How to become a tequila connoisseur

Phil Lempert TODAY Food Editor • Profile • E-mail

When most Americans think of tequila, it brings them back to their college days — and unfortunately too often the memories tend to surround bad headaches or even worse.

The truth is that tequila is much more of a complex distilled beverage than most of us realize. It is a spirit that is made from the blue agave plant, which takes 8 to 10 years to mature, and can only be harvested once. The leaves of the plant are stripped away, leaving a core that can weighs on average between 40 and 70 pounds and can sometimes grow to 200 pounds.

Once the agave core is split, it is baked, roasted or steamed in large ovens, where the natural starch turns to sugar. Roughly speaking, it takes 15 pounds of core to produce one quart of tequila as we know it.

The cooked cores are then shredded, pressed and placed in fermenting vats where yeast is added to convert the sugars into alcohol for next 30 to 48 hours. The juices are then distilled twice. The first distillation produces a low-grade alcohol; the second converts the liquid to a more fiery colorless product with alcohol content between 70 and 110 proof.

The variety of spirit we call "tequila" actually gets its name from the town of Tequila located in the state of Jalisco, where production of the product started hundreds of years ago. And in fact, by Mexican law, it can only be produced in this region under strict guidelines.

There are two kinds of tequila: 100 percent blue agave and "mixtos." The latter is distilled from a mixture of at least 60 percent blue agave and other sugars, which typically less expensive and responsible for those terrible headaches. The Tequila Regulatory Council supervises the quality of tequila and actually issues a certificate guaranteeing when a given product is 100 percent agave.

According to ACNielsen, sales of the Ultra Premium Tequilas (those retailing for more than $26 a bottle) grew over the past twelve months by 41 percent, while those of the mixtos (with an average price less than $11.99) actually decreased just over 3 percent.

According to the NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) standards these are four types of tequila:

• Blanco (sometimes called "silver" or "white"): Blanco tequila is not aged, and is clear and transparent and must be bottled immediately after distillation. It is the base for all the other types of tequilas. It has the true bouquet and flavor of the blue agave and is typically strong in alcohol content.
• Oro (sometimes called "gold" or "joven"): This tequila is Blanco which is then "mellowed" with caramel or other coloring added to appear aged. This is the most common tequila sold in the United States and is widely used in margaritas.
• Reposado (sometimes called "rested"): Blanco that is aged in white oak barrels or casks for more than two months and up to one year. A more mellow taste with a pale color.
• Anejo (sometimes called "aged"): Blanco that is aged in white oak barrels or casks for more than one year, with each barrel capacity less than 159 gallons. The oxidation through the wood barrels gives it a unique bouquet and taste producing an amber color and more woody flavor.

Super (or ultra) premium tequilas are the fastest-growing category. Even though NOM doesn't have any standards for this category, these tequilas typically are aged in wooden casks and some are aged for up to eight years.

By the way, each bottle of tequila must show a NOM number on the label. Since some distilleries produce dozens of brands (and the basics of production within a distiller is the same) looking at the NOM number is a quick way to compare quality and price.

So let's get to our taste test!

Most of us think the way to drink tequila is in a shot glass with some salt and a squirt lime. A true tequila aficionado would never do this, as it actually hides the qualities of tequila. The best way to taste tequila:

• Pour approximately one ounce of tequila in a brandy snifter. Hold the snifter at the base (not the bowl), raise to eye level to determine color.
• Swirl the tequila gently to the left for about one minute. Note if the tequila clings to the side of the glass and falls slowly to form a "string of pearls" effect
• Take a small sip, keep between your lips and tip of your tongue for 10 seconds before swishing the tequila around the inside of your mouth, then swallow
• Once you've tasted and found the one you like the best, whether you decide to make a margarita, other cocktail or just drink it straight, you'll be more satisfied.

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