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Tequila Tasting with Herradura

Tequila Herradura

Did you know there are 1300 brands of Tequila in Mexico? With 1300 brands of tequila tasting could be a full-time job!

 

Tequila consumption in Mexico is almost an even split between drinking it straight and with a mix.  60% of Mexicans typically enjoy their tequila with Squirt or Cola while the other 40% like it neat. With 1300 brands of tequila taste testing could be a full-time job.

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How do you choose your favorite Tequila?

Tequila tasting is a slow process it has four basic steps we’ll walk you through shortly.  The best vessel to serve Tequila straight up is in is a champagne flute because you can easily smell the aroma and enjoy sipping it.  If you want to get a little more advanced and open up the bouquet add a few drops of water, but for this tasting,  we’re pouring it straight out of the bottle.

We’ll be sipping Tequila Herradura, the last true Tequila-producing hacienda on the planet and Mexico’s most historic and renowned producers.  The perfect tequila starts with a time-honored distilling process of love and attention from the agave all the way through to the bottling process.

Steps in the Tequila Tasting Process

  1. Color – observe the color of tequila in the glass holding it over a white background or against the light.
  2. Smell – inhale the aroma of the tequila to begin to recognize the flavors because much of what we taste is what we respond to in the initial aroma.  It could be anything from cooked agave to spices and nuts.
  3. Body – taking a small sip and wetting the lips and palate, note the flavors along with the smoothness in the mouth.
  4. Finish – enjoy the flavor that resonates after swallowing the tequila, you’ll notice some are fresh and dry while other are long and sweet.

Tequila Tasting with Herradura

 

Tequila Herradura Tasting Notes

Silver

Using the same recipe from 1974 this Tequila as well as all the others are aged in 55-gallon barrels.

  1. Color – Aged for 45 days in American white oak barrels you’ll notice the light color.
  2. Smell – You’ll get hints of cooked agave, to me it smells similar to molasses, of course, fruit from natural fermentation, vanilla, and oak.
  3. Body – Starts off sweet, then you get a mild cooked agave flavor with a hint of oak.
  4. Finish – A gentle finish that is pretty soft at the end and doesn’t linger for long.

Reposado

The most popular Tequila in Mexico.  Herradura released their Reposado as their first aged tequila.  The color comes from the charring of the oak to bring out the flavors in the distilling process.

  1. Color – Aged for 11 months in American white oak barrels you’ll notice the amber color.
  2. Smell – What popped for me in this one was the fruit and spices; you’ll still smell the cooked agave with a hint of licorice.
  3. Body – Smooth!  The flavor is sweet and smooth with notes of vanilla, butter, and dried fruit.
  4. Finish – Sweet with a touch of spice, it is very smooth and warms you up.

Añejo

A nicely aged tequila similar to the Reposado but the intense flavor shines through.

  1. Color – Aged for 24 months in American white oak barrels you’ll notice the amber color similar to the reposado but with more copper shades.
  2. Smell – Intense with spices, toasted oak, nuts of strong cooked agave.
  3. Body – Exactly how it smells it starts off smooth with the cooked agave, and then your taste buds wake up, and you’ll get the subtle hints of dried fruit and toasted oak.
  4. Finish – This one had a nice punch of spice with a smooth yet sweet finish.

Selección Suprema

In 1995 Herradura introduced their premium selection, still staying true to their original recipe and process but setting the new standard for premium aged Tequila.  This aging process is similar to a 12-year whiskey; a must try for any Tequila enthusiast.

  1. Color – Aged for 49 months in imported white oak barrels you’ll notice intense dark amber and copper color.
  2. Smell – Intense. You get strong infusions of cooked agave, spices, and floral notes.
  3. Body – Surprising. Robust and complex with the perfect balance of cooked agave, vanilla, toasted oak and dried fruit.
  4. Finish – Creamy. This finish will wow you with the smooth and enjoyable after taste it makes for the perfect dessert.

Grab your champagne flutes and your favorite bottle of Tequila Herradura; take note of the four steps in the Tequila tasting process, it might just change the way you savor your tequila!

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Tracy Iseminger

Tracy is a busy mother to 2 girls, 3 dogs, 5 cats, and 17 chickens! Her adventures in cooking led her to create Daily Dish Magazine. She has a passion for pairing food with travel and wine. She is Marketing Director at Crimson Vine Marketing, Social Media Specialist at Cougar Digital Marketing, and a Dental Hygienist in her spare time... but her favorite thing to do is spend time with her family.

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