For the Love of Tequila
May is the perfect month for a tequila tasting in Montana (and some would also suggest it’s a great time for mustaches, but that is arguable). It’s not quite summer yet, but we can smell the promise of it in the air. The endless margarita tap typically starts flowing right around Cinco De Mayo.
With so much tequila, lime and salt pumping into the Stonefly veins, we would be remiss not to stop and appreciate the spirit, it’s origins and the people who care for the Blue Weber Agave plants from which our favorite elixirs are squeezed.
Our second Stonefly tequila tasting featured five 100% blue agave tequilas and one aphrodisiac – I mean tequila liqueur. We started with Patron Silver with the idea of proving that an expensive tequila doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best tequila, so we tasted Tres Generaciones Silver against the Patron. Verdict – Patron was way smoother and we think is because the Tres Generaciones Silver is triple distilled, making it a bit harsher on the gullet. There were no worries on the gullet-burn, however, because we had the authentic Sangrita tomato-citrus drink to chase the tequila with and bring us all back to our Mexican roots 😉 Next we tasted Cazadores Reposado vs Herradura Reposado. In this step up to a barrel aged tequila we noticed the Cazadores is pretty spicy as opposed to the Herradura.
While we tasted our tequilas, yours truly was tottering around on high heels serving the spirits from a floppy tray and simultaneously telling the stories of where these tequilas originated, who developed their recipes and what has happened to the companies since tequila has become so popular world-wide. We are partial to Herradura because the company is still in the family’s hands, and you can just about taste the history and quality in your glass.
Naturally, then, we graduated to the Herradura Anejo and truly savored the deliciously sweet and mild tequila. The anejo is a special treat, but if you are going for quality and value you can easily stick with the Herradura Reposado because it is just that good.
We finished the evening with a really smooth and delicious 100% Blue Agave tequila liqueur, Agavero. If I had to describe it in one word – LOVE. That could be because I have an incredible sweet tooth, and it could also be because the liqueur is infused with the Damiana flower, a purported aphrodisiac that grows in the highlands of the tequila region of Mexico. Use caution when drinking Agavero – more than one person may have conceived their next generation that night!
How DOES one consume a bunch of tequila while talking about it and using their questionable balancing skills (I’m a world class clutz) and not make a fool of themselves, anyway? The answer to that question might not be as interesting as the answer to this one: How do you drink all of that tequila and not have a massive hangover the next day? Well, the Internet told me if I chased the tequila with a Pacifico at the end of the night I would have no hangover… I am pleased to report the Internet did not dissapoint – it worked!
Until the next Liquor Tasting – Adios Amigos! –Stacey