Since Minimum Unit Pricing of Alcohol – MUP – has come into force in Ireland I’ve noticed a few more bottles of spirits offered in 500ml packages.
Sierra Tequila Silver – for sale in Dunnes & Tesco – happened to be one of the first – so I bought it!
I’m happy to have smaller bottles.
Tasting a wide variety of spirits is what excites me & smaller bottles allows me to indulge for less outlay.
So how was Sierra Silver?
Having previously enjoyed a miniature Reposado from this fun brand – well who else would put a sombrero stopper on their bottles? – I was pre-disposed to the Silver.
There’s no mention of 100% Agave so clearly Sierra is a Mixto style of Tequila – but it does have an expressive earthy agave nose.
Smooth & oily on the palate.
The finish is very drying. That peppery spice is to the fore & leaves with a lip-smacking prickliness.
Sierra Silver is a fun & flavoursome tequila to tipple!
Information on the web was scant – but it appears the brand went through a number of multi-national owners over the years.
Seagrams previously owned Don Julio, followed by Jose Cuervo – who gained Bushmills in a deal with Diageo when they in turn acquired full control of Don Julio in 2014.
My bottle is probably sometime before Diageo’s involvement with Don Julio – which began in 2003 – making this bottle around 20 years old!
There’s also odd labelling too.
It simply states ‘aged’.
No reposado or anejo.
Another indicator this predates the ‘Official Mexican Standards For Tequila‘ issued in 2005.
So I cracked it open to have a taste of tequila history!
Once it’s poured from the dumpy brown bottle a very pale yellowing colour presents itself.
What it’s aged in or for how long isn’t divulged – but from the colour it would probably come under the current reposado category.
There’s a lovely richness to the nose – classic earthy agave with a black pepper spice.
Very smooth in the mouth – oily too.
A growing warmth develops before leaving with that signature dry pepper spice which pleases my palate.
I have a decision to make when reaching for Tequila.
Do I choose the influence of the raw materials used in production or the influence of wood in the maturation of that product?
Blue Agave is the raw material – 100% in this Corazón Tequila – but there are a few different production methods that can effect the taste – earthen pits vs brick ovens vs autoclave to cook the agave being some.
I didn’t check which method Corazón used before drinking & have yet to do a back to back taste test of all 3 methods to discern any resultant differences.
However I have done a back to back tasting of Blanco Tequila – unaged – vs Reposado – aged between 2 & 11 months – vs Anejo – aged for more than 1 year – and it does make a noticeable taste variation.
With Blanco it’s all about the agave. The rich earthy notes I love complimented by a spicy pepperiness on the finish usually topped off by an oily mouthfeel.
With Anejo those agave notes are somewhat diminished by the influence of wood. Oaky tannins, vanillas & caramel all make an appearance resulting in a softer more rounded drinking experience.
I begin to encounter flavours associated with aged whiskey – where it’s all about the wood – & therefore generally prefer Blanco.
That’s not to say Corazón Anejo isn’t a fine Tequila – it is.
Smooth & silky, those agave notes are blended expertly with warm woodiness building engaging flavours – but for an alternative to my usual whiskey tipple – Blanco is the way to go.
What’s your preference in a Tequila?
Sláinte
For an article on Tequila production methods read here.
Olmeca Tequila is found in pretty much every Irish supermarket & is often the only tequila offered at many bars & hotels.
This shouldn’t be much of a surprise given Pernod Ricard own the brand & possibly use the Jameson distribution network for Olmeca too.
I’ve enjoyed a few glasses of Olmeca in various bars.
The nose portrays that signature agave pungency with hints of peppery spice.
The smooth palate lacks a little flair with an accentuated black peppery spice on the finish.
Olmeca Reposado ticks all the tequila taste boxes – but not being 100% agave it does miss out a tad on the flavour front.
Often listed as Olmeca Gold – denoting a mixto tequila where only 51% has to be agave based & Gold possibly being coloured – Olmeca Reposado – also mixto but with barrel ageing – appears to be the bottle supermarkets stock.
In the absence of any alternatives – it does the trick.
Vegetal agave notes mix with stimulating spice on an engagingly long lasting finish.
Class.
Reposado, 55%
Quite a spirity nose.
Only when I got out the magnifying glass did I realise this one’s at a stonking 55%!
Not encountered that before in Tequila!
Sadly – on my palate – the higher ABV gave a mouth blowing experience accentuating the peppery spice at the expense of the more subtle yet alluring agave notes.
Glad to have tried it – but not for me.
Anejo, 40%
Back to a richer, fuller flavoured & rounder drinking experience at 40%.
Less spice, more vegetal agave with a topping of oakiness.
A juicy lip-smacking finish.
Nice.
Thoughts
As is my personal palate preference – Blanco wins out.
The richness & influence of the agave raw ingredients are at their most pronounced with Blanco.
The 55% Reposado is something unique – but detracted from the warm flavours for me.
Anejo was lovely & complex with barrel ageing – just not engaging enough for my palate.
KAH have produced an extremely attractively packaged trio of tasty tequila.
Many may find them gimmicky – but I think both the Mexican Skulls & the rich agave notes within demonstrate & celebrate the joyfully long heritage of Tequila making.
Global drinks group Jose Cuervo’s Tequilas regularly top the best selling charts.
In Ireland they aren’t doing too badly either with Bushmills coming in at No 3 for the Irish Whiskey category.
The recent hot weather prompted me to sample some Jose Cuervo Tequila.
One positive from the pandemic is a profusion of outlets offering tasting packs to whet your appetite.
c/oCelticWhiskeyShop
This particular 6 bottle selection was ordered from Celtic Whiskey Bar & Larder – although other providers exist.
A zoom tasting accompanied it – I missed the date – but it didn’t deter me from enjoying the tequila!
Comprising of 3 separate ranges – all 100% blue agave & 38% ABV – I chose initially to compare within each brand starting with the Tradicional offerings.
Tradicional Tequila c/oCelticWhiskeyShop
Traditional Silver
That classic earthy agave pungency greeted me with a hint of peppery spice.
Smooth & silky palate topped off with a hearty serving of signature black pepper spice on the finish.
Just what I expect from a tequila.
Traditional Reposado
The agave pungency was tempered a touch by hints of barrel ageing.
More complexity on the palate as the interplay between the raw ingredients used & wood maturation played out & added a hint of oakiness to the finish.
Very enjoyable – although the clear simplicity of the Silver won me over.
A trio of brand 1800 came next.
1800 Tequila c/oCelticWhiskeyShop
1800 Silver
Back – for me at least – to the signature agave & spice combination.
Lovely.
1800 Reposado
Once again – a lovely interplay between the distilling ingredients & wooden maturation.
1800 Anejo
I was beginning to miss the agave influence with this one!
It was there – but the barrel ageing dominated for me & detracted from what I’m looking for in tequila.
All 1800’s were enjoyable tipples – with Silver gaining my affections most.
Reserva Tequila c/oCelticWhiskeyShop
Reserva de la Familia Extra Anejo
A solo offering that stood out from the others with a noticeably darker colour & clearly perceptible & pronounced wooden cask influence.
The sweet agave came through on the nose – but caramels & hints of vanilla more reminiscent of whiskey were evident.
Very smooth, very cultured & very engaging – tequila for the whiskey lover?
For a 2nd round I compared the Silver & Reposado offerings.
Silver Tequila c/oCelticWhiskeyShop
Silver
Traditional’s flavour profile shone through with it’s defining features.
1800 delivered similar – but I found it a smoother, sweeter & ultimately a less exuberant offering.
Traditional for me!
Reposado Tequila c/oCelticWhiskeyShop
Reposado
Tradicional was a shade lighter than 1800 – which suggests a shorter period in wood.
This played out in the tasting.
1800 had less spice, a sweeter & subdued feel to it with the wood influence a tad more forward.
The differences weren’t massive – & would be hard to pick up unless a back to back comparison was possible – but once more – Tradicional won the day.
Overall
As in all these tastings – I like to choose my favourite.
For the sheer clarity of flavours & bold display of the agave used in distillation there could only be one winner for me – Tradicional Silver.
A soft pungent agave nose. Very easy on the palate with a lively white pepper kick on the rear.
Bambarria c/othewhiskeynut
Bambarria Joven
Soft agave with just a hint of smoke peeking through. Easy palate developing a signature peppery spice. The long lasting finish left me licking my lips!
Thoughts
Both display classic tequila attributes & are easy drinking.
If anything Bambarria just endeared itself better to my palate with a winning finish that had me sitting out in the Mexican sun!
Well – it’s the nearest thing to travel 2020 has allowed!
A delightful full on flavoursome agave hit – rich earthiness abounds! It’s what I like in a 100% agave – and it certainly delivers.
A lovely exploration of the tequila genre.
Diamante Reposado – aged from 2 to 12 months in oak barrels.
Diamante c/othewhiskeynut
Usually reposado tequila takes on a slightly golden hue from the barrel ageing – but Diamante Reposado has been filtered to remove the colour – and although exceptionally smooth & easy going with a touch of spice on the rear – I can’t help feeling some of those rich agave flavours have been stripped out too!
Añejo – aged from 1 to 3 years in oak.
Anejo c/othewhiskeynut
A touch of woodiness, a hint of tobacco, a smidgen of smoke.
Añejo is an elegantly balanced & complex tequila displaying an agave base overlaid with flavours emanating from those wooden barrels.
A wonderful combination!
Picking a winner from this trio depends on the angle you’re coming from;
For agave fans – Silver is the truest representation,
Añejo would please whiskey drinkers,
While Diamante Reposado offers an easy drinking platform for cocktails.
Back label c/othewhiskeynut
For me Diamante Reposado was a bit of a disappointment – but the full on flavours of both Silver & Añejo excited my palate.
A holiday commemorating the Mexican Army victory over foreign intervention in 1862 – now morphed into a celebration of Mexican identity & culture – often of the alcoholic variety – tequila.
To mark the day I further explored this wonderfully pungent spirit by tasting Patrón’s 3 core releases.
Los tres amigos c/othewhiskeynut
Silver, Reposado & Anejo.
All are presented in highly attractive & distinctively shaped bottles complete with oversized corks at 40% ABV using 100% blue agave.
Silver is the unaged variety.
Silver, Blanco, Plata. Unaged. c/othewhiskeynut
It displays the pure clean taste of agave after it’s long growing period & subsequent distillation process to make Tequila.
A lovely pungenty earthy agave note of soft ripe fruits with thick legs and an oily consistency.
The palate was smooth & rich in flavour.
A light peppery spice enlivened the finish over a slowly fading earthiness & attractive heat.
Very enjoyable!
The Reposado is aged for 3 to 5 months in oak barrels – ex-bourbon barrels are commonly used!
Reposado, Aged, 60 plus days. c/othewhiskeynut
A more pronounced nose with an added charred cask note.
The mouthfeel was softer – more mellowed agave with an easier overall appeal & gentler finish.
Anéjo is aged for more than 12 months in French Oak, Hungarian Casks & ex-bourbon barrels.
Anejo, Extra Aged, 1 plus years. c/othewhiskeynut
Hints of vanilla, caramel & a soft smoke overlay the earthy agave.
Silky smooth on the palate – the flavours are more balanced & complex bouncing between the cask influence & pungent agave base.
A more relaxed experience.
All 3 were highly enjoyable easy sippers.
My order of preference would have to be Silver for the sheer exuberance & excitement of the agave.
Anéjo for the interaction of that earthy agave with cask aging notes more familiarly encountered in Whiskey.
And finally Reposado possibly slipped between 2 stools here but an engaging offering on it’s own merits.
I’d happily explore more tequila based on these experiences.
As tequila finishing is now a ‘thing’ in Irish Whiskey – see JJ Corry The Battalion & Killowen Experimental Series Tequila Cask – along with the fact tequila distillers Jose Cuervo own Bushmills – I thought an exploration of the category would be fun.
Tequila is a highly regulated spirit.
The governing body – Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) operate strict guidelines as to what is – or is not – allowed under the Official Standards of Tequila – or NOM – which are available at crt.org.mx
Jose Cuervo is the biggest selling Tequila brand in the world – stats from 2019 here.
The brands bottles are readily available in Ireland & I picked up their Especial Reposado for appraisal.
Tequila sunshine! c/othewhiskeynut
All tequila has to be made with the blue agave plant in Mexico.
If it doesn’t state ‘100% agave’ – like this especial – it must contain a minimum of 51% agave. The remainder can be made up of permitted additives; caramel colouring, natural oak extract, glycerin & sugar syrup for example.
This obviously effects the tasting experience.
So how did I find Jose Cuervo Especial Reposado?
Well – initially that distinctive pungenty earthy agave aroma greeted me – but it was overlaid by a sweet & slightly sickly caramel I dislike in many a whiskey.
The palate was very smooth & easy – just lacking a rich powerful earthiness – which is what I’m after in a tequila.
Only on the finish did those lovely agave notes resurface as it gently dried out leaving a peppery spice.
Mit farbstoff c/othewhiskeynut
This is mass market stuff.
Simple, sweet, easy & smooth.
And it sells well.
It’s the equivalent of many a blended whiskey & exhibits the same sweet caramelly notes that – on my palate at least – hide the purity of the agave – or subtleties of the barley – depending on your drink of choice.
Just like whiskey – to get the better stuff you usually have to pay more.
WestmeathWhiskeyWorld 