Working in the tequila industry, or having tequila as a hobby as we do, can be a real honor and privilege. It’s a fantastic community of people and who could…
Some drinks, like beer and pulque, seem of the people, while others, like champagne and scotch, jut seem more elegant. One of the things I love about tequila is that…
Bay Area tequila fans, you’ve got something new to toast to. The San Francisco Mexican restaurant and tequila bar formally know as Tres Agaves has undergone a renovation and reopening,…
Buying a tequila you’ve never tried before is always risky. Grover and I have come up short many times (remember Chaya? Ouch.) But while in San Francisco last week I…
While the protests in Egypt remind us what a true revolution is—new, energizing, passion-driven— Tequila Revolucion seems the opposite. It doesn’t ignite our senses, nor does it hark back to…
I love a good cantina. The doors swing open and you walk into another place and time—a friendly environment where drinking, friendship and conversation get respect, a place where you…
Pulque, once considered a sacred drink reserved for the Aztec upper classes, is a bold, new player on the Mexico City drinks scene, but this time it’s definitely for the…
We stayed at home for the holidays this year, so we thought it would be a perfect time to do some experimenting with the traditional Christmas dinner. Since turkey is…
Since we arrived in Mexico City we’ve been searching for the best tequila selection in town, so when we heard about La Casa de las Sirenas’ 146 bottles we had…
If you are a Mexican celebrity, a member of U2, or Paris Hilton, you know that the hip place to stay in Mexico City is the Condesa DF hotel. Nuzzled…
Mexico City has a lot on offer–world-class cuisine, culture, a great nightlife and an almost endless variety of things to see and do. But ironically the one thing it doesn’t…
We decided to celebrate Mexico’s bicentennial here in Guadalajara with good friends who were visiting from the States rather than go to the Spirits of Mexico (SOM) festival in San…
A couple weeks ago we went back to the States and discovered that the tequila fairies had sent us the full line of Tequila Semental. They came in attractive bottles…
When we heard that winemaking behemoth E. & J. Gallo was getting into the tequila business, our interest was piqued. How would Gallo — best known for its omnipresent, lower-priced…
Have you ever wished there really was a bar where everyone knew your name and were always glad you came? Few of us have this in real life, but there…
Even if you are a regular tequila drinker, the first sip can sometimes be a shock to your mouth. It might bite and tingle a bit, and there’s no way…
Dear Mezcal, I don’t think we should see each other anymore. Don’t get me wrong — I had great time with you in Mexico City the other weekend, but I…
Have you ever gone tequila tasting with someone who has a great nose? They swirl their glass around, hold it to the light to checkout the “legs” and the “tears”,…
Tequila lovers in the U.S. should think about clearing some space on their bars this month because El Tequileño is bringing their excellent — and affordable — 100% agave line…
It’s 11 a.m. on a Tuesday and I’m sitting in La Tequila, the largest tequila bar-restaurant in Guadalajara. The older gentleman sitting next to is holding a small glass vial to his nose and smelling deeply. He looks at me, shrugs, and hands me the vial. I know this one is going to be a tough one.
It’s Day One of a four-day hardcore seminar on tequila tasting and evaluation and almost everyone is having a hard time identifying the unmarked smells in the little glass vials. We have to identify what aroma group the smell comes from—floral, herbal, spice, fruit or other—and name the smell if we can. I take the vial the man has passed to me and take a deep whiff. It’s floral … no, it’s punchier than that. An herb? I write down “herbal” but I have no clue what kind. I move on to the next one.
For this website, I have tasted a lot of tequilas. I always try to be observant and descriptive as possible about the tequilas, but I realize I’m no expert. Tequila is complex. It has over 600 possible aroma and flavor components. Some, like vanilla and caramel, are easy to spot because they come from the barrel and are present in many aged tequilas. Others, like apples, gardenias and solvents, are more challenging. Is it baked apple or fresh apple? Is it thinner or is it gasoline? These are things that expert “catadores” (tequila tasters) can identify immediately.