We love Tequila.
Tequila is the heart and soul of many of our favourite mixers such as - Coconut Margarita, Chilli Margarita, Paloma, Waterboy & of course our famous Classic Margarita.
Our Head of Product Development - Michael Sebire pens down all things tequila.
Amid the dizzying highs of the current Agave Distillate trend, you could be forgiven for thinking that things had always been this way and that the general public’s adoration for Mexico’s finest legal export had always been strong. But it wasn’t so long ago that this wasn’t the case. It wasn’t so long ago that Tequila was in fact little more than a dirty word and one that was rarely mentioned and often shunned.
Having spent the better part of two decades behind a bar and regularly affiliating with cocktail bartenders and aficionados alike, Tequila was never far from anyone’s lips - and often responsible for the fog in everyone’s head. But if you dared suggest Tequila as a shot recommendation to a punter intent on spicing up their night by pursuing a neat slug of straight alcohol, you’d have likely been met with thinly-veiled disdain accompanied by the excuse of ‘I can’t drink Tequila. I had a bad experience on it once…’ And, to be honest, who hasn’t? For many, if not all, of us Tequila has been little more than a bad experience in a bottle or a shot ordered only at the end of the night when the old faithfuls like Bombs or, dare I say it, Fireballs had been exhausted. But largely, this is nobody's fault. For too long the offering of tequila available to the novice drinker was limited to cheap bottles adorned with plastic sombreros and filled with a spirit concocted of anything but Agave. But there is so much more to the world of Agave distillates, and I’m profoundly happy that their voices are finally being heard above the rabble of terrible Tequilas.
So what is Tequila anyway? If you were to ask the average person on the street, most would be able to tell you that it was a spirit originating in Mexico and the leading role in a Margarita. Fewer would be able to tell you that it was distilled from Agave - a grass-like flowering plant native to the Americas - and fewer still would be able to tell you that Tequila is actually an Appellation - much like Champagne or Cognac - spanning five Mexican states and imposing a distinct set of rules from where a ‘Mezcal’ or Agave distillate can assume the name Tequila.
Confused?… Don’t worry, it’s not actually as complicated as it sounds….
Essentially, all Tequila is Mezcal but not all Mezcal is Tequila. The term Mezcal refers to a spirit made from the Agave plant, while Tequila refers to a specific type of Mezcal that can only be made from the Blue Webber Agave in five Mexican states. Mezcal, on the other hand, can be made from a wide range of Agave varieties in nine Mexican states and is best known for the smokey character that results from it being made in the traditional method of roasting the Agave in underground pits.
With the rudimentary differentiators out of the way, let’s unravel what distinguishes the different types amongst the category. Broadly speaking, for both Tequila and Mezcal, the main types or sub-categories are distinguished by age or, in simpler terms, the amount of time they have spent in a barrel. As a rule of thumb for any distillate, un-aged spirits are clear and taste largely of the ingredients that they’re made from - along with a healthy dose of ethanol from their time in the still. Aged spirits, by contrast, tend to soften as well as taking on additional flavours and colours from the period in barrel. Naturally, the longer a liquid stays in, the more flavour and colour it takes from its ageing container.
Generally speaking, with the exception of a few lesser known or newly emerging styles, there are three main classifications of Tequila - each designated by the age of the spirit. These are Blanco, Reposado and Añejo.
Blanco: Refers to Tequila that has been aged from 0-59 days. This will be a brighter, fresher and typically a more vegetal or peppery expression of the spirit.
Reposado: ‘Rested’ in Spanish, Reposado Tequilas will have spent a minimum of 60 days in barrel and anywhere up to 1 year. They generally take on a softer, more caramel-like character along with their distinctive golden hue.
Añejo: Añejo or ‘old’ Tequilas will have been aged for a minimum of 1 year. This added time in the barrel will result in a darker, heartier spirit, typically featuring notes of Vanilla, Caramel and Honey. As a result, Tequilas displaying this age-statement will generally appeal to Whiskey drinkers as well as seasoned Tequila lovers.
Beyond the three aforementioned, and most ubiquitous, styles, the category is by no means restricted to just these three groups. Other terms and classifications to be aware of include: Muy Anejo (Ultra aged or Extra Anejo) denotes a spirit that has spent a minimum of 3 years in barrel. This is a comparatively newer style of Tequila - having only been introduced to the world in 2006 - and will present as softer and more complex again than the Anejo. Mixto Tequilas are made from a mix of distillates from Agave plants as well as other sugars. While these may be labelled as Tequila if they contain at least 51% Agave, they are generally of inferior quality and have little place outside of a frat-house dorm room. Oro or ‘Gold’ Tequilas usually suggest and un-aged tequila that will have been flavoured and coloured with Caramel to give the impression of age. These too are generally lower quality and should be avoided by the discerning Tequila drinker.
On the whole Tequila, as a category of spirit, seems to have escaped the confines of its shot glass and is finally reaching its stride as a credible and desirable libation amongst the broader drinking community. And while these flames are being fanned by celebrity distillery owners and promoters, it’s a category destined only to grow further. So there’s never been a better time to dust off your poncho and throw back a couple. Olé!