This month, we join in the increasingly popular premium tequila craze.
The market for this upscale version of the most hangover-inducing of
liquors has really taken off in the past year. Part of the allure is
that the
premium tequilas are 100% Agave (regular tequilas are only about half
agave,
with the rest being cheap-and-vile additives that taste like shit)
so they are
very smooth and deserve to be drunk neat (save the cheap stuff for
Margaritas).
Part of the thrill is the price, which while expensive compared to
regular tequila
is much cheaper than other premium liquors like cognacs or single malts.
There are three types of premium tequilas : The Silver (or blanco) which
is bottled
without aging and tastes like a doctor's office, the Reposada which
is stored in oak
barrels for at least six months and is pretty tasty, and the Anejo
which is stored for
at least one year and tastes like an orgasm feels.
Pictured above are three varieties of Chinaco Tequila, the Reposada,
the Anejo
tall boy and BartCop's favorite, the Hershey kiss-shaped Anejo gold.
Of the different brands I've tried, Chinaco is clearly the best.
(Ediotr's note: Duh!)
The Reposada has the sour/salty taste of the tequila that you're probably
used to
without having to compete with the flavors of those hangover-inducing
additives.
The Anejo tastes closer to a cognac than a tequila and is truly a wonderful
experience.
Drinking the Anejo tastes like kissing Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Chincao is one of the more expensive tequilas (around $40 for the Reposada)
and is very hard to find north of Oklahoma. In fact, the Anejo has
been out of
production for several years and is rumored to be coming back sometime
soon.
Because it's getting so popular, there is quite a lot of literature
about premium tequilas.
An August edition of the Santa Clara Metro covers the basics and talks
about many of
the brands. Also of interest is the Tequila
Home Page which has all sorts of interesting pointers.
So grab a bottle, put on your sombrero, and drink the summer away.