Spirits By Nanette Wiser
There’s more to tequila than Jose Cuervo. So many choices: Silver or gold? Anejo or reposado? George Clooney’s Casamigos or my personal favorite Herradura? Sip it, shoot it, flash blend it or stir?
In 2019, 181 new tequila brands debuted. Some are boutique crafters, others are celebrities such as Teremana, Duane “The Rock” Johnson’s and basketball star Michael Jordan’s Cincoro. Artisanal brands and small batches are popular, processing agave in brick ovens at Arette Tequila instead of autoclaves. Brick oven batches displayed more floral, creamy, and mineral notes while the autoclave had more peppery, green, and herbal notes.
Tequila and mezcal are red hot, with sales outdistancing beverages in every other category except bourbon. The number one premium seller is Patron, as well as Don Julio 1942 and Clase Azul Reposado, all pricey and worth it.
Consumers’ taste have shifted from añejo to blancos, the unaged, first tier of tequila, before reposado and añejo in a desire for authenticity. You’ll also notice that color is disappearing from anejos, with more distilleries using cristalino variants, which filter the barrel color out of the spirit for a clear, aged product.
2020 will see more sustainable practices. Dulce Vida continues to operate with an eco-conscious mindset, using sustainable farming and production practices in growing and dealing with agave waste.Currently, there are 135 active tequila distilleries in Mexico. One of the craziest quarantine trends was making tequila at home, like beer. While I’ve produced some kick-ass Kahlua and beer in my days, this seems a bit ambitious. I prefer to read up on new tequilas to try in my margaritas at www.tequilamatchmaker.com.
Better yet, sample tequilas before you purchase for home; DTSP’s Red Mesa and Treasure Island’s VIP Lounge are the places to tipple. Ask your bartender for their recommendations, at favorite watering holes like the Crafty Squirrel and Flute & Dram. I just ordered a tequila cocktail making/tasting kit from Williams Sonoma. It includes an infusion bottle with tasting straw, three flavor blends, step-by-step instructions and cocktail recipes. Flavor blends include Smoky Blend (layered black teas and bergamot), Chili Blend (salty Sencha, citrus and chili) and Lime Blend (lime with botanicals and edible grasses). Each packet infuses half of a standard bottle of tequila (375ml).
TEQUILA RECIPES
Corazon Blanco Tequila
- 1.5 oz. blanco tequila
- 1 oz. green Chartreuse
- 1 oz. Maraschino Originale (Luxardo, an Italian cherry liqueur)
- 1 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
In a shaker, combine these ingredients, add ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Tequila Sazerac
- A classic New Orleans
- old-fashioned with a twist.
- In a pint glass mix
- 2 oz Fortaleza Añejo tequila
- 1/2 ounce of cocktail-ready agave nectar
- 2-3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Add ice and stir (don’t shake!) Spritz the inside of a glass with Absinthe. Strain the cocktail into the spritzed glass and top with a bit of orange peel.
Casa Paloma
2 oz. Casamigos Reposado
1.5 oz. grapefruit juice
1 oz. fresh lime juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
8-10 mint leaves
Muddle herbs. Combine all ingredients into tin shaker. Add ice. Shake vigorously for 8–10 seconds. Fine strain into highball glass. Add fresh ice. Garnish with grapefruit wheel and mint sprig.
MOCKTAILS MADE EASY
Torani syrups jazz up coffee drinks, cocktails and mocktails.
Smoked Black Cherry Old Fashioned
- 1 double shot espresso
- (about 2 oz. room temperature)
- 1 Tbsp (½ oz.) Torani Puremade
- Smoked Black Cherry Syrup
- 2 drops of bitters
- orange peel
Combine the ingredients in a glass and gently stir. Rub the orange peel around the glass, then drop it in.