Review of El Tequileno - by our blogger Jan Ohrt

Blogger Jan Ohrt takes a trip to the epicenter of tequila, the Jalisco district in Mexico, and meets one of the country's top producers of this mythical drink made from slow-baked agave. In addition to tasting six different types of their tequila, he also has to swallow a large camel at the end.

Post by Jan Ohrt

Isn't tequila just something we use for sunrises, slammers and high school parties?

Before we get down to the nitty-gritty and unscrew the cap from the bottle, I'd like to briefly go through the five main types:

Blanco: Can be found barrel-aged for up to 60 days but in most cases is bottled directly into stainless steel tanks before being bottled. Without the aging process, this Tequila is crystal clear and has a slightly sharp bite that some find overpowering, but if you use it as a mixer, your cocktail will be crisp and refreshing.

Reposado: This type is barrel aged from 2 to 11 months and is the most popular variant in Mexico with the clean taste of blue agave and minor barrel notes. It gives your cocktail a softer and warmer flavor and is also enjoyed neat with a few drops of lime juice.

Cristalino: This is a variant of reposado that has been filtered through charcoal to remove the tannins for a warmer and softer palette. The filtration also causes the barrel-aged product to become transparent like a blanco.

Añejo: Here the finished result is barrel-aged from one to three years in oak. Many varieties are used, but old American whiskey barrels and French oak are among the favorites. Therefore, you'll find notes of brown sugar and vanilla that can easily make you think of a good bourbon.

Extra Añejo: This is aged for a minimum of three years and often in several different barrels along the way before being bottled. The long time in contact with wood gives it an amber color and, not least, a very intense aroma and it is considered the best Mexico has to offer. This is often reflected in the price.

El Tequileño Blanco 38%
Clear and clean with a good viscosity and a distinctive aroma of agave, fruit sugar, pepper and anise. The agave lingers on the tongue along with black pepper, citrus, anise and a hint of cinnamon. Good for cocktails.

El Tequileño Reposado 38%
Discreetly golden and clear in color with medium body, giving intense and sweet notes of agave, light oak, citrus and vanilla. The taste is pleasantly full-bodied with sweet and ripe agave, orange, caramel, vanilla and light oak. Ideal for cocktails.

El Tequileño Cristalino Reposado 35%
Crystal clear with a light to medium body and a pleasant nose filled with agave, caramel, mango and orange. These tropical notes continue on the palate, where you'll also find light oak and a hint of vanilla. Best on the rocks or with ice and soda.

El Tequileño Platinium Blanco 40%
Crystal clear with a very light body and a very pleasant aroma of baked agave, lots of flower, a little kiwi, anise and black pepper. The taste is piquant and elegantly balanced with agave, citrus, spices and vanilla with a very pleasant and long aftertaste. Great in a margarita.

El Tequileño Reposado Gran 40%
Pale golden in color, good heavy body and a scent of ripe banana, vanilla and nutmeg. The vanilla follows through on the tongue along with sweet nuts, light oak and spicy caramel. Best enjoyed neat, perhaps with a few drops of water.

El Tequileño Añejo Reserva 40%
Beautiful golden color with a medium body and distinctive aromas, in addition to the baked agave, of oak, burnt orange, spices such as black pepper and anise and a hint of vanilla. The taste is deep and rich with all the notes from the nose complemented by dried fruit and caramel with a long and seductive finish. Should definitely be enjoyed neat!

This Mexican journey has been really good and has replaced some of my prejudices with sensible knowledge. For an old seasoned rum barrel like me, it began with some skepticism, but I must now acknowledge that tequila can do much more than I thought and that this little-understood spirit can accommodate both diversity and great subtlety. I certainly haven't enjoyed my last tequila!

Want to read more about Tequila?
Then read the review of Tequila or Margarita Sorbet - by blogger Jan Ohrt.

Relaterede produkter

El Tequileno Blanco Tequila 50 cl 38%

EUR 35,50

El Tequileno Reposado Tequila 50 cl 38%

EUR 41,25

El Tequileno Cristalino Reposado Tequila 70 cl 35%

EUR 85,50

El Tequileno Platinum Blanco Tequila 70 cl 40%

EUR 85,50

El Tequileno Reposado Gran Tequila 70 cl 40%

EUR 91,25