and was told that they sold out of their first order (2 cases) in just 2 days. If I were you, I would get this tequila now, if you can.

2) At $29.99 for a 1 liter bottle, it’s VERY affordable. As a general rule, a tequila this inexpensive usually means its great for throwing in a margarita, but not for drinking it straight. Tapatio blanco breaks this rule. We drank it all night long and never got tired, bored, or fatigued.

3) You can buy it online at a few places, including D&M Liquors. I’ve been told that they have plenty of it (but who knows!)

4) My tasting notes from last night were entered into the Tequila Matchmaker app, are:

“I don’t think you can get a better tequila for the money than Tapatio blanco. With a nose full of black licorice, anise, and pepper, you will be eager to dive right in. The flavor is a minty fresh burst of agave – perfect for a true blanco lover. It is vibrant and fresh and easy to drink.”

5) If you’ve never tasted a “fresh” tequila before, try this one now. It was literally just bottled, and drinking it is almost like drinking it straight out of the still. It’s vibrant and bursting with flavor, which is something you don’t normally find unless you happen to be visiting a distillery in Mexico.

If you’ve tasted it, please share your feedback with us (we may even ready your comments in our video review.)

SALUD!

- Grover

Tapatio Blanco is available in the USA in a 1 liter bottle.

We just finished reading through the latest NOM database update from the Consejo Regulador Del Tequila (the governing body of the tequila industry), and added several new brands to the Tequila Matchmaker mobile app database.

A “NOM” is a 4-digit number assigned to a manufacturing facility by the Mexican government. You can find this number on the back of each bottle of tequila, and we keep track of the numbers assigned to brands.

The most recent update is dated June 4, 2012, and it lists 1,276 different tequila brands being made at 145 different distilleries. It also shows that several tequila brands have changed distilleries.

If you haven’t done so already,  download the app now (it’s free.) It will give you constant access to all of the tequila geek information that we (and our users) enter into the system.

Here are the highlights we found:

New Brands

We added the following brands today, after seeing them in the CRT’s list for the first time, which would most likely indicate that they are new.

La Catrina

Eruption Tequila

SilverCoin

Blue Iguana Tequila

Santo Azul

Reunion

Agatha Tequila

Rictus

Aqua Riva

Rock ‘N Roll Tequila

Sauza, the makers of the 100 Años Tequila brand, now lists what appears to be several flavored tequilas in the works:

100 Años Cola Y Limon
100 Años Paloma
100 Años Paloma Light
100 Años Cherry Chili Margarita

In addition, we spotted 28 new brands on the list that don’t appear to have any information available yet. As a result, we have not yet added them to the NOM database inside of the Tequila Matchmaker. These include:

Don Polo, 4 Cañones, Emperador Azteca, Lapittayya By Riazul, El Pegador, Tierra De Abolengo, Spirit Of The Shaman, Imperio Del Tiempo, El Pescadito, En Vos Confio, La Chula, Casa Pacific, El Patriota, Nayar, Tepozan, La Tilica, Muñeca, Viviana La Mexicana, Climax, 7 Mares, Ra El Refugio Del Aguila, DS Company, Angeles De Oro, El Traidor, Matafuegos, Ocelote, and Sinverguenza.

If anyone has information about any of these, please let us know so we can add them to the database.

NOM Activity

Deleted NOMs
NOMs 1115 and 1504 are no longer included in the CRT list of distilleries. (NOM 1115 is where Caballo Moro, Cálidus, La Parreñita, and San Cristobal tequilas were made.)

NOM 1569 is new to the list, owned by Agaveros de Michoacán. This distillery appears to be located in the state of Michoacán, and has one brand listed, “Tequimich”. We are unable to find any more information about this brand yet.

Brand moves
The following brands have changed their NOM numbers:

Amate (was 1137, now 1173)
Tres Sombreros (was 1468, now 1463)
Corazon Maya (was 1522, now 1560)
Corazon De Amores (was 1528, now 1473)
Reunion (was 1529, now 1499)

Thanks to all of you who have contributed bits of information through the Tequila Matchmaker mobile app. This information is constantly working its way into the database for all to see, share, and use!

The Tequila Matchmaker NOM database for iOS devices lets you look find where a tequila was made, and what other tequilas are made at the same distillery.

The Don Fulano brand of tequilas are created at the La Tequileña distillery (NOM 1146), which is located right in the center of the town of Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. It has a very large aging room with a variety of different types of barrels, so maybe that’s part of the reason why the Don Fulano 5-year Añejo is so good.

[Disclaimer: My statement in the video that the 1146 aging room is the largest in "the world" may not be entirely accurate, but the place is giant, and is definitely one of the largest in the tequila industry.]

Although the label say’s it’s an “añejo”, it’s actually an “extra añejo” because it has been aged longer than 3 years. There’s something in the official tequila labeling rules that prevents brands from using the term “extra añejo” if they include the length of time it has been aged on the label. Weird and confusing? Yes, but let’s move on… :-)

The Don Fulano 5-year Añejo is aged in new French oak barrels, which is what gives it the bitter chocolate aromas we detected right away. It’s loaded with earthy notes (like peat), and honey.

The bitter chocolate lives on in the flavor, too, and it kind of creeps up on you as it opens up. The flavor is surprising because it isn’t what you would initially expect from the aroma. We experienced a sweet caramel flavor and a finish that was silky going down. There were also some spices, with a touch of anise; the flavor overall was very pleasant.

Grover’s Tasting Notes via the Tequila Matchmaker mobile app:

“This tequila has bright peat, cinnamon and earthy aromas, and a delightful almost fruity flavor. The finish seems to bring a few surprises as it delivers waves of delicious complexity. This is a real treat.”

This bottle retails for about $129., and we bought ours online. If you really like aged tequilas, you may be used to paying premium prices. As far as value for what you’re getting, this is certainly worth the money.

If you are into aged tequilas, this is a great one because it’s still holding onto its agave source, and delivers a surprisingly delicious taste.

Living in Mexico for 2 years, you would have thought we would have had ready access to every tequila ever created, but this is not the case. Although 100% of all tequila in the world is created in Mexico, the vast majority of it is made for export only. In the past 2 years several really great tequilas made their way to market, and we weren’t able to try them until now.

One such example is Excellia Tequila, a product created by two masters in the wine and spirits world, Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, founder of EWG Spirits & Wine, Carlos Camarena the maker of El Tesoro de Don Felipe and Tapatio tequilas.

What these two men have created is an example of master craftsmanship, creativity, and a fearless passion for innovation. The Excellia lineup has been a great “welcome home” for us.

The Excellia Blanco was our favorite of the three. It has a beautiful oily mouth feel, with aromas of citrus and vanilla. This tequila has been delicately rested for a few weeks in wine casks and cognac barrels, which is what gives it that slight hint of wood.

It has a very unique aroma, it tastes delicious, is smooth and silky, with a pleasant finish that lingers on for a while. You could easily drink this all night long and not get bored with it.

The Excellia Reposado (aged 9 months in wine casks and cognac barrels) is great right out of the bottle, but let it open up in the glass for a while, and it gets even better. Over time, we noticed that it developed beautiful floral aromas like violet and lavender, and even olive and leather. It has a nice spicy finish at the end.

The Excellia Añejo is aged longer than the reposado (18 months in wine casks and cognac barrels), so it naturally brings with it some additional wood properties – including some bitterness that many añejo drinkers love. It has some dried fruit and desert aromas as well. The finish was similar to a dry white wine, and is very warm and comforting.

This tequila has earned a permanent place on our bar at home. Give it a try and let us know if you feel the same way.

Everyone has a bad college experience that somehow involved tequila. (Go ahead, admit it, you have one too.) As a result, people can be hesitant about tequila later on in life. We run into this situation all the time, and have developed a process for re-introducing people to tequila.

Feel free to use the same process:

Step 1: Set the stage with an informal tasting

Don’t just hand them a shot glass with tequila – this will surely bring nasty college flashbacks. This is exactly what you want to avoid. Skip the salt and the lime, this isn’t a race.

Instead, create a unique experience. Slow down, get nice glassware, and encourage them to sip it. If possible, have a few different types of tequila available so they can see that all tequilas are definitely not the same. Treat the tequila as you would wine, and you’re taking a good first step toward a happy re-introduction.

Step 2: Educate them about tequila and how it is made

The more you know about something, the more you can really get into it. Study up on the tequila basics so you can explain what makes it different from vodka, gin, or whiskey.

Also be ready to dispel some of the tequila myths out there – like tequila being made from a cactus (it isn’t), or that each bottle of tequila contains a worm (it doesn’t), or that you are required to eat the non-existent worm (you aren’t).

Step 3: Choose the right tequila

Give them something of high quality, because chances are that it will taste like something they’ve never had before. We’ve been down this road countless times, and our tequila conversion success rate is remarkably high mostly because we carefully select what they will be tasting.

It’s probably a safe bet to start with some aged tequilas, like the Casa Noble Reposado, Excellia Reposado, or Fortaleza Añejo. (Our favorite conversion tools!) As soon as your friends smell these tequilas, they will already know that they’re in for a much different experience.

Which are your favorite “conversion tequilas?” Please share with us by leaving a comment below.

Salud!

- Grover

Speedy delivery! This came in the mail today from Hi-Time Wine Cellars, all in one big heavy box! (We ordered it about 36 hours ago. These guys are fast.)

(From left to right) Don Fulano Imperial 5 year, 123 Reposado, 123 Añejo, Meloza Blanco/Reposado/Añejo, Excellia Añejo, Canicas Reposado, IXA Silver, and Revolucion 100-proof Silver.

We’re planning to review a few of these in the very near future – stay tuned!

In the meantime, if you’ve already tasted some (or all) of these tequilas, please let us know what you think. Leave us a comment!

I’ve become addicted to Instagram. In the past few weeks I have been busy going through the images on my phone and sharing them through this really fun photo sharing community.

Many of the images have been tequila-related, of course. I’ve been shooting pictures of Mexico with my both my iPhone and my DSLR for several years, and have collected quite an archive.

Here are 10 of my favorite tequila-related images thus far (in no particular order.)

Mariachis

The charming pueblito of Tlaquepaque has a central building called “The Parian”. Besides being billed by some as the “Largest Bar in the World”, it’s a regular source of mariachi music and authentic Mexican music. Jalisco is just loaded with music, culture, food, and fun friendly people.

1146 Stairs

The distillery at NOM 1146 is called “Le Tequileña”, and it’s located in the town of Tequila itself. This distillery creates well-known brands such as Don Fulano, Tequila Uno, Pura Sangre, Artenom Seleccion (Anejo), and Asombroso. They have a giant barrel aging room that is underground – and this is the view looking up the stairs that lead to the barrel room.

Agave Leaves

This is a young blue agave plant growing along a wall outside of the famous Tequila Fortaleza caves at NOM 1493. This distillery is small and extremely old and visiting it like stepping inside of a time machine. The tequila made here (Fortaleza) is made using old-world methods – which is a big reason why it’s so damn good.

Jimador

In Tequila Valley, in the hot baking sun, we got to spend time with a real jimador in the agave fields next to the Tres Mujeres distillery (NOM 1466). He was able to harvest this mature agave in about 4 minutes. Afterward, it was our turn – using his coa, we realized just how difficult his job really is.

Cut Pinas

Mature blue agave plants stacked and ready to be cooked inside the La Alteña disillery in Los Altos, Jalisco. This distillery is the home of the amazing El Tesoro de Don Felipe and Tapatio tequilas.

Jesus Maria

While touring the little town of Jesus Maria in the Los Altos region of Jalisco, I walked into a construction zone, of what would eventually to become a convention center. As I looked around, this neighborhood boy was riding his bicycle on the smooth pavement inside.

Herradura Worker

The Herradura tequila distillery is a large, beautiful, impressive hacienda. Any visit to the Tequila Region of Mexico should include a tour of this historic spot. In this photo, a worker keeps an eye on one of the barrel rooms as we toured it.

Tequila Corrido

During a tour of PRASA (NOM 1526) in the Los Altos region of Jalisco, we wandered into the barrel room as a worker was busy pumping tequila out of some of the barrels so it could be bottled. This distillery is where Tequila Corrido, Sol de Mexico, and El Grado is made.

Miss Tequila

Miss Tequila (yes there really is such a person) made an appearance at the World International Tequila Conference, held in Guadalajara in 2009. Behind her is a background for Tavi Tequila, when the brand was announced for the first time during a press event.

Guadalajara Cantina

As much fun as touring distilleries is, it’s the end result that everyone enjoys most. Drinking it, preferably in an old Mexican cantina. This photo was taken at sundown, inside of a very old cantina in downtown Guadalajara, complete with old-style swinging doors. As one patron left the bar, the sun came shining through.

 
– Grover

The Tequila Whisperer Show is always fun to watch, but it’s even more fun when you get to be an actual guest on the show, as we were last week. Not only does Lippy have a talent for tasting tequila, but he’s gracious, and highly entertaining – both on and off the air. We remain big fans, and it was an honor to be invited.

The show went for 1 hour and 40 minutes, but it seemed like 20 minutes to us (and to the viewers, we hope!). In that period of time, we compared Olmeca Altos using 100% stone-crushed agave with Olmeca Altos that used 100% shredded (“molino”) agave and the commercially available version of Olmeca Altos (80% shredder, 20% stone crushed.)

We also tasted Yeyo blanco, El Tesoro “white label” blanco, El Reformador blanco, a special version of Casa Noble gold single barrel that is 108-proof (!), and Fortaleza añejo (lot 12.) What a wonderful lineup!

Or, you can watch this video (and many more episodes) on the Tequila Whisperer site.

We also got to spend a chunk of time talking about Tequila Matchmaker, our new (free) mobile app.

Thanks, Lippy!

Next up in our “Tequila Mix Master” series is the always-entertaining Adam Stemmler of the Blind Tiger Cocktail Company. Adam is constantly coming up with innovative tequila-based cocktails, and his “Heartland Smash” is no exception. It uses Fortaleza reposado tequila, muddled fruit, and lots of crushed ice.

“It’s a basic play on a smash, which is a term that applies to anything that has muddled fruit or muddled herbs in it, kind of in a shaken format,” Stemmler said.

“We are calling this cocktail the “Heartland Smash” with Fortaleza tequila being the star of the show. With Fortaleza being right in the town of Tequila, which we like to call the heartland of Mexico, I think it’s an appropriate name for what we’re about to do,” he said.

The resulting drink is a balanced mix of fruit with a touch of wood from the reposado. The aromatics of the mint contribute to make this a really refreshing cocktail.

Drink Name: The Heartland Smash

Mixologist: Adam Stemmler, Blind Tiger Cocktail Company

Tequila Used: Fortaleza Reposado

Filmed At: Cafe Coyote, San Diego, CA

Directions:

1.) Add 5-6 small pieces of pineapple to a cocktail tin (shaker)

2.) Add 4-5 leaves of fresh mint

3.) Lightly muddle the pineapple and mint in the tin

4.) Add 1 1/2 ounces of Fortaleza Reposado tequila

5.) Add just under 1/2 ounce of Aperol

6.) Add about 1/2 ounce of agave nectar

7.) Squeeze half of a lemon into the tin

8.) Add a few dashes of Bar Keep Baked Apple Bitters to the tin

9.) Shake the cocktail vigorously

10.) Double fine strain the cocktail into a glass of crushed ice

11.) Add a little mint sprigs to the top for garnish

Our “Tequila Mix Masters” series continues with rockstar bartender and mixologist Dustin Haarstad of the Blind Tiger Cocktail Company. In this installment, he shows Scarlet how to make a Tequila Sazerac using Fortaleza Añejo tequila.

“A sazerac is the New Orleans version of a traditional Old Fashioned, which would normally use cognac or rye,” Haarstad said.

It’s a great cocktail for people who prefer to drink their tequilas neat, and it’s not a very difficult one to create at home.

“For this drink I use Fortaleza Añejo because the barrel-aged flavors and subtle butterscotch of the agave really shine through,” he said.

The finished cocktail has a nice strong citrus smell, with a rounded mouth feel. The añejo tequila really plays well with the citrus, and is absolutely delicious. We can easily see drinking this after dinner and really enjoying it.

Drink Name: Tequila Sazerac (Old Fashioned)

Mixologist: Dustin Haarstad, Blind Tiger Cocktail Company

Tequila Used: Fortaleza Añejo

Filmed At: Cafe Coyote, San Diego, CA

Directions:

1.) Start with a pint glass

2.) Add 2 ounces of Fortaleza Añejo tequila

3.) Add 1 ounce of agave nectar

4.) Add A few dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters

5.) Add ice and stir (don’t shake!)

6.) Spritz the inside of a glass with Absinthe

7.) Strain the cocktail into the spritzed glass

8.) Top off the glass with a bit of orange peel

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