How the tequila industry manages the unrealistic expectations put on a natural product Have you ever ordered your favorite tequila and thought, “this tastes a little different than the last time I tried it”? If so, that’s probably a good thing.
Blind Taste Test Results Are In from 24 Tasting Panel Members This is a great time for blanco tequila lovers, with a number of excellent, additive-free choices in the market. Although we are lucky enough to try all the brands in
Suave releases rare 5-year XA and blanco blends Among the five official categories of tequila, the “Joven or Oro” expression (as it is labeled in tequila regulations) is probably the most maligned. Blamed for many wild nights and wicked hangovers of
While the tequila category has seen explosive growth for the last couple of years, slowly but steadily a new trend is starting to form: the rise of the “agave spirit.” This has long been a blanket term for distillates made by
Over the last year or so there have been some excellent blanco tequilas released into the market, so we thought it was high time to put together a blind tasting event to see how these newer products would measure against some
High agave prices aren’t the only factor driving up the costs of making tequila. Producers are pointing to a number of mostly pandemic-related issues that are making everything from sourcing bottles, printing labels, and shipping products more difficult and costly. “Covid
ALERT! This content is for extreme tequila geeks only! You have been warned. The best way to learn is by doing, right? That’s the gist behind our “Lotecito” (small batch) destilado de agave project, which was born amid Covid quarantine but
In a 2018 audio interview, the famed Tequila Ambassador reflects on his life On October 30, 2018 Tomas Estes came to our home in Tlaquepaque, Mexico to interview us for an update he was doing to his book, The Tequila Ambassador.
Fans of the aged tequilas, take note. You could be facing a shortage of your favorite sippers, higher prices, or both, as several sources report that they have no more añejo tequila to sell into the marketplace. “Producers have been reluctant
In 2020 we launched our Tequila Matchmaker Additive-Free program for brands and distilleries that want to be super transparent about their production processes and their non-use of additives. It is an opt-in program, which needs to be renewed each year. Inspections
Tony Salles, Master Distiller at tequila El Tequileño, had a dilemma. His brand had recently achieved wider distribution outside of Mexico and into Canada, and some customers to the North were complaining that they could see solids in their bottles. He
Update: This project continues! You can follow our progress in the “Lotecito Log“. In this strange pandemic year asking adults what they did during quarantine has become as common as asking kids what they did during summer vacation. While most of
There’s no doubt that 2020 has been one hell of a year, but if you’re a tequila lover there has been some sweet relief: a handful of delicious new products to restore your faith in the world. The latest is Fortaleza’s
Why we decided to address the industry’s lack of transparency on additive use If this headline has given you pause, it should. After all, 100% agave tequila traditionally comprises of three things: cooked agave, water, and yeast (before aging). But increasingly,
Why it exists, how it works, and what you should expect. For the past several years we’ve been conducting blind tasting events for bartenders, aficionados, and casual tequila fans. These groups of people tend to have wildly different preferences when it
Barrels aren’t new to the tequila industry, but carefully aging products in barrels may be. Back in the early 1800s tequila was transported around Guadalajara in small wooden barrels, according to writer and tequila historian Ted Genoways. Later in that century
Every week we receive at least 2 emails from people who want to start their own tequila brand, looking for guidance on how to get started. This isn’t really part of what we do—we’re focused on tasting, education and providing information
Last year was a busy time in the tequila world, and we expect the frenzy to keep rolling into 2020 and beyond. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves with some predictions for the year ahead, let’s take a
Blind tastings are the best way to find out what you really like, free of marketing hype, bias, and previous experiences. They also give you the opportunity to experience tequila in a whole new way—using only your senses. That’s why we
When’s the last time you were surprised by your own palate? It’s probably been a while. That’s because we tend to gravitate toward the foods, flavors and brands that we are familiar with. The problem with this approach is that we