Not Our Parents' Tequila
By Mary Wallace & Hailey Osborne
Published in 406 Woman
We say Tequila, you say margarita. But wait... Today's tequila is SO much more that just searching for that lost shaker of salt!
Most of us have experienced tequila with an inexpensive well or Mixto tequila - usually in the form of shots. But today's tequilas are much more sophisticated. There is also an added bonus - the lack of hangover experienced with high-quality tequila might catch your attention. In the past decade, tequila has become increasingly popular and discerning fans have found themselves trying and sipping different varieties of tequila over their normal bourbon or vodka. Indeed, a whole new movement to tequila cocktail recipes are trending these days.
Tequila 101
Tequila, like other spirits, begins with a naturally sweet plant as its base product - in this case, agave. The blue weber agave plants are grown in the highlands and the valleys surrounding the town of Tequila, in Jalisco, Mexico. Proving, once again, that good things take time, agave itself, is an exercise in patience. The plants take 7-10 years to mature to the point they can be harvested. Once they do, jimadors remove the leaves and harvest the piñas (which resembles a huge wooden-like pineapple) from the center of the plant. Each plant has only one piña to give during its life cycle. The harvested piñas are then split in half and cooked in brick ovens at 194° Fahrenheit for 15-48 hours. The baked piñas are then milled to reduce them to plant fibers and extract the juices. The resulting liquid is then transferred to fermentation tanks and yeast is added. After 72 hours, the product is ready for the distillation process. Tequila is distilled once to cut the tails and heart from the liquid, and then a second time to create the first type of tequila:
Blanco, also known as plata or silver tequila - Some blancos are bottled and ready to drink immediately and some are rested in stainless steel tanks for a month or two. This freshly fermented spirit has a pronounced agave flavor with a natural sweetness and a light, fresh taste, and is the variety typically used to concoct a tequila sunrise or margarita. A popular variety at the Bigfork Liquor Barn is Espolòn Blanco. Named for the spur of the rooster (a powerful symbol of national pride), Espolòn Blanco has a clear platinum cast and a delicate, sweet agave, floral & topical fruit/lemon zest aroma with a hint of pepper. Serve this tequila with chips and guacamole, or pair with seafood or salads.
Aging is Key
Aging tequila takes the spirit to a whole new level. A series of aging classifications of tequilas are produced based on the length of the aging process as well as the type of wood barrel they are aged in. Some tequilas are aged in retired bourbon barrels, some in wine barrels. Reposado is aged between two months and one year. Reposado can vary in color, but it is generally more amber tinted. It has a full-bodied flavor that is sweeter and more intense than the blanco variety. Reposado lends itself well to a Reposado la Paloma. Reposado's woody, oaky flavor pairs well with soups and stews, or heartier dishes like tacos or enchiladas. Additionally, Joven (or oro) is a gold tinted tequila, which is created by mixing a blanco with older tequilas. A favorite Reposado at the Barn is El Mayor Tequila Reposado Barrel Select, which is exclusive to Bigfork Liquor Barn and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It is double distilled and then fermented using a highly guarded, family-owned yeast strain. It features a brilliant amber color and an aroma and flavor of cooked agave with notes and hints of pomegranate, vanilla, & spice.
Añejo is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of one year. Añejo is the boldest of the tequilas, having a more intense taste and color; it is bolder, spicier, and sweeter still. Añejo can be used to make tequila's version of an Old Fashioned or an Agave Mexico City style. Añejo will make a grilled veal chop with a creamy mushroom sauce taste much richer. Añejos will also pair well with cookie or cake desserts. Rumor has it that a good añejo is great to spike your hot chocolate drink. Look for Casamigos Añejo on the shelves of the Bigfork Liquor Barn. This premium añejo is made with piñas that are roasted for a full 72 hours in brick ovens (instead of steamed), and then fermented for upwards of 80 hours, compared to the standard 48 hours. It has a rich, caramel color and a soft caramel and vanilla scent. The flavor is a perfect balance of sweetness from the Blue Weber agaves, layered with hints of spice and barrel oak.
Extra Añejo (or ultra añejo) is aged a minimum of three years, often in old wine barrels, giving it a completely different finish. Its even more intense flavor is delicious sipped straight, alongside some chocolate or hard cheese. A local favorite in this variety is Código 1530 Origen Extra Añejo. It is aged a full six years in the finest Napa Valley Cabernet French white oak barrels, making it one of the oldest and most refined extra añejos on the market. Its spicy vanilla sweet oaky aroma lends a robust palate teeming with flavors of dried fig and cinnamon.
Mezcal, once though of as a poor man's spirit, is becoming increasingly sought after and uses a variety of different agave plants to create its unique, slightly smoky flavor. While the varieties listed above may contain both blue agaves well as other sugar derivatives (molasses, cane sugar, corn syrup), Mezcal is produced from 100% agave. There are over 200 varieties of agave, but only a select few are approved for use in spirits. Del Maguey Mezcal Single Village Expressions offers a wide array of mezcal flavors, each harvested and produced in a single village, celebrating and supporting the families that create them. The Barn carries nine varieties of Del Maguey Mezcal, but three favorites are Santa Catarina Minas - a unique blend of flavors of melon, fresh green beans, and citrus; San Balzatar which smells of roasted agave and toasted corn and tastes of dried fruit & sweet almond with a finish of chocolate and mint; and Tobalá, which has an aroma of fruit & florals and a palate of mango and cinnamon and a long, creamy finish.
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