Tequila Guidance?

[tm3]

I have recently discovered how much I like tequila unadulterated with lime juice, cointreau, ice, or anything else -- just neat.

My favorite so far is 1800 Silver Select. I tried Patron and did not like it as much as the 1800. Lunazal Blanco and Corralejo Reposado are so so, the CR topping the LB but neither competing with the 1800.

What are some others that I should try? How do I go about refining my taste ie understanding exactly what I do and don't prefer as far as the flavors?

Thanks!

 

[BlackBard]

You could try Milagro Silver or Familia Camarena Silver. Don't let the unexpectedly low price of Familia Camarena dissuade you from trying it. It's much better than the price would suggest.

Of course, you could go for higher priced tequilas, too. Don Julio comes to mind.

 

[Beerhunter]

Here's my take I am always a traditionalist and understated in most things I do.
The Margarita:
1 jigger (1.5 ounces) tequila currently it's been patron
1/2 ounce Cointreau
1 ounce fresh lime or lemon juice
Salt
Shake all ingredients with cracked ice. Use the fruit rind to moisten the rim of the glass, then spin the glass around upside down in salt to salt the rim. Strain the cocktail mix into the glass. i also like it over the rocks.
I will drink these until I have to be cut off by gf

 

[tm3]

Low priced sounds great. The challenge is probably going to be finding much selection around here as most of the bars seem to have only a couple on hand and most of that is Jose Cuervo.

 

[BlackBard]

Low priced sounds great. The challenge is probably going to be finding much selection around here as most of the bars seem to have only a couple on hand and most of that is Jose Cuervo.

Where are you?

 

[tm3]

Asheville NC

 

[Beerhunter]

I also like hornitos tequila

 

[hillcpa]

My favorite is Don Julio, either the Reposado or, for a few more $, the Anejo. But what I usually drink is a brand called 30-30. 80-90% of the taste of Don Julio (and similar premium tequilas), IMHO, at 50% of the price. 30-30 was recommended to me by more than one high-end tequila expert as a great value, and I have to agree. Works great for sipping neat.

Whatever you try, don't even consider anything less than a tequila made from 100% agave.

 

[Desertlifter]

Herradurra, hands down.

Tequilas are very different though, ranging from the smoother/sweeter blends like Hornitos, Cabo Wabo, and Cazadores to less smooth fare. I tend to like the more "toothy" blends like Herradurra. One of my wife's cousins owns a distillery in Mexico and they make good stuff. Dont sell it up here, though.

If you like the sweeter stuff, Agavero is an interesting drink. It's an agave liquer.

 

[knlgskr]

Check San Francisco International Spirits Competition 2013 on the Internet.; www.sfspiritscomp.com, Lippy of www.tequilawhisperer.com is another website worth visiting. The 100% Agave is good advice; those Mixto Tequilas are usually not worth drinking. Cazadores, El Jimador, Cabrito are some that for me have been good choices.

 

[tm3]

Great stuff, thanks. I will start checking it out.

Is the 1800 silver select considered "sweet" or "toothy?" I was thinking that working off of that as a starting point might help guide. Kind of like my liking Gilbey's as my martini gin, but that is another subject.

i thought that El Jimador was not bad, but the online guru that tipped the 1800 SS said that the EL J is "bitter and not much else." A lot of YMMV just like shaving.

i really appreciate all of the input!

 

[tm3]

Forgot to add, when I first poured the 1800 SS and sipped it I had a "wow" moment.

So I said to my wife, "here taste this."

she brought the glass up, sniffed it, and said, "smells like college."

 

[franz]

I'm a fan of the 1800 reposado, and generally prefer reposados and anejos over silvers for drinking neat. There is just more nuance to the older spirit, IME. Right now I have a bottle of El Jimador reposado in the liquor cabinet. I don't have any brilliant tips as far as what to try other than to sample what's available in your area and follow what your taste buds tell you.

 

[Heron]

One more vote for Familia Camarena. It's cheap and good- the only tequila under $50 I've had that I would drink straight.

 

[PDman]

Casa Noble reposado. Delicious.

 

[Desertlifter]

Great stuff, thanks. I will start checking it out.

Is the 1800 silver select considered "sweet" or "toothy?" I was thinking that working off of that as a starting point might help guide. Kind of like my liking Gilbey's as my martini gin, but that is another subject.

i thought that El Jimador was not bad, but the online guru that tipped the 1800 SS said that the EL J is "bitter and not much else." A lot of YMMV just like shaving.

i really appreciate all of the input!

I would put 1800 on the sweeter side, although it is by no means treacly. One reason that I like Herradurra so much is that it is so crisp. I do prefer whiskeys that are less smooth, though.

I actually like Loch Dhu, although it is about impossible for me to find...

 

[tm3]

Yes I would say 1800 SS is a little sweet but I don't have a lot of basis for comparison.

I drank a little Corralejo Reposado this evening and my opinion of it improved. Maybe some subtlety is starting to come out.

 

[Torcams]

I find Don Eduardo silver servicable on the less expensive side. I like Don Julio silver a lot too. My two recent favorites are Ariette blanco suave and Aha Toro blanco. I tend to like blancos that effuse citrusy aromas (like grapefruit peel).

 

[Gong Show]

Don Julio got me and a bunch of others back on the tequila wagon a couple of decades ago.
Unfortunately, like Lagavulin, it has priced itself out of my weekly rotation.
Centenario Reposado is an excellent 'table' tequila. Best to buy it at a SuperGiganteMercado. A great value for 100% agave reposado.
For my favourite bottle with an excellent tequila contained within, it must be Tequila Revelucion.

I have standing orders for most of these when acquaintances make a run for the border to escape from our northern climes!

Happy sipping!

GS

 

[i8ntskeered]

If I could throw in my two cents, let me start by saying the 1800 is a great choice for a silver.

Just a quick primer, in case you're not hip: there are 5 "grades" of tequila. They are silver (blanco), gold, reposado, anejo, and extra anejo.

Blancos are un-aged, straight from the tap so to speak. The alcohol content is regulated by diluting it with water (as is all liquor). In my opinion, silver tequilas are the ones that are the most suited for cocktails. Golds would be a close second, and reposados if you have the extra money to throw at a "top shelf" mixed drink.

Gold tequilas are really just blancos with color (caramel, etc.) and/or sweeteners added. Cuervo gold is the one most people are familiar with, and it will be the one you will find in every bar in america. My other favorite gold label is Sauza. Sauza makes some really decent tequilas.

Tequila reposado is a tequila that has been "rested" (usally in oak barrels) for more than 2 and no more than 12 months. The aging process and the type of barrel used (whether it was a bourbon barrel or a cognac barrel, etc.) gives the tequila its character. My absolute favorite go-to repsado is El Jimador. Actually, El Jimador makes damn fine tequila in all grades, IMHO.

Tequila anejo has been "rested" for a minimum of one year. Usually an anejo tequila is barrel rested for 1 to 3 years. Beyond 3 years, it becomes ultra-aged or "extra anejo". In my opinion, anejo and extra anejo are the sipping tequilas. They should be enjoyed neat, and slowly, to appreciate the complex flavors that develop while resting in those wooden barrels over time. I'm not a fan of mixing anejos or extra anejos in cocktails. Ever. To me this is like mixing a well-aged scotch or a small batch bourbon with cola. Unforgivable.

If you're looking to throw back shots of tequila, go for a blanco or gold. I've even done that with reposados. These are also your "mixing" tequilas. If you want a really fine tequila to sip neat...go for an anejo or extra anejo.

Some of my favorite brands, in no particular order, are: El Jimador, Milagro, Sauza, Don Julio, and Cazadores. The 1800 line from Cuervo is pretty user-friendly. As far as Patron goes, I like it but I think there are better tequilas that don't demand the premium price. I have had some pretty incredible tequila tasting experiences in my travels and have tasted some very old and very exotic tequilas. The brands I have named here are much easier to get your hands on and are totally worth it if you want to try some different tequilas.

Cheers! Good luck with the morning after.