My world turned upside down...tequila

[xaugievike]

My world is upside down guys/gals. A buddy of a buddy introduced us to some good tequila and I'm mind blown. I want to learn more!

My whiskey journey should have taught me that there's more to all spirits than some of the bad memories (and decisions) from college that my assumptions are based on.

[smokenoob]

worm?

[xaugievike]

no worm. I think thats a marketing gimmick by one brand.

[bmillin]

You are thinking of Mezcal, something many of regret coming across. However, just like tequila, there are some really fine Mezcals out there.

[Murdy]

Monte Alban Mezcal used to be sold with a worm in it (might still be). That's the only one I can recall with a worm available in the U.S. Some said it was fake as it was illegal to sell a product adulterated like that, but I don't really know beyond the fact that they tasted like mezcal when you ate them.

[MsTwiggy]

Have you tried the clase azul. Their stuff is great to and can be found many places 🔥🔥🐿️

[xaugievike]

I have not, but I'll have to keep an eye.

[shify]

I know I’m an outlier but I don’t love clase azul. It’s costs a pretty penny but is not to my taste.
That being said there is a whole world of tequila and mezcal out there that is miles different than the shots of Cuervo from college. We did a tasting at a local liquor store that specializes in tequila and was blown away by the variety and taste. My suggestion is find a local store or restaurant/bar with a good bartender so you can learn/explore before you commit to a whole bottle

[MsTwiggy]

If you ever get south of the border another excellent choice is Orendain. Never heard of it? That's because they dont export it. A bottle is $9. My Dad, expat, brings me a box of their blanco when he visits. It rivals a $300 bottle of Casa Dragones.

[Jfrosty27]

A guy that I used to work with introduced me to high quality Tequila. Wow. What a difference from the grade I drank in my younger days. So smooth. And it burns clean so to speak. Little to no effect on the next day.

[xaugievike]

part of what blew me away is how smooth this stuff is. It's like silk.

[Murdy]

Speaking of the next day, even good old Jose was always much kinder to me than Jack or Jim.

[Oak Smoke]

Would have to be an incredible improvement over the Jose we used to drink. Jose Cuervo making people charming, witty, and desirable since 1965. Oh I almost forgot and making those same people very sick, very sick.

[marshall]

Thanks , I’ll have to look for that to try

[barelfly]

That looks like a great bottle! It is a world of difference when you find some great tequila! I haven’t jumped in to tequila the same way I have bourbon, but I’ve picked up a few bottles that I’ve really enjoyed. I’ve also started reading a bit more and have learned a number of NOMs (tequila distilleries) use additives for flavor and sweetness rather than letting the agave and process provide all that is needed.

But the three bottles I currently have that I really enjoy are Fortaleza Reposado, G4 Reposado and El Tesoro. Each provides a subtle taste of sweet as well as a great pepper flavor. I haven’t tried the bottle you have above so can’t compare but will keep an eye out.

and, if you are interested, here’s a great website for Tequila reviews:

https://www.tequilamatchmaker.com/en

enjoy those sips!

[xaugievike]

thanks for the recommendations. Gives me some stuff to branch out towards.

[bmillin]

Tequila is like whiskey to some degree. Plastic handle off the bottom shelf? yes, you will be puking. Hand painted sculptured bottle off the top shelf? Ambrosia. The big diffference is the price point. I think you need to pay a least $30 for something like Gran Centenario Reposado, very smooth and perfect for sipping. You can go on from there, as with whiskey a $60 bottle might be much better than a $30 bottle, but a $200 bottle is not going to be a big improvement over a $100 bottle.

But that's just me.

[xaugievike]

My whiskey path eventually led me to Scotch as my preference...Your $ per bottle description above is exactly how I feel about Scotch (so far).

[hoovarmin]

This is gonna get expensive. I'm all in favor of it.

[Huskee]

Being a bourbon & rye fan, I sometimes forget how good a good tequila is! I really enjoy sipping it, especially anejo & reposado, the same as bourbon/rye. I will have to watch for that one.