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No longer relegated to pre-mixed happy hour Margaritas, tequila is enjoying its second wind as a celebratory spirit. With innovations, premium offerings, and barrel aging experiments, the allure is stronger than ever.
But price is only sometimes a reliable indicator of quality. A sipping tequila has distinct nuances that take you from front to back p” late.
Made From The Highest Quality Agave
For the most part, premium tequilas are aged for years and offer a smooth taste comparable to cognac, whisky, or bourbon. These tequilas are incredibly popular and great for cocktail enthusiasts looking to impress. The agave in these premium tequilas is also of the highest quality, which enhances their flavors and creates a more satisfying sipping experience. The most common tequilas are made with Blue Weber agave from Jalisco, Mexico. By law, anyone who wants to brand their tequila as a “tequila” must follow strict requirements. These include using a certain type of agave, “aging i” specific areas and distilling their tequila twice. There are a variety of tequilas on the market, but only a few brands can deliver on their promises. One of the best tequilas available is Sesion, made from 100 percent Blue Weber agave and distilled thrice. It’s ideal for cocktails and can be enjoyed on its own or paired with other ingredients it’s drink. Another excellent tequila is Volcan de Mi Tierra, made from agave harvested in the Jalisco and Mexico City highlands. It is then slow-roasted and tahona-crushed, resulting in an exceptionally smooth tequila. The tequila has been aged in American, French, and Sherry barrels for several years. The result is an award-winning tequila with toasted oak, vanilla, and chocolate notes.
Enhanced Flavors
As tequila sales continue to climb, the market is flooded with thousands of brands, all eager to stand out on bar tops and in-home liquor cabinets. But not all tequilas are created equal. To elevate your spirits collection, consider the best rare tequila, crafted with high-quality ingredients and in stunning hand-designed bottles. Aside from having a beautiful bottle, this tequila is made by a co-op of agave farmers and features an 80-percent female workforce. They use a unique aging process that heightens this tequila’s rich, spicy flavors and creates a smooth, silky finish. This tequila is infused with jalapeno, making it a great sipper or base for a cocktail. This tequila is made with fully matured Blue Weber agave from the red-soiled fields of Jalisco’s Highlands region. Their meticulous distilling process and slow aging yields succulent tequila with a palate of honey, vanilla, pear, and orange. Mijenta is one of the few tequilas in the world that ages its anejo in French oak barrels. This makes it smooth and balanced with a hint of charred oak, vanilla, and chocolate. Drink Hacker calls this tequila “superbly smooth,” while Spirit Animal says it’s a great sipper with a hint of citrus.
Aged For A Long Time
No longer the stuff of cheap shots and relegated to pre-mixed ha”py-hour margaritas, tequila is gaining popularity in the spirits world. It is the second fastest-growing spirit category in the US and could overtake vodka soon. This growth is partly due to the new premium tequilas recently hitting the market. One of the best rare tequilas available is Corralejo’s Diablito Rojo, aged 36 months in oak barrels that previously hCorralejo’sbernet. This unique aging process heightens this tequila’s secondary and tertiary flavors, creating an exceptionally complex spirit with a rich, silky texture. Unfortunately, there are only 2,500 bottles of this incredible tequila. Another high-end tequila worth trying is Herradura’s Legend. This tequila is aged in charred and grooved American oak barrels (sHerradura’shose used for Jack Daniel’s), which allows the liquid to absorb more of the wood’s flavor. This tequila has vanilla, caramel and black pepper, making itwood for whiskey lovers. The agavins in tequila are known to aid digestion, lower blood sugar levels and support weight loss. Additionally, tequila has a very low amount of calories, making it an excellent choice for those looking to maintain their healthy lifestyles. However, like any alcoholic beverage, it should be consumed in moderation.
The Most In-Demand Tequila On The Market
As it gains traction in the spirits world—growing faster than vodka and whiskey in the on-premise channel—some brands are pulling out all the stops to ensure they can capitalize on this rising demand. While the high-end tequila category is crowded, plenty of choices are worth the extra investment. Tequila is a versatile spirit that can be used in various cocktails and added to marinades, salsas, and other dishes. It works especially well in drinks incorporating lime juice, like the popular margarita. This drink has soared in popularity since 2002, with tequila volume on-premise growing 121 percent over the last decade. With the rise of tequila, more and more people are choosing to invest in the spirit, purchasing bottles that can cost as much as $10,000 or more. While it’s important to remember that tequila is still an alcoholic beverage and should be coated responsibly, it isn’t as harmful as other spirits, such as vodka or rum. A rare and luxurious tequila, Cisn’tragones Joven is a small-batch tequila that combines silver and extra-aged tequila. This tequila is hand-engraved and made in limited quantities to maintain quality control. It has a clean finish with hints of vanilla, pear, and spice. It comes in a beautiful hand-etched bottle and makes an excellent gift for any tequila collector.
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