tequila blanco

The main styles of tequila

It’s Cinco de Mayo - the 5th of May - a day when all things Mexican are celebrated and in my world, that usually means one thing: tequila! It makes me happy. We’re tasting a few with Mike Graham on talkTV this week so here are the details along with a bit of background. 

What exactly is tequila?

Tequila is a spirit hailing from Mexico that is made by cooking, fermenting and distilling the piñas that grow within the blue agave plant. To be called tequila, the agave must be grown in the five designated areas of Jalisco or the production areas of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. In practice, most tequila actually comes from Jalisco. Sales of tequila grew by 175% during lockdown and have continued to stay strong!

What are the key styles of tequila?

The three main types of tequila are tequila blanco (also known a silver tequila), tequila reposado and tequila añejo. You can also find some tequila joven (joven means young) and at the other end of the scale, small amounts of extra añejo (extra old) tequila exists.

Tequila Blanco

Blanco is unaged tequila made from the blue Weber agave. It’s bottled shortly after distillation, is clear in colour and showcases the freshest style of tequila.

Tequila Reposado

‘Reposado’ means rested in Spanish and refers to tequila that has been aged in oak barrels (American or European) for between two and twelve months. The colour will be slightly darker yellow thanks to the contact with wood. 

Tequila Añejo

‘Añejo’ means ‘old’ in Spanish and it refers to tequila that’s been aged in oak barrels for at least twelve months and is darker in colour. These tequilas you will want to sip neat as they are very complex and delicious. They also make a good alternative to brown spirits like whisky or cognac. 

Tequila joven and extra añejo are harder to find. Jovens are usually unaged tequilas with a tiny amount of aged spirit blended in. Extra añejo tequilas are very rare and aged for at least three years in wood. 

Some premium tequilas to try

Ditch the lime and salt please, premium tequila should be treated like other premium whiskies, cognacs and other spirits. Take your time to sip and savour them and see how they open up in the glass. 

Mijenta Blanco Tequila

Mijenta is a sustainable, artisanal, super premium tequila from Jalisco. Made by female maestra, Ana Maria Romero, it’s pure, silky, subtle, yet complex.

Find it at The Whisky Exchange for £49.95

Pancho Datos Reposado Tequila

The name Pancho Datos is homage to the great historian and poet of the Mexican Revolution, Ricardo Grijalva de León. It’s made with agave aged for 6 years before cooking, then distilled twice and rested for 6 months in ex Bourbon barrels. Think earthy, creamy, spice and toffee. 

Find it at Master of Malt for £49.95

Patrón Añejo Tequila

A super premium tequila from the original, premium tequila brand. It’s made in small batches and oak aged for over a year. Think smooth, sweet, woody, candied citrus.

Find it at The Whisky Exchange  or Ocado for £56.95

Maestro Dobel Diamanté Tequila

The first ever crystal clear, multi-aged tequila (a blend of 100% Agave Reposado, Añejo & Extra-Ańejo). Think maple, nuts, honey, 

Find it at Waitrose, Amazon and others for £49.90

The Top Celebrity Owned Tequilas

Celebrity Tequila thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Tequila is, finally, becoming a more and more popular drink to enjoy on a night out. The image of salt and lime chasers is thankfully becoming a thing of the past as more people are getting wise to the fact that there are some exceptional sipping Tequilas out there to be enjoyed neat, in highballs or in fancier cocktails. It’s so popular in fact that we are also now seeing celebrities create their own tequila brands just as we have done with wine! From George Clooney (swoon - don’t judge) to The Rock, here is a list of the celebrity tequila you can get your hands on.

Sauza 901

Celebrity Tequila Sauza 901 Justin Timberlake thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

The story goes that the celebrity behind Sauza 901, Justin Timberlake, first became interested in creating his own tequila after seeing the craftsmanship, culture and tradition that goes into cultivating fine tequila on a road trip to Jalisco, Mexico. This then saw the birth of his 901 tequila, which is now known as Sauza 901. Justin may be best known for his music but we have to say that with its piquant, fiery scent and delicious smoothness on the tongue, this is one tequila well worth a try!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: Currently out of stock :(

Próspero

Celebrity Tequila Prospero Rita Ora thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Another singer to dip their toes into the world of tequila is Rita Ora, who has joined forces with master distiller Stella Anguiano to create Próspero. This tequila is available in three styles: Blanco, Reposado and Añejo. The Blanco is quite different from standard, un-aged tequila with its vibrant bouquet of dried and fresh floral aromas, which lead seamlessly through to the agave notes and and spice. This would be great tequila in a cocktail as it has enough character to shine through.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here:
Blanco UK £40.95 // US $40.99
Reposado UK £45.45 // US $46.79
Añejo UK £51.99 // US $52.99

 

Casamigos  

Celebrity Tequila Casamigos George Clooney thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Be still our beating hearts (and that goes for Aidy’s too) as we introduce the celebrity behind this next tequila: George Clooney! Partnering with his good friend Rande Gerber and their business partner Mike Meldman in 2013 to create Casamigos, Clooney’s brand has since become so popular that by the end of 2020, it hit the million case sales a year milestone! Little wonder when you taste the three versions; there’s the refreshing Blanco with its subtle hint of agave, a Reposado with notes of caramel, buttery vanilla and delicate oak spice and an Añejo, which is a gorgeous tequila brimming with toffee penny, roasted agave, dark chocolate and sweetly spiced oak notes. Every single sip tastes like Christmas!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here:
Blanco UK £50.00 // US $41.99
Reposado UK £57.49 // US $83.99
Añejo UK £62.99 // US $59.99

 

818 Tequila

Celebrity Tequila 818 tequila Kendall Jenner thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Founded by model and ‘Keeping up with the Kardashians’ star Kendall Jenner, 818 Tequila was first launched in May this year and has since been rolled out across various states in the US (sorry UK!). So, if you are lucky enough to live stateside then you have a choice between the Blanco, Reposado and Añejo, which have racked up a combined total of 16 tasting awards between themselves already! We haven’t tasted this yet but if you have, get in touch and let us know what you thought.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here:
Blanco $42.99
Reposado $52.99
Añejo $69.99


Teremana

Celebrity Tequila Teremana Dwayne The Rock Johnson thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Teremana tequila, the brainchild of film star Dwayne Johnson aka ‘The Rock’, was launched at the beginning of this year after multiple exciting social media teasers. There are Blanco and Reposado styles available, the former being described as having notes of bright citrus with a fresh finish and the latter as having notes of oak and vanilla with a smooth, rich finish. Much like 818 Tequila, this too is only available in the USA right now but hopefully, it won’t be too long before everyone else can get sipping on it too!

Size: 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here:
Blanco UK £47.99 // US $29.99
Reposado UK £47.69 // US $34.99

For more tequila deliciousness make sure you check out The World’s Best Sipping Tequilas and The 6 Tequilas You Need in Your Life Right Now!