But if youre looking to take a celebratory shot, then blanco is a good option, says Gonzlez. Buy Maestro Dobel 50 Cristalino Extra Anejo $159.99. EXTRACTION: Tahona. "Bribon is a solid tequila for its price," says Fallon. Despite the brands hard-partying reputation (blame it on lyrical shout-outs from everyone from Lil Jon to Bruno Mars), the company is actually making some incredibly interesting, flavorful and expensive tequila these days, with bottles of its Patrn En Lalique: Serie 2 going for up to $7,500 online. Hes been in the tequila business for almost thirty years, starting out with the award-winning Cabo Wabo brand back in 1991. Aging Process: Just like a fine wine, tequila also goes through an aging process. The Aejo promises notes of vanilla, caramel, cacao, and butterscotch, while the agave takes a supporting role. 100% Agave: Tequila comes from the agave plant, but not all tequilas are made with 100% agave sugar. Good stuff!! Additives are allowed if they account for under 1% of the total liquid. Casa Dragones, $70+, Most tequilas are aged in American oak, but Casa Noble is different. 13. In addition to being healthier than Smirnoff vodka, tequila has a plethora of health . I think this is the most important thing with tequilaat least the tequila that I want to drink. The citrusy, floral, mineral flavor profile of a blanco tequila complements the rich citrus flavor of a margarita, he explains. Cenote makes a super drinkable tequila thats flavorful without overwhelming the palette. I have a couple questions: Espolon Blanco tequila honors Mexico's art and history, and the story of Espolon - the spur of a rooster - is great for starting conversations. They can change the taste, by making the tequila sweeter with sugar based syrups or "jarabes", which can also include flavors and aromas, and this isn't just agave syrup, but a number of sugar based products, like cane sugar, aspartame, corn syrup, sucralose (Splenda), and stevia. Tequila's popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, and the top bottles now command cultish prices formerly reserved for the rarest of Scotches and small-batch bourbons. In addition to the core expressions, if you're really looking to splurge you can try the extra anejo, aged for seven long years in ex-whiskey barrels, and priced at $350 . Before being triple distilled, this silver tequila had the tropical fruit cooked in traditional stone . Thank you for the list, what kind of additives are you talking about? A nice touch: the hand-blown glass bottle, which is topped with a hand-painted agave pia and vintage-inspired label. The caramel, vanilla and wood notes are strong, but thankfully the agave isn't lost in the aging. We dont have much production information on this product either. The Norma Oficial Mexicana number (or NOM) is assigned by the Mexican government and certifies that the bottle youre holding is authentic tequila produced in Mexico. Jose Cuervo, Patrn, Don Julio, Casamigos and Hornitos are the top five tequilas, per The Spirits Business. The . Your email address will not be published. Additives can greatly change the color (SEE ABOVE- again thanks to Taste Tequila), making the appearance of longer aging, with caramel coloring. And legend has it, the first margarita ever made featured Jose Cuervo. Olmeca Altos has won quite a few awards over the years and are worthy of a place on your bar cart. Although not technically tequila, Revels Avila should be on every tequila and mezcal fans radar. 3/1/2023 0 Comments At Aroma Thyme Bistro, we are passionate about supporting local and sustainable businesses. Just wondering how I can tell is a brand that is not on your list is or is not additive free. And, it gets smarter the more you use it. and is there an app you prefer for Mezcal? We want to hear it. El Tesoro may be owned by Beam Suntory, the Japanese company responsible for Suntory Whisky, but this tequila is still made from traditional methods and local agave. Tired of Standing? Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Thanks so much for this list and all your efforts to be able to share your research with us all. The company says it sources naturally filtered water from an artesian well located at their distillery, which sits at the base of the Jalisco volcano. Blanco tequila is the ideal choice for margaritas, says Eduardo "Lalo" Gonzlez, co-founder and master distiller of LALO Tequila and grandson of Don Julio Gonzlez of the iconic Don Julio tequila brand. Thanks for leading the charge and creating transparency in the industry. Best Value: Pueblo Viejo Blanco. Others who are more true to agave spirits, may not like that profile and would prefer a more agave forward presence. It has notes of vanilla, ripe fruit and butter and can be enjoyed neat, with salt and lime, chilled, or however else you like to drink your tequila. He uses different distillation equipment and different agaves grown at different altitudes, as an alternative, and as long as you have the additional equipment, use your head, and not take the easy way out, this is a perfect solution instead of using additives. Clasa Azul is an additive-loaded tequila of low quality and is extraordinarily overpriced. To compensate for a light hue, it seems a large number of suppliers are placing caramel color into their aged reposado tequila or anejo tequila, although I know a good amount of quality brands, that although impossible to prove, appear not to use any additives, including colorings. Additive-free tequilas do not require salt or lime to enjoy. Smooth and delicate, Cdigo 1530s Rosa Tequila makes for perfect after-work sipping, or used in a hand-crafted cocktail. The tech side is easy, the admin side is not! Pick Up Some of These Gloves First, Tired of Standing? We go into detail about that here: https://tastetequila.com/2017/the-lowdown-on-tequila-additives/. This brand is one of the top-shelf tequilas that are pure with no additives included. This isnt a surprise, given Jose Cuervo is an affordable, versatile tequila that you can find in just about any liquor store. Roca Patrn Silver ($69) Emphatically agave-scented, this is made with the traditional tahona method, using a two-ton volcanic rock to crush the roasted pias. Another thing to look for aside: a four-digit number that represents each distillerys unique code. Don Abraham Organic Blanco Tequila. Now, fans of Dwayne Johnson and tequila alike can purchase Teremana online and get it delivered to their door. I'm told it's possible a brand who contracts at a distillery may not even be aware if there are additives in their own tequila. Our propietary matching algorithm uses nine different characteristics to find the best matches for you. This is an unpretentious, no-nonsense tequila with nothing added, just 100% blue Weber agave. Dano's Dangerous Tequila Pineapple & Jalapeo Fresh Fruit Infusion. . This year's offering of . If you're still going for corn-based alcohols (not just whiskey, bourbon and rye, but some gins and vodkas, too), pick ones made with non-GMO corn. ArteNOM 1579 - NOM's 1079, 1580, 1549, 1146, 1414, 1579, 1123. Let's learn about Brands & Agave Spirits on FB, Instagram, and YouTube. Siembra Azul Blanco is an exemplary tequila blanco from the highlands of Jalisco. 1800 Agavales Altos Avion Casa . At the time, that was enough for us. $46 at Reserve Bar. This tequila pulls soft notes from the barrels like caramel and vanilla, as well as sweet, tropical fruity flavors like pineapple, and works well with the herbaceous flavors of the tequila, adds Sylvi Roy, bar manager at Twelve in Portland, Maine. Each batch is distilled for a minimum of two months in stainless steel barrels, and delivers a nice mix of sweet agave, light citrus and just a hint of vanilla. 1. These young tequilas are less expensive and typically used in bars and restaurants for making mixed drinks. Each bottle is hand-crafted and hand-painted, so no two are alike, making Clase Azul a great gift idea as well. Are they true, who can you believe? The popularity of tequila has exploded in recent years, and as the spirit has evolved, so, too, has the number of brands on the market. I hope more brands/distilleries jump on this protocol. From blanco to reposado to aejo, all of Mijentas tequilas are produced with the utmost care for exceptional flavor. Each tequila has its own "flavor fingerprint," and each person has his or her own flavor preferences. Mijenta Tequila, $43+, Eterno Verano, which means "endless summer" in Spanish, was inspired by the 1966 movie The Endless Summer. Also be on the lookout for Santo's excellent Blanco and Reposado tequilas. I respect people that want quality and are not cutting corners, and promise they will never use any additives. Gran Coramino, $60+, Clase Azul wins for the packaging alone. What you get is pure flavor thats perfect for sipping or adding to cocktails. Syrup, or "jarabe", is a mixture of different ingredients, primarily for the purposes of creating a sweeter product. There are three main types of tequila to choose from. Thank you so much for this list! Many thanks. If youre hosting a party or large gathering, youll want to stock up on bottles of Espoln. This list will be updated each time a brand is added (or removed) from the program. Brands aren't required to put additives on the label, and even 100 percent agave tequilas commonly use them. Inspections are done on-site and can last from a few hours to a few days, depending on how many brands and products we are reviewing at the distillery. A new addition to the tequila category, this blanco burst onto the drinks scene in 2021, garnering rave reviews for maximal flavor at a minimal price. Chock full of artificial sweeteners by my pallet. I just want to give you some statements and some brand names to explore. Its best sipped slow for a warm, inviting mouthfeel. All of Casa Dragones tequilas are made in small batches using a sustainable production method. The Mezquila is more flavorful than your typical tequila, but not in-your-face smokey like most mezcals. Blending of different barrels at the end before bottling, plays a major role in tequila making, and remember that although they use the barrels multiple times, they may also be blending with a fresh 'new' aged barrel of tequila as well, as this really is an art. Spirit of the Earth, he says. If you want to feel like a celebrity while sipping tequila, then this is definitely the brand for you. The top five best-selling tequila brands run the gamut from budget picks to higher-end options. Thank you! ABV: 46.3%. Gran Coraminos tequilas are roasted in traditional stone ovens and barrel-aged. We have to stop thinking a dark and rich color is always the real thing, and start thinking about realistic, clean, additive free tequila, regardless of the color or lack of color. Want to know more? Shots are not the proper way to taste tequila. Break this one out for the most special of occasions. Nobu AND QUI Tequila Launch Nobu Rare 2008 Reserve. And while there are a number of tequila brands that have launched in recent months, this list runs the gamut from tried-and-true brands, to limited-edition releases that youll be smart to pick up if you see them available online. Compared to a 100-calorie pour of tequila, that's pretty good. The product is kosher, organic, and certified clean industry. Hi Luis. Theyre one of the most affordable tequila brands and offer silver, gold and aejo varieties to suit any taste. The more expressions I try, the more sensitive I become to artificial flavorings. Besides margaritas, Roy shares these three delicious cocktails you can make with tequila: Related:15 Interesting Things to Mix With Tequila, From blanco to reposado to aejo, Patrn offers every type of tequila you could desire. Thanks for a complete list and for clarifying about Blancos and the NOM loophole, as well as everything else you do. This is most pronounced with the Rosa, which spends a month in un-charred Napa Valley Cabernet French white oak barrels, giving it a beautiful pink hue and notes of ripe fruit and cherry on the . The Reposado features notes of sweet vanilla, oak, mushrooms, ginger, caramel and citrus, which gives it that perfect balance of earthiness, sweetness and spiciness with an easy finish and no lingering aftertaste. Tequila Bribn, $26+, If youre looking for a budget-friendly tequila that tastes like it costs way more, then look no further than El Jimador. These additives aren't illegal, per se. I even contacted ones that some people feel are definite abusers. Send to: tequilamatchmaker@gmail.com. Aged from one to three years, this tequila pulls notes from whatever barrels it sits in, says Roy. The oak extract can add oak aromas and flavors found in oak barrels, helping to confuse you even further in thinking it was aged much longer than it was. If your bottle doesnt have a NOM, that means its not certified by the TRC (Tequila Regulatory Council), and not an authentic Tequila producer. Its great to know which ones already meet the criteria, but to the point about Don Julio, how do we know if a brand has been tested and failed, versus not being tested? Pasote and El Tesoro de Don Felipe are both listed as an additive-free distilleries, but their respective XAs are not marked as Additive-free. Region: Jalisco, Mexico | ABV: 40% | Tasting Notes: White pepper, Agave, Mint. The distillery is steeped in a rich history, tracing its . As a matter of fact, he doesn't care if his aged tequilas look light or don't match each other in batches, and I love that. I like the app and web site very much, but may I suggest that you have a 2 tiered rating system: All Rights reserved. Several factors come into play at each stage of this process, but at the very least, for a tequila to be great, it must be all agave, with no additives. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time The Tequila: I lean toward clean, unaged agave spirits for most of the year, however, spring is a nice time for reposado and aejo. Also, no, you cannot assume that if a distillery is verified it means that all of their products are additive-free. Guillermo Erickson Sauza of 'Fortaleza' told me "we don't add any additives, and we don't make tequila for anyone", and I was told that 'Siete Leguas' never uses any flavorings, colorings, or additives, as well as 'Tequila Caballito Cerrero' and San Matias. For everyone else, the regular (but still beautifully bottled) Maestro Dobel 50 Cristalino Extra Anejo is available online starting from $159. Please check on CABAL tequila- spoke with them personally at an event and they claimed to be additive free! Keep in mind that technically, if you exceed the 1% total volume rule, it must be labeled as a 'licor' or a 'crema', like these (ABOVE), and that's the way it should be. Sugar-based Syrup. Hey, we're all about being social! Handcrafted using the time-honored tahona process, the Roca Patrn Tequila collection offers a sophisticated and complex flavor profile thats an elegant and elevated take on tequila. Herradura got back to me saying that they're 100% additive free including their El Jimador line of products. This incredible distillate features notes of olives, herbs, earth and grass. Also be on the lookout for Santos excellent Blanco and Reposado tequilas. We are Grover and Scarlet, tequila fans who just cant seem to get enough of tequila. I'm sure the brands are well aware of this, which only makes the problem worse. I assume these brands tell themselves that it's part of the 'tequila making procedure'. 5 Types of Tequila. The usual list is G4, Terralta, Pasote, Fortaleza, Cascahuin, El Tesoro, Tapatio, Siete Leguas, Olmeca Altos, and a few others. We cant release that type of information without the risk of a lawsuit. We like what the brand is doing with the no-for-profit S.A.C.R.E.D too, which re-invests 100% of proceeds from merchandise and a portion of tequila sales back into the local Mexican communities where agave spirits are made to identify and support vital needs. 3. On Facebook, many know me by the name Lou Agave. Thanks to investment and refinement from some pioneering brands, long gone are the days when Tequila was known only for its harsh palate. We need to let each other know, of the 'obvious offenders', even though it's legal up to this 1% limit. So excited to confidently try some expressions that are verified free of additives.
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