HIGHER END TEQUILAS (MEN'S JOURNAL)

So you like to get smashed on the weekends? Maybe you're in college, and taking shots of this Mexican concoction suits your fancy. Well my friends, if you only know one brand of tequila, more than likely it's a couple, like Jose Cuervo or Patron, those are really good for the less informed on what other brands are out there, and what types are produced.

First of all tequila comes from the agave plant, agave tequilana weber, var azul or blue agave. It grows in dry lowlands and rainy highlands in the surrounding Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco. When the agaves reach maturity the juice of the hearts are extracted and then fermented. There are three distinct colors of tequila, white or clear, bronze, and dark. The darker ones are aged longer however it does not mean that its quality is better. After speaking to some of my tequila associates who are in the know, tequila like wine can be of excellent quality on the lower price scale. But in this blog I'll go over some top brands on the higher end that maybe you haven't seen or heard of before, just to get your tequila chops refined.

This is from MJ Men's Journal. © reworded in certain paragraphs to fit my style.

Fortaleza is made by fifth-generation tequilero Guillermo Sauza. The Fortaleza is silky smooth, coming on sweet and a little spicy=like coconut candy with a touch of cinnamon but leaves you with a briny finish, almost like a salted glass rim. ($60.00) 750ML

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Casa Noble makes a range of tasty handcrafted (and certified organic) lowlands tequilas. All are superb, but Casa Noble's limited-production Joven recently captured the attention of the MJ staff tasters. Bottled at 102 proof for a fuller flavor, it sits in oak for just six weeks, which would technically make it a blanco, but it's distinct from Casa Noble's no-oak blanco, which it calls Crystal (and is itself a powerfully rustic, almost salty spirit). ($53.00) volume (?)

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Siete Leguas uses complex processing to produce its liquor, some of the agave hearts are crushed using the ancient donkey-pulled tohonas, or stone-wheel mills; some are crushed using  modern sugar-cane shredders. The secret is the mix, and it varies from batch to batch, depending on any number of factors. The result is wildly complex: You might smell or taste spearmint, pine, earth, and cinnamon-but it's always smooth and perfectly balanced. ($40.00) volume (?)

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Tequila Tapatio Tapatio Anejo, a 75-year old Mexican brand only recently available in the United States, is the MJ staff tasters favorite. In crafting the Tapatio, Carmarena (maker), allows the pinas, or sugar-rich hearts, to ferment slowly along with the bagazo, or residual pulp, and then lets the finished blanco sit in steel tanks for six months. The result is a distinctive tequila that is full-bodied and spicy. The company's recently introduced Tapatio Blanco 110 (110 proof) is also surprisingly sippable, with a big floral aroma and herbal flavors. ($34.00) volume (?)

Courtesy of Google Images

Tequila is consumed by millions around the world, it is good to know about different hand crafted more high end products so that you can explore, these bottles are a little more than paying for a Jose Cuervo, but like I said, sometimes the finer things in life is needed for maybe, a celebration of some sort. Until next time, I'll visit MJ's website and continue to blog about the higher end tequilas.

Ron Sambrano

            

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