Most people only know that tequila is a Mexican strong beverage used to make the famous tequila sunrise cocktail. Going deeper into the philosophy of this spirit and into the fascinating and various tequila cocktails, we shall discover however that there is more than meets the eye. Here is what you should know about it.
The name of this distilled beverage comes from the Mexican city with the same name, situated relatively close to Guadalajara. People from there were the ones to make it for the first time, from a plant called blue agave, known to thrive around volcanic soils. With hundreds of millions of plants cultivated annually, the production of this drink is flourishing. Even so, people in there really know how to appreciate it, considering that the plant needs to grow for about eight years before it reaches maturity and it can be used for distillation.
If you were wondering how much alcohol it contains, the answer is anywhere in between 31 % and 55% pure alcohol. Assortments vary depending on the agave percentage so that the purest drinks contain 100% agave and the so-called mixtos have a minimum of 51% agave plus different sugars.
Even so, its flavors and strength are given, like with many other spirits, by the age of the drink. Tequila connoisseurs know that it can be found in five different stages. The first one is the white or plata type, bottled right after the process of distillation. The second one is the young beverage, a mixto with coloring. The third one is called rested, as it requires at least 2 months of maturation. The fourth one is the real, aged beverage, which can be consumed after at least a year. Finally yet importantly, the fifth one is also known as the extra or the ultra aged assortment and it includes any production older than 3 years.
As we have previously suggested, most people overlook the different ways in which they can enjoy this alcoholic beverage, without going further than the common tequila sunrise. However, Mexicans love the shots or slammers, which involve to drink a small glass of pure drink from one sip, and then to clear the taste with a sprinkle of salt and a slice of lemon. Obviously, they do it for fun rather than for taste.
The opposite of slammers is sipping, which means to drink it slowly, with small sips, looking to feel all its flavors from the tip of the tongue to the stomach. Sipping it is pretty much like tasting a wine.
If you are not into drinking pure spirits, you may as well appreciate the Mexican sangritas, which are a combination of tequila, fruit juices and some spices. What say you of adding tomato, orange or lime juice, pomegranate, salt, chili powder, onions or hot sauce into your glass?
For making yourself a better idea on what this beverage has to offer you, you should start looking around, in bars and pubs, for different tequila cocktails, other than tequila sunrise. You can try Margaritas, available in tens of variations aside from the lime touch. Or have a taste of Paloma, a mixture with extra lemon soda or grapefruit juice. If you love Martini in general, you should also love Tequini, a version that replaces gin with tequila.
Not sure how to make tequila your party’s guest of honor? We can show you that tequila sunrise does not have to be your only option in terms of tequila cocktails!