To start, agave plants are harvested by hand in the Jalisco Highlands, using farms that pass the strict standards of the Mexican Tequila Regulatory Council (TRC). Only fair-trade agave is used to make Tanteoin fact, the distillery is owned by the co-op of farmers who grow and tend it. Instead of the traditional methods described above, a diffuser extracts the sugars from the raw agave by blasting it with high-pressure streams of water, and sometimes using chemicals to help strip them out. Only 299 individually numbered decanters are being released at select fine spirits stores worldwide, as well as on Blockbar. Photo, courtesy Don Julio. Indeed, this is like no other tequila youve ever tasted before. The puntas, or distillers cut, of agave spirits have long been considered the most coveted part of the distillate and are traditionally set aside by the producer to be enjoyed with friends and family on special occasions. This results in a high concentration of agave flavors, while still experiencing the essences of the Single Estate Los Patos 80 proof blanco, which is extremely smooth and worthy of savoring neat. Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. We suggest a few fresh squeezed limes with this one, and pairing it with your favorite bar foods, such as wings, sliders or nachos. Family brand, years of experience, the best ingredients, and prepared the right way. She graduated with a degree in journalism from Ohio University in 2015. The best tequila brands offer more than a token of a good time. Includes digital magazine access + a free gift. Some brands are certified as additive-free, however, meaning they eschew this process. 40% ABV (80 Proof) 2720B. Every sip affords you a full and lightly sweet long finish that begs to be savored. After it's distilled, it's then aged for eight months in oak barrels. 21 Seeds infuses its tequilawithreal fruit and botanicals and the result is a light and refreshing sip with just the right amount of zest. While some tequilas make us pucker or burn our mouths and throats, Cenotes Blanco Tequila is light, mellow and refreshing. Although its widely known for its mixto tequila, Cuervo has some higher-quality tequilas in its lineup. Ive always been someone who will shoot tequila (with salt, lime, and dread), but this tequila is truly a treat. If your bottle doesnt have a NOM, that means its not certified by the TRC, and therefore its not authentic tequila. The tequila itself is created by master distiller Arturo Fuentes, using water from the distillerys volcanic artesian wells and aged in specially toasted American oak casks. heads, even among the best tequila brands. Its silky and delicate on the palate, offering hints of vanilla and spiced undertones, balanced with notes of pear. Its truly delicious and has made a name for itself as a bottle that turns heads, even among the best tequila brands. If youre looking for the best tequila to buy, heres what you need to know: 1. Producers can legally add a small amount of coloring and flavoring to tequila, and you can often taste this as intense vanilla or sweet candy notes. Explore thousands of wines, spirits and beers, and shop online for delivery or pickup in a store near you. I mostly drink scotch / bourbon but I do enjoy tequila / mezcal on occasion. 14 Delicious Non-Alcoholic Spirits to Sip. Produced in small batches and aged for a minimum of two and half years. Don Julio 1942 $189.99 Buy Now. 3700 California Ave Suite 100, Bakersfield, CA 93309. This extra step gives it a unique tastewith adark, rich flavor. Should We Prepare for a Champagne Shortage? Hermosillo selected his agave fields carefully, in the volcanic soil of the mountains of western Jalisco. Avion Reserva 44 is crafted in the highlands town of Jesus Maria, Mexico. . The result is their award-winning brand, with the toasted oak and chocolaty butterscotch notes of their aejo (aged for slightly over two years in ex-bourbon barrels), being our favorite. With hints of spices, dried fruits, sherry and intense wood. From its distillery just outside Guadalajara, Patrn produces more than 20 different tequila expressions, and its serious business. That changes now. Made with 100% blue Weber agave, our tequila boasts rich aromas . Don Julio 1942 Aejo has a smooth and complex flavor with notes of caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak, making it one of the best tequilas in the world. As a fitting tribute to Don Julio, it should be enjoyed neat. At nearly $300, this isn't something you're going to shoot or mix in a margarita. Another recent and growing trend is the charcoal stripping of color from tequilas, producing an entirely new caregory called cristalino (although it has yet to be recognized by the CRT), basically a clear aged tequila with distinctive flavor profiles. 90; Top Rated Reviews. Also noteworthy is how often products from Casa Noble appear on the list (12 times! Everyone tends to have a preference fromBlanco, Reposado, and Aejo, and if you don't know yours, this set gives you one of each. Subscribe now and get up to 61% off the cover price. If you knowthen you know. Copper-pot distilled in Jalisco by Germn Gonzalez, each batch is aged in barrels previously used for Islay scotch, Spanish brandy, and Spanish sherry for an irresistibly complex flavor profile. Tequila Ocho Puntas comes off the still at roughly 128 proof, and is then reduced to 101 proof, using deep well-extracted water from the nearby Tequila Ocho distillery in Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico. Gallery. It's no secret that we LOVE a great cocktail, especially if that cocktail is a .css-1es3cx1{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#004685;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#004685;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-1es3cx1:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:#595959;}margarita. It's made in small batches and aged for at least two. For the core expressions, a roller mill is used to shred and crush the agave. If that scares you, it shouldnt. Avion Reserva 44 Extra Aejo Tequila Review The 14 Best Tequilas to Drink in 2023 The 12 Best Reposado Tequilas to Drink in 2023 Is The Keto Sweetener Erythritol Dangerous? . If youre not one for straight tequila, know that Milagros mixability is up there with the best, served well with lime or in signature tequila cocktails like a Paloma. I enjoy the roasted agave notes as well as the hints of vanilla. . Being under the same umbrella as Jack Daniels and Old Forester bourbon, and having access to Brown-Formans in-house cooperage means Herradura can do some interesting things with barrel aging that other tequila brands cant. Reserva 44, Avin's "bespoke" extra aejo, is aged for 43 months in oak barrels and then aged for an additional month in specially selected "petite" barrels, which are rotated daily. That third distillation refines the finished product without dulling it down. Tequila isnt for everyone. Like a quality bourbon, youll find this spirit reveals its intricacies the longer you sit with it. Now, you can get your favorite tequila in a cucumber jalapeo version with 21 Seeds Blanco Tequila. More: Facts Every Tequila Aficionado Needs to Know. The company matures this blend for 12 months in oak barrels before it spends an additional four months in Irish single malt whiskey barrels, adding unique flavors like cinnamon, caramel and stewed figs to the tequilas already distinctive profile. A tequila for Scotch lovers, this richly flavored anejo marries the vanilla and caramel notes you love from a good aged whiskey with the subtle fruit notes of an agave spirit. This best blanco tequila is generally un-aged; although it can be put into barrels or stainless steel vats for a few weeks, it doesnt have time to develop the color and characteristics of a longer aging process. The individually numbered crystal decanters were created by Laliques creative director, Marc Larminaux, and are reflective (literally) of the harvested green-topped agave pias. Less cooked agave than I would have preferred, but very nice. He and his partners actually sold the brand to Diageo in 2017 for nearly a billion dollars, making this a major investment gone right. , just in case the aftertaste is too much for you to handle. Location. On the palate, caramel, vanilla, whiskied oak, pepper, with under tones of dried cherries, cocoa, leather. Don Julio 1942 vs. Avin 44 I mostly drink scotch / bourbon but I do enjoy tequila / mezcal on occasion. Youve also probably seen flavored tequila, which is tequila infused with things like coconut, lime, strawberry or jalapeno. There is a nice spicy yet soothing consistency in this bottle that were sure youre going to enjoy with each and every sip. If you're a fan of whiskey or cognac, give thisrare, small-batch, extra aejo tequila a try! The Longer a Tequila Is Aged, the More Expensive It Will Be, Just like a fine wine, some tequila also goes through an aging process. 1800 Silver is an affordable option made from 100% Weber blue agave grown for eight to 12 years and harvested at its peak. That rich earthiness, along with undertones of cracked pepper and light notes of vanilla, is reflected in the tequila. Anejo Tequila. Its bottled at 42.5 percent ABV, a little higher than tequilas typical 40 percent. The Aztecs started it when they began distilling the juices from the roasted and crushed pulp of Mexicos agaves. Launched in Australia in 2015, Sesin arrived in the U.S. in late 2018. Avin Reserva 44 Extra Aejo Tequila is aged for 44 months, with 43in oak barrels, and the final month in petite oak barrels. Tequila Ocho is a unique brand because it releases single estate vintage tequilas. My go-to tequila in Clase Azul Reposado. This tequila gets its name from the year of its creation, so yeah, you've got a spirit with a more than 200-year history. That depends upon the taste profile the maestro tequilero is after, with The Bad Stuff (yes, thats the brands misleading name) currently leading the pack with its recently released Doce XII, a superb 12-year-old silky-smooth bottle that goes for $1,000. Worth trying if you're into those types of wines, we'd say! In fact, Patrn, arguably the best tequila brand and the most well-known, offers a diverse portfolio of authentic, carefully crafted tequilas that you wont find in nightclubs or seedy bars. It comes from Richard Betts, the founder of Sombra Mezcal and Astral Tequila. #tequilaocho #goodetimes, A post shared by Levi Goode (@goodetexan) on Jun 18, 2019 at 4:33pm PDT, Mazzarie Parker, bar manager of Maypop Restaurant in New Orleans. Lowland Blue Weber agaves, sourced from a single-family estate, are double copper pot distilled to create a base of Maestro Dobels Silver tequila. Just adding a little something to the bar! Tequila Avin Reserva 44 Extra Aejo This tequila is made from 100% blue agave and is produced in the state of Jalisco using traditional methods , including cooking the agave in brick ovens . It coats the tongue like velvet, and leaves a long, sweet and satisfying finish. Still, its selection of high-quality tequilas has an archetypal smoothness that places it among the elite. your guests will be ecstatic. Herradura celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2020 by debuting Legend, which takes advantage of the brands affiliation with spirits behemoth Brown-Forman. BEST FOR CELEBRATIONS. . Don Julio 1942 is twice the price and 10 times as good. This ranks as the best sipping tequila, produced at the La Cofrada distillery just outside the town of Tequila. The liquid not only comes into contact with more of the wood, but the grooving lets it absorb flavors from both charred and uncharred wood. Fortunately, Mijentas is excellent. If you want to discover authentic Mexican tequila with a bold yet traditional flavor, then order a bottle of El Tesoro Tequila. . The nose is agave-heavy, which is both welcoming and encouraging for those who often fear tequila. The concept of sustainability extends to the packaging that uses recycled glass and soy ink labels. Qui Extra Anejo tequila, by far. When buying in bulk or out at a bar, Espolon is an excellent option. Youll also notice hints of citrus and vanilla that add to its refreshing aftertaste. Once the tequila is distilled, it is aged for 8 months in hand-selected oak barrels. Certified organic and bottled at the estate. Come in and enjoy! El Tesoro Aejo is aged in American oak bourbon barrels for up to three years, which results in a perfect mix of agave and oak flavors.