Tequila!

Herradura

In 1870, Félix López officially registered San José del Refugio as a tequila-producing hacienda, and they have been crafting it there ever since.

Blanco
Notes: Aged 45 days.
Color: Slight tint
Nose: High notes of rich agave with a touch of alcohol and an interesting blend of spices with a touch of lime. Very eccentric.
Flavor: A bit of a spicy medicinal flavor to start; mellowing in the mid-palate; progressing into a tangy finish. A three-dimensional flavor; it’s almost like you are tasting three tequilas at once. Unique.

Reposado
Notes: Aged 11 months.
Color: Medium golden straw
Nose: A bit of alcohol off the start; once in the glass it opens up to a full tingly blend of young mango, a bit of Florida orange, and lime.
Flavor: Front of the palate is soft with the flavor rush coming in the middle. Once it’s there, it stays for awhile with a pleasant numbing throughout the long finish.

Anejo
Notes: Aged 2 years in oak.
Color: Full amber
Nose: Full and spicy from the start with aged tropical fruit in wood. Very pleasant.
Flavor: After a soft start, the flavor burst happens with the wood and mature fruit giving way to a complex flavor of tequila. A bit strong but delicious; on the masculine side with full and distinct flavors, and that loving numbness associated with tequilas off a strong flavor.

Recipe: Herradura Paloma

1 1/2 oz. Herradura blanco

1 oz. grapefruit juice

1 oz. lemon juice

Pinch of salt

3 oz. lemon-lime soda (or Sprite)

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Roll to mix. Transfer to highball glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Hornitos, Sauza 

Hornitos is named after the small agave ovens Francisco Javier Sauza’s grandfather, Don Cenobio Sauza, utilized. Sauza was founded in 1873 when Don Cenobio Sauza started La Perseverancia distillery.  He was the first distiller to call the spirit produced from blue agave plant “tequila” and the first to export the drink to the United States. (*Note: There are differing stories on the first exporter of tequila).

Plata
Notes: Double-distilled, unaged
Color: Clear
Nose: A medium to strong nose with a bit of white pepper tickle to it.
Flavor: Moderate mouth-feel with nice agave flavor. A nice mixed spice follows you to the finish, which is pleasant and creamy.

Reposado
Notes: Double-distilled, rested 2 months in 10,000 gallon oak vats.
Color: Very light straw (due to the barrel style)
Nose: The nose is softer than the Plata with a tiny bit of wood on it. A bit more mellow and refined with the same spiciness.
Flavor: A bit on the fruity side, but pleasant. The flavor is consistent throughout the taste with a nice creamy finish.

Anejo
Notes: Double-distilled, aged at least 12 months in American oak barrels.
Color: Amber
Nose: Fruity and floral followed by nice caramel tones.
Flavor: Fresh with good fruit flavor wrapped in a soft wood. A mild vanilla lurks thru the finish of medium duration.

Recipe: Hornitos Anejo Flamed Orange Manhattan

2 parts Hornitos anejo

1/2 part DeKuyper amaretto

1/2 part Sauza agave nectar

3-4 dashes orange bitters (Gary Reagan’s or Stirrings)

Stir very well over ice. Garnish with flamed orange peel.

Don Julio 

Don Julio González began his journey in the world of tequila in 1942. He realized that to create a tequila that stands apart, one must control every aspect of the process, from the cultivation of the agave to the bottling of the final product. He then established his distillery, La Primavera, and spent nearly forty years perfecting the craft that would produce extraordinary tequila with every bottle.

Plata
Notes: Double-distilled
Color: Clear
Nose: Medium-bodied nose with a rich earthiness and a touch of lime.
Flavor: A quick rush of citrus and agave high in the palate, then settles into a smooth and lasting finish.

Reposado
Notes: Rested in charred oak bourbon barrels for up to 11 months.
Color: Light golden wheat
Nose: Elegant and soft. Soft lime with a vanilla sweetness.
Flavor: Soft landing on the front palate with heavy vanilla and honey. Finishes with spice and cinnamon with fine wood tones throughout. Very complex and captivating!

Anejo
Notes: Rested in charred American oak bourbon barrels for 18 months.
Color: Golden
Nose: Well-blended scents of citrus; orange and lime with vanilla and wood.
Flavor: A rich and concentrated tequila. Wood, honey, citrus, a bit of smoke – it’s all there. The finish is velvet smooth with a little spice that lingers.

Recipe: Cider House Rules

1 1/2 ounces fresh-squeezed apple cider

1/2 ounce club soda

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

1/2 ounce cane sugar simple syrup (note: do not substitute with corn syrup)

1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Combine Don Julio Blanco, fresh-squeezed apple cider, club soda, fresh lemon juice, and cane sugar simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Cover and shake well. Strain contents into a highball glass and garnish with sprinkle of ground cinnamon.