Liquor.com Tequila & Mezcal
FROM THE EDITORS
Liquor.com Tequila & Mezcal
TEQUILA VS MEZCAL • What’s the difference between tequila and mezcal? Get to know your agave spirits.
BEST GIFTS for tequila lovers • Here are some gifts for tequila and mezcal lovers that can complement their knowledge, enhance their cocktail bar, or make their home look good.
the difference between BLANCO, REPOSADO & AÑEJO TEQUILA • The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) classifies and regulates five main types of tequila: blanco, joven, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo. Here’s what to know about the different types.
the past, present, and future of TEQUILA & MEZCAL • Gary Nabhan and David Suro-Piñera talk about the circumstances that took agave spirits from being a ritual beverage to a multibillion-dollar industry, and the sustainability actions required to ensure agave lovers will be enjoying their favorite sips for decades to come.
ADDITIVE-FREE TEQUILA • The conversation has shifted to highlight producers that omit glycerin, sweeteners, and other additives. But is additive-free the only indicator of quality?
TEQUILA • All tequila starts in Mexico with the native blue Weber agave plant, but 90% of the world’s supply is produced in Jalisco, home to the spirit’s namesake city, Tequila. There are five main types of tequila, each with distinctive flavor characteristics, but specific expressions can vary according to many factors.
THE RISE OF TEQUILA
5 EXPERT TIPS FOR CHOOSING AND TASTING TEQUILA • For those new to tequila, it can be confusing to navigate, and new bottles and categories have made store and bar shelves more crowded than ever. How do you select a bottle and serve it? Here are a few tips from some of the pros who specialize in the spirit.
STATE OF THE TEQUILA INDUSTRY • The man responsible for how you drink tequila talks about its rise and what’s happening right now.
5 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER DO WITH EXPENSIVE TEQUILA • Do you sip tequila, taking your time to savor all the complexities of the spirit? Or are you more the type to order a row of shots, all taken down quick with a lick of salt and squeeze of lime? There’s a case to be made for both approaches. But as tequila sales have doubled in the U.S. over the last decade, the market for those sipping-quality bottles has only gotten bigger. We want to take tequila as seriously as we take our bourbon or scotch, and that lends itself to the production of $7,000 bottles made in tiny quantities and bars solely focused on agave spirits. To find out what you should never do with a very nice bottle, we talked to Susana Cardona of Tequila Clase Azul and Manny Hinojosa of Tequila Cazadores. “I never like to tell people how to drink their spirit,” says Cardona, and Hinojosa echoes that you should focus on your own pleasure no matter what’s in your glass. That said, these are some things you should never do with a bottle you’ve dropped a pretty penny on.
it’s time for a margarita • The Margarita combines the tang of lime and the sweetness of orange liqueur with tequila’s distinctive flavor profile.
EL PEPINO
HOW TO MAKE A MORE sustainable margarita
MARGARITAS BY THE PITCHER
margarita mixes • If you're not making your Margarita from scratch, there are some excellent options for Margarita mixes.
MEZCAL • Despite its most famous characteristic being its “smokiness,” mezcal has incredible range as a spirit, from crisp, slate-tinged mezcals to funky, heavily smoky expressions, and even bright and fruity ones.
THE PHILIPPINE INFLUENCE IN MEXICAN MEZCAL DISTILLING
the art of the paloma • This simple and refreshing grapefruit highball is beloved for a reason.
OTHER AGAVE SPIRITS •...