Blanco, Reposado, Añejo or Extra-Añejo? Choose one! Photo Robert Denton.
Tequila, Mexico’s beloved national spirit, is made from the magical maguey plant, a large Agave with formidable pencas (spiked leaves) that often takes nearly 12 years to grow before harvesting! Jimadores (agave harvesters) then whack off the pencas to reveal a piña, a large (usually more than 100 pounds) starchy core that resembles a huge pineapple. Piñas must then be cooked in large ovens, transforming their inherent starch into the fermentable sugars needed for distillation.
You’ll read all about this process, find festive recipes for cocktails and food, and share my decades of adventures traveling through Mexico’s agave country in my book, ¡VIVA TEQUILA!
Tequila is a most versatile spirit! You’ll find it comes in four unique styles, Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo, each with its distinct profile, perfect for sipping and savoring neat or mixing in cocktails. I am not mentioning the fifth style, Joven Abocado, best know as “gold” tequila, as this is generally a “Mixto”, or one made with 49% added sugars (such as cane, piloncillo brown cone sugar, or glucose) and NOT one made of 100% agave . You’ll know if a tequila is made with only juices from the blue agave, as the label of the bottle will state 100% de Agave or 100% Puro de Agave. 100% Agave is the only tequila I recommend!
Blanco tequila in a hand-painted agave glass. Photo John Pozdro.
BLANCO
I must say, I love a good Blanco tequila, the pure fresh-from-the-still tequila from which the other styles derive. A fine Blanco will retain the discernible sweetness of the roasted blue agave, with vibrant, peppery, herbaceous, and citrus tones. If the original Blanco is not good, how can other styles made by a distillery be good? Blanco tequila is sometimes called Silver or White tequila because of its pristine clarity, and is not influenced by oak or aging. It’s generally bottled upon distillation, though sometimes stored in stainless tanks for a month. Those who like white spirits may prefer Blanco tequila. I find it much more flavorful than vodka, as enticingly aromatic as gin, and not as sweet as rum.
Flavor Profiles:
Agave fruitiness intact
Bright, crisp, mineral
Peppery, sometimes fiery
Citrus and zest
Herbaceous–mint and anise
Dry, medium finish
Drink suggestions:
Sip neat or accompanied with Sangrita, tequila’s quintessential chaser
Requisite for classic margaritas
Refreshing spritzers
Tropical fruit or citrus punches and drinks
Ice cold from the freezer on a hot summer’s night!
Shots of tequila Reposado with a Mexican charro. Photo John Pozdro.
REPOSADO
This is the most popular tequila imbibed in Mexico, with a harmonious balance of the natural essence of agave and the subtle influence of oak. The “repose” of Blanco in oak (a minimum of 2 months to 1 year in roble or encino oak) mellows its youthful and feisty character, adding hints of wood and spice and giving Reposado a color that varies from pale straw to amber. I love to simply sip a fine Reposado!
Flavor profiles:
Hint of oak with discernible sweetness of roasted agave
Earthy
Caramel
Cinnamon and spice
Medium finish
Drink suggestions:
Sip neat or accompanied with Sangrita, tequila’s quintessential chaser
Margaritas
Tequila Añejo in a Mexican snifter. Photo John Pozdro.
AÑEJO
A fine Añejo is a harmonious marriage of oak and agave. Nuances from barrel aging–depth of aroma, discernible soft tannin, and vanilla tones– mingle deliciously in a fine Añejo. This style of tequila is aged for at least 1 year but fewer than 3 years in government sealed oak barrels with a maximum capacity of 600-liters. Such aging gives a rich amber to dark mahogany color, though some of my favorite Añejos are not over-oaked and have a lighter color. Brown spirits lovers rejoice! Añejos can rival cognac, single malt, bourbon and whiskey.
I sip it only from a snifter, though others enjoy to mix it in classic cocktails like a Manhattan or an Old Fashioned, or as a floater for a top-shelf margarita. The newest trend is to filter Añejos back to clarity. I am confused as to why one would take away the color and character of aging that has taken years to accomplish. This would make the tequila better suited for mixability, but I adhere to drinking Añejo from a snifter!
Flavor profiles:
Oak-driven tannins
Roasted agave and dried fruit
Vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, cocoa
Baking spices, buttery
Full-bodied, round, luxurious
Long finish
Drink Suggestions:
Snifter!
Classic cocktails
Coffee drinks
Extra-Añejo for the rich and famous! Photo Robert Denton.
EXTRA-AÑEJO
This newest category of tequila produces character, color, and complexity found in other Añejos and fine world spirits. It must be aged for at least 3 years in oak barrels of maximum 600-liter capacity, producing tequila with very dark amber and mahogany hues. Added flavor comes from using barrels that once housed whiskey, cognac, sherry, scotch or fine wine. Price reflects this lengthy aging and such Extra-Añejos often fetch prices of $300-$1000 a bottle!
Flavor profiles:
Characteristics similar to other Añejos
Very oak-driven
Agave not as apparent
Toasty, buttery
Dark leather, wood, earth, tobacco
Velvety long finish
Drink suggestions:
Snifter only, ¡por favor!
Note: In the production of tequila, flavorings and colorings are permissible as well as the addition of distilled water to bring tequilas to commerical proof.
So you see, you’ll find a style of tequila to fit any taste or any mood– from sipping neat to a refreshing spritzer, party punch, margarita or snifter.
Now tell me…which style of tequila is your favorite?
Dinero, tequila y amor,
¡No hay otra cosa mejor!
Money, tequila, and the one you adore
Who could ask for anything more?
