This post originally started life as a Tequila Timeline, but annoyingly Ian Chadwick has already comprised a massive compendium on the subject in the form of ‘In Search of the Blue Agave’. Please check out the link, I only wish all spirits had a free resource as detailed and comprehensive is this.

So instead, this will be a short piece of opinion writing on Tequila.

For me, Tequila has probably the greatest variance of quality within the market place of any spirit commonly available. From the cheap white mixto1 varieties, to the super-premium sipping anejos. 95% is ignorantly consumed by binge drinkers looking to get drunk quickly on an exotic spirit, usually with some kind of theatre, be it the salt and lemon/lime (tequila cruda) or the traditional ’slammer’ (tequila and sparkling wine).

I think that it is down to the stigmas of binge drinking and general piss artistry that has attached a labels of low quality and foul taste to Tequila. Indeed, my first experience of the drink was accompanied by a lick of salt and a squeeze of lemon, in fact my second, third and fiftieth experiences were probably similar situations! The fact of the matter is that there are some amazing Tequilas (and Mezcals2) out there, all that is required is for us to start drinking them.

It takes a minimum of 180 days to make a bottle of vodka – 178 to sew, grow and harvest the grain, and two days to ferment and distill it into vodka. A bottle of Tequila by comparison takes at least 2,500 days to make – A minimum of 7 (up to 10) years to grow the Agave, a days harvesting3, another day or two to ferment the aguamiel (honey water), and then on to distillation. This of course doesn’t include aging – 2-12 months for a Reposado (rested), 12-36 months for an Anejo (Aged) and over 36 months for an Extra Anejo.

A single bottle of Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Famillia contains a proportion of Tequila aged for over 30 years, meaning that the bottle began its production over 40 years ago.

It is unlikely that any one Jimador will harvest the same field more than four times in his life, due to the maturation time of the Agave plant.

I would argue that the time spent waiting and the man hours spent toiling, should be enough to convince any discerning drinker, that Tequila is a liquor worth every penny, or else why bother?

If you like great whisky, Cognac or rum, next time you go to a good bar make sure you check out their Tequila selection and give one a go. There are over 900 brands of Tequila, most of them never leave the shores of Mexico, but my particular favourties are Don Julio Reposado, Jose Cuervo Tradicional and Chinaco Reposado. Try them either straight up, with a little ice, or a splash of soda, I promise you that by the end of the glass you wont be disappointed!

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