Discover Tequila: Put down the salt and step away from the lime: tequila deserves both your respect and your attention. Start your journey of discovery with our whistlestop tour of Mexico’s most famous agave spirit.
Joven
Joven tequila is a broad style which was originally created to mimic aged tequila. Today the most common type of Joven, meaning ‘young’, is a mix of unaged and aged tequila that’s blended to be an enjoyable sipping spirit. These tequilas are made from 100% agave and combine blanco freshness with anejo mellowness and complexity. The other type is mixto: tequila made with at least 51% agave as well as sugar derived from other sources. These often also have colouring and flavouring added and the word ‘gold’ on the label, and are best reserved for mixing.
Blanco
If you really want to understand tequila then Blanco is for you. Aged for no more than 60 days, Blanco is the style that really lets the flavours and qualities of the agave shine. There are many high quality 100% agave blanco tequilas available, which showcase the myriad flavours - from peppery and herbal to creamy and citrusy - that can be derived from blue weber agave, the only variety of agave that can legally be used. Blanco is fantastic both for sipping and for mixing into refreshing cocktails like Palomas and Margaritas.
Reposado
Reposado is the next step along the tequila aging ladder. While Blanco is usually bottled at 40%, the spirit reserved for aging into Reposado and Anejo tequila is filled into the cask at a higher strength. Reposado tequila is aged in oak for anywhere between two months to almost a year. There’s no standard size of cask specified for aging so the flavour and profile of these tequilas can vary wildly, but in general they have more vanilla, honey and toasted nut notes and are more approachable for beginners.
Anejo
Anejo tequila must be aged in oak barrels of up to 600 litres’ capacity (roughly the same as sherry butts), for up to three years. The smaller casks and the longer aging in Mexico’s hot climate - tequila must be bottled in its place of origin to legally earn the name tequila - allows the spirit to develop levels of flavour and complexity that appeal to lovers of other aged spirits such as brandy and whisky.
Extra Anejo
This relatively new age classification was introduced to denote tequila which has been aged in oak barrel of up to 600 litres for more than three years. These super premium tequilas are often highly sought-after by connoisseurs and priced accordingly. They make excellent gifts for significant occasions and will always be well received by any tequila lover.
Cask-finished Tequila
While the above age categories are part of the legal framework that defines and protects tequila production, some distilleries are starting to experiment with the effects of different types of casks on their aged spirit. No matter whether these casks previously held Scotch whisky or Bordeaux red wine, a short finish in these vessels can add layers of unexpected and exciting flavour to tequila.
Tequila-cask-finished Whisky
In the last few years, the Scotch Whisky Association has included tequila casks in its list of permitted aging vessels for whisky. This has paved the way for a variety of tequila-finished single malts, which often have herbal and pepper notes alongside the distillery’s signature character. These whiskies are a great way for tequila fans to dip a toe into the world of whisky, plus great fun for whisky fans to explore.
Celebrity Tequila
Blame George Clooney. When he founded Casamigos in 2013, he started a fashion for celebrity-backed tequilas that’s inspired the likes of The Rock, Matthew McConaughey, Nick Jonas and Kendal Jenner. Not that we’re complaining: perhaps being a member of the A-list gives you a taste for the finer things in life, because celebrity-backed tequilas are often excellent spirits even without the Hollywood shine.
