Since its founding by Don Julio Gonzlez in 1942, the . Aejo tequila is complex, full-bodied and is recommended for sipping. Its blend is also notable, especially for a tequila priced under $50, highlighted by pure agave and notes of citrus like lemon, lime and grapefruit. Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. Tequila Ocho Extra Anejo was the first high-end tequila that truly changed the way I thought of tequila. Avion nailed the palate here, enriching its formula with butterscotch, vanilla, roasted agave and marzipan notes for one unbelievable sip. Casa Dragones is labeled as a sipping tequilafor good reason. Floral, candy and fruit notes accompany the expected grassy agave, oak and brown sugar flavors. Time for some Fortaleza Reposado . The best tequila brands include many lesser-known distilleries and top-shelf spirits, but when it comes to sugary cocktails and shots, 1800 is the true champ. That changes now. Theyre both good quality, but for the price point, I usually stick to Herradura. This alone makes it a pop culture icon, but more so a go-to for adventurous nights out on the town. Cenote Blanco Tequila $43.99 Buy Now. Instead of the traditional methods described above, a diffuser extracts the sugars from the raw agave by blasting it with high-pressure streams of water, and sometimes using chemicals to help strip them out. "1942 is 100% Agave and from Jalisco," he says. Below we've listed some of our favorite sipping tequilas that will make you want to give your bar cart a makeover. Its a remarkable blend by Patrn Master Distiller David Rodriguez and his team, of 14 different extra aejo tequilas, each aged for up to eight years in French and American oak casks. 93; Recent . A tequila for Scotch lovers, this richly flavored anejo marries the vanilla and caramel notes you love from a good aged whiskey with the subtle fruit notes of an agave spirit. This tequila was co-founded by basketball great Michael Jordan, an in case that's not enticement enough, the anejo is aged for more than two years in ex-bourbon barrels for a honey-and-oak rich flavor with hints of spice and the faintest whiff of dark chocolate. The brand is also dedicated toenvironmental sustainability, which you can read more about here. Qui Extra Anejo tequila, by far. Don Julio 1942 is a complex, aromatic anejo tequila, aged longer than most anejos. This greatly intensifies the tequila, creating layers of complexity with sweetened notes of cooked agave, fruits and spices, along with heavily floral accents and a hint of caraway. The Distilled Spirits Council also reports that the super-premium category of tequila has more than quadrupled in sales in the last 10 years, becoming the second fastest grown spirits category, thanks in part to the fact that we've all begun to think beyond Cinco de Mayo celebrations and big batch margaritas and begin appreciating the subtleties and nuances of this ancient craft spirit. The brand thats perhaps most responsible for elevating the reputation of tequila first partnered with one of the finest French crystal design houses starting in 2015. The reposado is heady with roasted agave, a kiss of dry oak, vanilla and tropical fruit. Its Not Tequila If Its Not Produced in Specific Mexican States. After a long night or Patron Margaritas I ended the evening with a comparison between Don Julio 1942 vs Herradura Legend Anjeo Tequilas. Another recent and growing trend is the charcoal stripping of color from tequilas, producing an entirely new caregory called cristalino (although it has yet to be recognized by the CRT), basically a clear aged tequila with distinctive flavor profiles. Don Julio Don Julio 1942 $199 at Reserve Bar Don Julio is a total crowdpleaser and after one sip, you'll get why. 9:00 am - 12:00 am. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Oddly enough, that basic technique has never changed, in spite of the fact that tequila has now been around for over half a millennium. Being under the same umbrella as Jack Daniels and Old Forester bourbon, and having access to Brown-Formans in-house cooperage means Herradura can do some interesting things with barrel aging that other tequila brands cant. Each batch is aged for a minimum of 18 months in bourbon barrels, producing strong agave notes that remain prominent with every sip. You get almonds, apples and olives on the nose. But there are some new entries in this unofficial category to check out, including this bottle from Tequila Komos. It's then bottled at 40% ABV and presented in a tall, slender bottle which stands . The individually numbered crystal decanters were created by Laliques creative director, Marc Larminaux, and are reflective (literally) of the harvested green-topped agave pias. With its golden color,it's no surprise this tequila has notes ofhoney, vanilla, almond, coconut, lemon, and pineapple. Most tequila is produced in Jalisco, but it can also be made in some municipalities in Guanajuato, Michoacn, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. This labor of love aims for nothing less than a faithful recreation of how tequila was made 200 years ago. El Tesoro Paradiso is an extra-aejo that spent five years resting in ex-cognac barrels (instead of traditional American oak). At nearly $300, this isn't something you're going to shoot or mix in a margarita. The nose is agave-heavy, which is both welcoming and encouraging for those who often fear tequila. Cristalino was originally created by Beckmann, but since 2020 it has caught on with other tequileros as well; youll discover two of the newest cristalinos below. If you knowthen you know. . #yesIdrinktequilainachampagneglass #claseazulreposado #claseazul #drinkresponsibly, A post shared by Johnte Archer (@johnte_archer) on Nov 8, 2019 at 3:30pm PST, Joseph Palminteri, director of food and beverages at Via Sophia in Washington DC. Tequila Patrn, for example, has a NOM of 1492. . BRAND. We may earn a commission on items bought through our links. But Aejo tequila also works great for tequila-oriented takes on classic drinks like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Our suggestion: Pick up a few different bottles using different aging processes to see which one you like best. That rich earthiness, along with undertones of cracked pepper and light notes of vanilla, is reflected in the tequila. Not All Tequilas Are Created Equal (aka Beware the Diffuser). Its an ultra-premium reposado tequila made with Tequilana Weber Blue Agave that is slow-cooked in traditional stone ovens for a minimum of 72 hours. From its distillery just outside Guadalajara, Patrn produces more than 20 different tequila expressions, and its serious business. And if your drink of choice tends to sway towards brown liquor, well, you should give Patrons Roca Reposado a try. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The process is efficient and results in less expensive tequila, but the product is arguably inferior. The process to create this exceptional tequila begins with the founder's unwavering commitment to quality. The resulting liquid is golden in color, with a bouquet of toasted oak and caramel, followed by flavors of apricot and citrus, and with a smooth, honeyed agave finish. Produced by a female tequiliera, reinvesting a portion of profits back into the community through the Mijenta Foundation and committed to leaving a minimal environmental footprint, Mijenta ticks all the boxes for how wed want a modern-day tequila brand to conduct itself. They are less expensive and typically used in bars and restaurants for making mixed drinks. Its also the only one made in the state of Tamaulipas, and not Jalisco where the majority of tequila is made. This is a handmade luxury ceramic bottle, within which youll find aejo tequila aged in French oak white wine barrels and filtered to remove the color. Kah, which means life in the ancient Mayan language, is the only tequila to use Mexican silver in its water treatment process, which results in an exceptionally smooth flavor. Delish editors handpick every product we feature. This results in a high concentration of agave flavors, while still experiencing the essences of the Single Estate Los Patos 80 proof blanco, which is extremely smooth and worthy of savoring neat. 1800 Silver is an affordable option made from 100% Weber blue agave grown for eight to 12 years and harvested at its peak. Its infused with real fruit, too, so dont expect any of that artificial taste. Cleo. To start, agave plants are harvested by hand in the Jalisco Highlands, using farms that pass the strict standards of the Mexican Tequila Regulatory Council (TRC). Produced in small batches and aged for a minimum of two and a half years, Don Julio 1942 Tequila is handcrafted in tribute to the year that Don Julio Gonzlez began his . Family brand, years of experience, the best ingredients, and prepared the right way. There's no doubt that there are premium tequilas beyond that. Caraway's Viral Cookware Set Is $150 Off Right Now, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Avion Reserva 44 Extra Anejo Tequila 750ML Producer Notes Avion Reserva 44 is crafted in the highlands town of Jesus Maria, Mexico. If you're looking for an option for all-day sipping, this Valencia orange-infused tequila from woman-owned 21 Seeds is light and refreshing (but not sweet) on the palate and won't leave you feeling weighed down. This tequila goes through aseven-step fully sustainable and zero waste production process and the result is a drink that tastes of mellow wood, green apple, and almond. Ive always been someone who will shoot tequila (with salt, lime, and dread), but this tequila is truly a treat. Tequila Ocho is a unique brand because it releases single estate vintage tequilas. The process leaves the spirit with a deeply toasted flavor and hints of vanilla that will entice even the most ardent whiskey fans. Mijenta is the perfect brand for those who want quality and a spirit they can feel good about. It was worth the wait. This limited-edition aejo was created for the 60th anniversary of Don Julio. It's been agedfor seven years in used French oak red wine barrels before it makes its way into your glass and the result is a deep and almost sweet flavor withhints of oak and vanilla. 1942 is sweeter and heavier on the vanilla and caramel notes. Dont be fooled by the gold label on gold tequila. Hints of cappuccino, cinnamon, clove, deep vanilla, and salted. Our editors independently select the products we recommend. For more information, please see our The quality is superb and on par with many high-level tequilas. Salud! It comes from Richard Betts, the founder of Sombra Mezcal and Astral Tequila. These are only required to contain 51 percent agave, with the rest sugar water. The 44th month is spent in "specially selected petite barrels, which are rotated daily," according to Avion's website. heads, even among the best tequila brands. If you're a fan of whiskey or cognac, give thisrare, small-batch, extra aejo tequila a try! Spend big on it if you have a little extra coin to throw around, and your guests will be ecstatic. Older than that, the barrels tend to dominate the spirit, often making it woody and overpowering. (This works as a great party idea too. It's aged forfive years in oak barrels that have previously held scotch, sherry, and brandy and the result is aspicy and elegant drink. Fortunately, Mijentas is excellent. Pour it over ice or enjoy it neat and take it slow. But just as Scotch whiskies, which at one time were only aged in ex-bourbon or sherry casks but are now being finished in different wine or whiskey barrels, top shelf tequila has successfully adopted this practice. Just adding a little something to the bar! Earlier this year, Tequila Avion released Tequila Avion Reserva 44 which was the right product at the right time for the category. . 90; Top Rated Reviews. And thus, Tequila was born. If you want to discover authentic Mexican tequila with a bold yet traditional flavor, then order a bottle of El Tesoro Tequila. Made from 100% blue agave, this Jalisco tequila is aged in oak barrels for two years and then slowly filtered through activated charcoal to give it a crystal-clear look with the rich, nutty, toasted flavor of aejo.