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Tequila & Mezcal

Tequila, Mezcal & Agave Spirits

There’s more to Tequila than the Margarita or Paloma – we’ve got a collection of Blanco’s, Reposados and smoky, savoury Mezcal that are so good, they’re perfect for sipping.

A beginner’s guide to Tequila & Mezcal

Tequila is a spirit made from the agave plant and is strongly connected to Mexico’s image. Genuinely few spirits can boast such a strong connection between liquid, culture and provenance as Tequila.

The spirit is tied inextricably to all of Mexico’s characteristics; its smells, its climate, its national identity and just as is the case for the country’s art, music, and literature, Tequila and Mezcal are spirits that are as varied and filled with complexity and beauty as they are a delight to discover.

Here’s a quick guide to help navigate the jargon and the styles of Tequila, appreciate why it’s such a special spirit and help guide you towards the bottle that suits you best.

AGAVE BASED SPIRITS

All Tequila is made from Agave, but not all Agave Spirits can be called Tequila. There are several pre-requisites that must be satisfied before any Tequila can be certified by the CRT – the Tequila Regulatory Council, but chief amongst them is using only one specific variety of agave.

There are hundreds of classified agave species across the world, the majority of which are indigenous to Mexico. That said, only one variety – the Agave Tequilana Weber var. Azul is allowed to be used in tequila production.

The Blue Agave, as it’s commonly known, is noble plant and needs to grow for 6 to 9 years under the hot Mexican sun to develop the complex fructan chains needed before being harvested. 

Think about that for a second, even unaged Blanco Tequilas have taken over six years to even be possible to make! No other spirit uses a base material that takes so long to harvest.

THE TEQUILA REGION

Tequila is believed to have been invented in the 16th century, in the town of Tequila, located northwest of Guadalajara in the Mexican state of Jalisco.

Today, Jalisco remains the primary region for tequila production (most of the bottles you’ll find here are distilled in the State) but Tequila is also permitted to be made in certain parts of 4 other Mexican states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas.

Anything made outside of these strictly defined areas, even if made using Blue Agave, cannot be called Tequila.

SHOP ALL TEQUILA

HOW IS TEQUILA MADE

To make Tequila, ripe agave is harvested and the heart (or piña) is removed, quartered and cooked. The liquid extracted from the cooked agave is then fermented with yeast and once ready, distilled.

The details of each of the parts plays a huge role in the flavour of the spirit. How ripe the agave is and the location (terroir) it grew in impacts the sugar levels. Whether it’s been cooked in a traditional brick oven, or an autoclave will sway the flavour, how the agave is pressed makes a difference, as does the type of yeast and the fermentation time. Lastly, the still itself, from shape to size to material (copper, stainless steel or other) as well as how it is operated is a fundamental point of difference.

Techniques and knowhow are passed from one generation to the next and each producer will have very particular methods that give their spirits a unique identity.

STYLES OF TEQUILA

Blanco Tequila is unaged and often crystal clear. It’s considered to be the purest form of Tequila and when made well, Blancos can showcase the remarkable complexity of the agave plant.

Reposado Tequila is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of two months (up to a year). Despite it being a relatively short time spent in casks, this aging process mellows out the flavour and often reposado tequilas have discernible qualities from the casks themselves – such as vanilla and tannic structure.

Anejo Tequila (aged for at least one year) and Extra Anejo (aged for over three years) are also common styles of Tequila. Due to the influence of the casks, they typically have rounder flavour profiles rich in oak, vanilla and where the cooked agave softens with flavours of butterscotch and full-bodied finishes.

Cristalino Tequila is becoming more popular as a style. The name translates as “crystalline” from Spanish – and a Cristalino tequila is usually an añejo or extra añejo tequila that has been filtered with activated charcoal in order to remove its colour and enhance its fruity and floral character. While it may look similar to a blanco to the eye, this process means the flavour is anything but - the spirit still retains the taste and aroma profile of a tequila that has been barrel aged.

100% AGAVE vs MIXTO

A key descriptor to look for when selecting a Tequila is if it says 100% Agave or not. In the case of 100% Agave Tequila - only blue agave sugars have been used prior to fermentation.

If the label does not state this, it means the Tequila is a “Mixto”. This is allowed to have as little as 51% agave sugars and a maximum of 49% other sugars (often sugar cane or corn sugars are used).

Typically, mixto tequilas are cheaper (as they are easier and cheaper to produce) and historically, there has been a gulf in the quality between the two. Thankfully that gap is closing and there are lots of factors that go into the quality of any given tequila, meaning you can now find good versions of both.

MEZCAL vs TEQUILA

There are two key differences to understand between Tequila and Mezcal. Firstly, Mezcal can be made from dozens of different types of agave, while Tequila can only be made from the Blue Agave. Tequila regulated and limited to very specific regions of Mexico, while Mezcal can be made in more places, such as Guerrero, Puebla, Michoacán, Tamaulipas, Guanajuato, Zacatecas, Durango and San Luís Potosí.

The predominant region for Mezcal is Oaxaca and the varying use of agave varieties – from single species like Espadin, Tepeztate, Tobalá, Arroqueño, Bicuixe or Madre-Cuishe – each bring completely unique characteristics to Ensemble blends (where multiple varieties are all mixed together).

It cannot be understated how much of a rural and community driven spirit Mezcal remains, and not only is that a big part of the appeal, it explains why it is variable batch to batch and in short supply.

If the artisan nature of the spirit didn’t already limit the supply, often these agave varieties used take significantly longer than six to nine years to grow, making the spirit even more scarce.

Understanding Mezcal

Mezcal can be made in more industrial set ups but it remains a spirit that is predominantly small batch and craft lead. There are protected and regulated terms that can guide you towards these truly authentic small producers too – Ancestral and Artisanal.

As the name suggests, Ancestral Mezcal is the most old-school way of making the spirit. The term signifies that the Mezcal is made using pit-cooked agave that has been stone milled and via wood-fired clay-pot distillation only. The use of stainless steel is strictly forbidden, while the agave fibres (usually discarded) are left in during distillation.

Artisanal Mezcal is a little more modern. The term is regulated to prohibit the use of autoclaves and diffusers, crushing can be done with mechanical shredders, fermentation is mainly done in wood and no stainless steel is allowed. Meanwhile copper stills with swan necks are accepted but column stills are not. More modern perhaps, but nowhere near industrial…

SHOP MEZCAL

Tequila terms & Agave Spirit Jargon

An autoclave is a giant pressure cooker in which steam cooks the agaves. They are much easier to clean than the traditional brick ovens (called hornos) and are considered to be more efficient as they take less time to cook the agave.

Each producer has a NOM - a Norma Oficial Mexicana number. The NOM number denotes that the bottle is authentic tequila produced in Mexico and it also tells you which tequila producer it comes from. If you want to know more about who made the spirit, look that number up and the producer it is registered to.

Con Gusano means the bottles comes with a worm in it. The worm is actually a caterpillar from a species of moth known as the agave worm (Gusano de Maguey).

A tahona wheel is made of volcanic stone and can weigh up to two tons. It is used to press / squeeze the juice from the agave fibres so that it can be separated and go on to be fermented.

TEQUILA & MEZCAL COCKTAILS

Tequila works remarkably well as the base spirit in any cocktail and it’s no coincidence that the Margarita is one of the world’s most popular mixed drinks. The are hundreds of twists on the Margarita too, but go beyond that and the Tequila Sunrise and you'll find a world of amazing combination awaits.

Some of the other famous tequila cocktails include the Paloma, El Diabolo and the Michelada, as well as agave versions of classics like the Mezcal Negroni, Smokey Espresso Martini or in a Bloody Maria. Take our word for it, agave is made for cocktails!

For those making their own, try a Blanco style Tequila for cocktails with lots of citrus in them, and aged expressions (like Reposado or Añejo) in ‘aromatic’ cocktails that do not contains fruit.

TEQUILA COCKTAIL RECIPES

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Don Fulano 5 Year Old Imperial Extra Añejo Tequila

70cl 40% ABV
MX Mexico

Don Fulano Imperial is rich and complex with a great combination of elegance and power. Blended from dark European oak and oloroso sherry casks it’s abundant in fruit notes, cooked agave, caramel, oak and vanilla.

Key Flavours

Caramel

Vanilla

Oak

Dried Fruit

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Código 1530 Origen Extra Añejo Tequila

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

An extra old Tequila that presents pronounced notes of charred oak and cooked agave alongside rich tannins extracted from the cask (as well as plentiful notes of dried raisin and prune).

Key Flavours

Dried Fruit

Oak

Vanilla

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Casamigos Añejo Tequila

70cl 40% ABV
MX Mexico

Rich caramel coloured, Casamigos Añejo Tequila is an easy sipping delight from the brand founded by actor George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman.

Key Flavours

Caramel

Vanilla

Oak

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Fortaleza Añejo Tequila

70cl 40% ABV
MX Mexico

Guillermo Sauza launched Fortaleza in 2005 and has become one of the most famous tequilas around the world. With baked agave, vanilla and a slightly spicy and enduring finish, their Añejo is well worth a try.

Key Flavours

Oak

Spiced

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Vivir Tequila Añejo

70cl 40% ABV
MX Mexico

Vivir Tequila Añejo takes the brand's much loved Blanco, and ages it for 18 months in American Oak bourbon casks, bringing in complexity and depth. One to savour!

Key Flavours

Vegetal

Smoky

Oak

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Don Julio Añejo Tequila

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

Don Julio 1942 Tequila is handcrafted in tribute to the year that Don Julio González began his Tequila-making journey (at the sweet age of 17!). Smooth and incredibly complex - this is one for the connoisseurs.

Key Flavours

Vanilla

Oak

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El Jimador Añejo Tequila

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

Añejo' means 'aged' in Spanish and El Jimador Añejo Tequila has taken its time in the barrel in order to produce a smooth and delicious sipping tequila.

Key Flavours

Vanilla

Spiced

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Don Julio 1942 Tequila

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

Don Julio 1942 Tequila is handcrafted in tribute to the year that Don Julio González began his Tequila-making journey (at the sweet age of 17!). Smooth and incredibly complex - this is one for the connoisseurs.

Key Flavours

Caramel

Vanilla

Oak

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Rooster Rojo Añejo Tequila

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

Rooster Rojo's Añejo is an expression where the oak plays a big part of the profile - tobacco and chocolate on the nose, caramel, roasted agave to taste and vanilla on the finish.

Key Flavours

Caramel

Vanilla

Coffee

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Herradura Añejo Tequila

70cl 40% ABV
MX Mexico

One of the original Añejo when it launched in 1962 and remarkably smooth spirit, Herradura Añejo Tequila melts on your tongue leaving notes of cooked agave, toasted oak and dried fruit.

Key Flavours

Vanilla

Oak

Dried Fruit

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El Sueño Tequila Gold

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

El Sueño Gold Tequila is rested for up to two months in oak casks, helping add a hint of sweet caramel and vanilla notes into the spirit. An easy sipper at a banging price!

Key Flavours

Tropical Fruits

Caramel

Vanilla

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Patrón Añejo Tequila

70cl 40% ABV
MX Mexico

Patrón Añejo Tequila is made from 100% Weber Blue Agave that's been oak aged for over 12 months to produce a tequila perfect for sipping.

Key Flavours

Vanilla

Oak

Dried Fruit

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Volcan De Mi Tierra Tequila Cristalino

70cl 40% ABV
MX Mexico

An amazing Cristalino Tequila made up of a blend of añejo and extra añejo Tequila aged in a combination of Whisky and Cognac casks. One for those who are seeking a delicious drink to sip slowly!

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El Sueño Tequila Silver

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

Amazingly smooth and floral, El Sueño Tequila Silver is a bargain for the quality you get from it. Ideal for those looking for a "house" pour to make their Margaritas with…

Key Flavours

Floral

Crisp & Clean

Citrus

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1800 Añejo Tequila

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

1800 Añejo Tequila is a superb ultra-premium 100% blue agave tequila from Jose Cuervo. With a deep, luxurious mouthfeel, it's ideal for sipping or serving on the rocks.

Key Flavours

Vanilla

Caramel

Spiced

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Hacien Añejo Cristalino Tequila

70cl 38% ABV
MX Mexico

Hacien Añejo Cristalino is made with 100% agave that's been mature in American oak casks, before being charcoal filtered. The result is delicious and all too easy to sip away on…

Key Flavours

Oak

Herbal

Vanilla

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