Written and Compiled by Louis S. Luzzo, Sr.

Now, I'll admit, those who know me are well aware of my love for tequila. Let me state for the record, the only alcohol we keep in the house is wine, so though I do not drink tequila often, when out socializing, it is my drink of choice and I probably drink it more than most. That is, of course, unless you are still in Mr. or Ms. Party Mode and are the, "Hey let's do shots!" type. Been there ...done that. You'll get over it. 

Fortunately for me, I have developed a resistance to tequila's inebriation effects and seem to be able to consume it without damaging brain cells....well, that is at least a factual statement ever since I decided to start acting like a grown up in public. Look, that's my story and I'm sticking to it, ok?

At this stage in my life I have become a fan of the taste and the only  true way (for me) to enjoy that aspect of tequila is to sip it, in the same way one might sip a brandy, or a cognac. Shots, on the other hand are for enjoying the effects of tequila. Far be it from me to tell you what you should or should not derive from your personal interaction with this ancient elixer. To each his own. If you see me out, please don't challenge me to a shot contest...I said, "acting like a grown up"...it doesn't mean I am one.

Whatever your fascination with tequila, we will explore every
    Riedel Tequila Glass            angle, from the agave plant, its history, cultivation and processing, all the way through to the finished distilled product. We will even give you step by step instructions on doing your own tequila tasting. Tomas Estes suggests that a champagne flute or any wine glass that is closed ended, or fluted at the top, will work.

As we have done in the Special Feature this month, we are going to ask for your input and  participation. It is possible in the near future, that we will be hoilding a special tequila tasting and dinner, hosted by Gourmet Girl Magazine, Tomas and Altimar Brands. This will be a limited participation event held to about 25-30 people. We'd like to know if you would be interested in our pursuing this, as well as other event of the same nature. Please drop us your thoughts via the Contact Page , with Tequila Ocho in the subject line. Your response will determine if and how many of these events we would schedule.

History

Tequila was first produced in the 16th century near the location of the city of Tequila, although the city was not officially established until 1656. The Aztec people had previously made a fermented beverage from the agave plant, which they called octli (also called pulque), long before the Spanish arrived in 1521. When the Spanish conquistadors ran out of their own brandy, they began to distill this agave drink to produce North America's first indigenous distilled spirit.

Some 80 years later, around 1600, Don Pedro Sánchez de Tagle, the Marquis of Altamira, began mass-producing tequila at the first factory in the territory of modern-day Jalisco. By 1608, the colonial governor of Nueva Galicia had begun to tax his products.The tequila that is popular today was first mass-produced in the early 1800s in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Don Cenobio Sauza, founder of Sauza Tequila and Municipal President of the Village of Tequila from 1884-1885, was the first to export tequila to the United States. Don Cenobio's grandson Don Francisco Javier gained international attention for insisting that "there cannot be tequila where there are no agaves!" His efforts led to the practice that real tequila can only come from the State of Jalisco.

Culture

"Tequila is Mexico," said Carmelita Roman, widow of the late tequila producer Jesus Lopez Roman. "It's the only product that identifies us as a culture." 

To understand tequila, you have to first appreciate its importance to the overall culture of Mexico and tequila's place in its history. Say the word tequila and it immediately brings to mind images of Pancho Villa, Cinco de Mayo, men riding the dusty roads of the old 'west' and of brightly-dressed señoritas spinning around the fountains marking the center of most Mexican towns, whirling in traditional dance. But, it also suggests images of pop stars, margaritas and endless parties. For some, as I stated in my introduction, it also conjurs up images of lampshades and nights better left conveniently forgotten.

Tequila is not simply a drink, it is a culture, an emblem, and a rallying call for Mexican identity. It is a tradition and heritage. It is about families and feuds, about land, politics, and it is an economic force. For all the marketing and the hype, the advertising and the promotion, tequila still retains its magic after its 400-plus year journey to get to this point.

The primary location for Tequila production is the Jalisco state around the towns of Tequila and Arandas, using only one species of plant, the blue agave. Tequila is an androgynous word, being written as both el tequila and la tequila in Spanish; masculine and feminine (although the masculine form is more commonly used). Technically, all tequila is a mezcal, as are all agave spirits, but like cognac is a brandy from a specific region of France, tequila is a mezcal from a specific region of Mexico.

In Tequila: Panegyric and Emblem, the Mexican poet Alvaro Mutis wrote: "Tequila has no history; there are no anecdotes confirming its birth. This is how it’s been since the beginning of time, for tequila is a gift from the gods and they don’t tend to offer fables when bestowing favors. That is the job of mortals, the children of panic and tradition." (from issue 27, Artes de México Magazine.)

Mezcal wine - tequila's grandparent - was first produced only a few decades after the conquest that brought the Spaniards to the New World in 1521. No one has ever come up with an exact date, but it was likely around 1535. It was variously called mezcal brandy, agave wine, mezcal tequila and finally, after a couple of centuries, one variety was simply called tequila.

The word tequila itself is also filled with mystery. It is said to be an ancient Nahuatl term. The Nahuatl were the original people who lived in the area. The word means (depending on the authority) "the place of harvesting plants," "the place of wild herbs," "place where they cut," "the place of work" or even "the place of tricks." According to Jose Maria Muria, tequila comes form the Nahuatl words tequitl (work, duty, job or task) and tlan (place). Other sources say it means "the rock that cuts," most likely a reference to the volcanic obsidian that is common in the area. Obsidian was important for natives in making arrowheads, axes, cutting and scraping tools. It litters many fields and has even been incorporated into sidewalks in the town of Tequila. Cascahuin says the word is a corruption of "tetilla" because the volcano looked like a woman's small breast (somewhat dubious if you've seen the volcano). 

The agave is planted, tended, and harvested by hand. The men who harvest it, the Jimadors, contain generations of knowledge about the plants and the ways in which they need to be harvested. The Jimadors must be able to work swiftly in the tight rows, pull out the pups without damaging the mother plant, clear the piñas (spanish word for pineapple), and decide when and if each plant is ready to be harvested. Too soon and there are not enough sugars, too late and the plant will have used its sugars to grow a quiote 20-40 foot high stem or it will start to rot. The piñas, weighing 40 to 70 pounds, are cut away with a special knife called a coa. They are then shredded, their juices pressed out and put into fermentation tanks and vats. Some tequila companies still use the traditional method (artisian tequila) in which the pinas are crushed with a stone wheel. The final process is to add a yeast to the vats to convert the sugars into alcohol. Each company keeps their own yeast a tight secret.

There is a clear difference in taste between tequila that is made from lowland or highland agave plants. Agave plants that are grown in the highlands often have more fruit tastes due to the growing process. The plants are grown on the western side of the hills, allowing the plants to receive the most amount of sunlight throughout the day. These plants are taller, wider, and juicier. Agave that are grown in the lowlands have more earth tastes, and are typically on the smaller side.

It takes at least eight years to make a bottle of tequila, sometimes as long as 20. That's because tequila is not made from the typical grains or fruits most alcoholic beverages are made from. It is distilled from the roasted center (piña) of the blue agave (maguey) plant - the agave tequilana weber azul - one of 136 species of agave that grow in Mexico.  Imagine having to plan - and budget - for a product you won't see for perhaps another decade. Imagine having to care for and nurture those agaves from their planting to their harvesting, many years later, without knowing how the market will unfold in the interim, but still having to hire farm workers to weed, prune and maintain the fields.

A one-liter bottle of limited-edition premium tequila was sold for $225,000 in July 2006 in Tequila, Jalisco, by the company Tequila Ley .925. The bottle which contains the tequila is a two-kilo display of platinum and gold. The manufacturer has received the Certificate from Guinness World Records for the most expensive bottle of spirit ever sold. While the bottle is impressive, my immediate thoughts were, "How does the tequila taste?" I'll use our favorite restaurant line here and embellish,  "You can't eat the decor, nor can a fancy bottle make its contents quality."

In 2008, Mexican scientists discovered a method to transform 80 proof (40% alcohol) tequila into diamonds. This process involves heating the tequila to over 1,400 degrees F to vaporize the tequila. The tequila particles are cooled, and settle upon steel or silicon trays in an even, pure layer. The results are hoped to have numerous commercial and industrial applications, but are far too small for use in jewelry.

It is also a common misconception that all tequilas contain a 'worm' in the bottle. Only certain mezcals, usually from the state of Oaxaca, are ever sold con gusano. Renown tequila expert Tomas Estes (see this month's Special Feature ) suggests that the practice may have first been practiced as a way for tequila makers to show the quality and proof of their product, in that a larve could be sustained by the proper alcohol content. Recent use of this practice probably began, or was resumed, as a marketing gimmick in the 1940s. The worm is actually the larval form of the moth Hypopta agavis that lives on the agave plant. Finding one in the plant during processing indicates an infestation and, correspondingly, probably a lower quality product.

Blanco (white) or plata (silver): White spirit, un-aged and bottled or stored immediately after distillation, or aged less than two months in oak barrels;

Joven (young) or oro (gold): Un-aged "blanco" tequila, blended with rested or aged tequilas, and often with caramel coloring, sugar-based syrup, glycerin, and/or oak extract added so as to resemble aged tequila;

Reposado (rested): Aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels; Reposado may be rested in barrels or casks allowing for richer and more complex flavors. The preferred oak comes from the US, France or Canada, and while they are usually white oak, some companies choose to char the wood for a smokey flavor, or use barrels that were previously used to hold a different kind of alcohol ( i.e. whiskey, scotch, or wine in the case of Asombroso). Some reposados can also be aged in new wood barrels to achieve the same wood flavor and smoothness, but in less time.

Añejo (aged or vintage): Aged a minimum of one year, but less than 3 years, in oak barrels; Añejos are often rested in barrels that have been previously used to rest reposados. Many of the barrels used are from whiskey or bourbon distilleries in the US, France, or Canada (the most popular being Jack Daniels), resulting in the dark color and more complex flavors of the añejo tequila. Since most people agree that after 4 years of aging the tequila is at its best, the añejo can be removed from the wood barrels and placed in stainless steel tanks to reduce the amount of evaporation that can occur in the barrels.

Extra Añejo (extra aged or ultra aged): Aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels. This category was established in March 2006.

When I drink tequila, I no longer do shots. I also do not add salt or lemon. I began drinking silver (plata), but since its introduction in 2006, Extra Anejo (extra aged) has been my tequila of choice, though I still enjoy plata, as it is the most bold of all tequila types in its pure agavaceousness. As I have matured, my palatte has changed and while many can tell stories of my days as a musician accompanied by wild nights and yes, shots, my consumption of this fine spirit has become a bit more refined. 

In Mexico, tequila is drunk straight, without salt and lime. Yes, that's right, lime. It is popular in some regions to drink fine tequila with a side of sangrita—a sweet, sour and spicy drink typically made from orange juice, grenadine (or tomato juice) and hot chilies. Equal-sized shots of tequila and sangrita are sipped alternately, without salt or lime.

Outside Mexico, a single shot of tequila is often served with salt and a slice of lime. This is called "tequila cruda" and is sometimes referred to as "training wheels," "lick-sip-suck," or "lick-shoot-suck" (referring to the way in which the combination of ingredients is imbibed). The drinker moistens the back of their hand below the index finger (usually by licking) and pours on the salt. Then the salt is licked off the hand, the tequila is then drunk and the fruit slice is quickly bitten. It is common for groups of drinkers to do this simultaneously. Drinking tequila in this way is often erroneously called a Tequila Slammer, but this is a mixed tequila and carbonated drink.

Though the traditional Mexican shot is straight tequila, lime is the fruit of choice when a chaser must be used. It is believed that the salt lessens the "burn" of the tequila and the sour fruit balances and enhances the flavor. In Germany and some other countries, tequila oro (gold) is often consumed with cinnamon before and slices of orange after, while tequila blanco (silver in Europe) is consumed with salt and lime. It should be noted that drinking higher-quality, 100% agave tequila with salt and lime is likely to remove much of the flavor.

What's that you say? You thought tequila shots were done with lemon? Unfortunately, we have a habit here in America of bastardizing anything we think we like, and the lime tradition with regard to tequila is no exception. When your taste buds grow up and you begin to drink it properly...all will be forgotten and forgiven.

A Tequila Tasting

Most would not realize a tasting of tequila in the same way as we taste wines, but in fact that is exactly the process and tradition I will now explain here. It is truly the only way to know if you are dealing with a quality product.

Tilt the glass forward with a white tablecloth as background and observe the color of the aged and extra-aged tequilas. In most cases, silver tequilas, with some exceptions, are crystal clear. Aged tequilas have a coloring that is a hay yellow with different intensities and their sparkles or glitters are gold. Extra-aged tequilas tend to have an amber color with different intensities and with copper sparkles.

At eye level, observe the brilliance, transparency and limpidness. Now gently swirl the glass and observe how it spreads on the walls of the glass, indicating the body of the tequila. From the top of the spreaded surface, a few drops should start to slowly slide down, indicating the quality of the body.

Tequila Ocho is the product of a collaboration between third generation Tequilero Felipe Camarena and Tomas Estes, Mexican Ambassador of Tequila to Europe. What differentiates Ocho from other tequilas and makes it unique in its category is its rarity.  Because of the time it takes an agave to mature, each estate cannot be replenished for almost ten years after each harvest, thus making each vintage of Ocho a rare and collectable tequila. Ocho was launched on August 8, 2008 in California, and the first vintage was sold out in less than six months. 

Tequila Ocho, is the first ultra-premium, single estate vintage tequila to be introduced to the United States market, releasing its 2009 vintage in time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Both the Plata and Reposado varieties from Las Pomez are available now. The 2009 vintage of Añejo from El Carrizal, which is aged for a full year, will be released in July.

2009 Tequila Ocho, Plata, Las Pomez – Nose: Sweet molasses, butterscotch and ripe agave opening up to cooked pumpkin and hints of peppermint. Palate:  fresh, lively, round sweetness, subtle tropical fruits and a hint of cinnamon.

Ocho’s agave is sourced from single estates, meaning a single piece of land with its own microclimate. Access to the Camarena family’s multiple estates, at highly varying altitudes, allows Ocho to showcase different aroma and flavor characteristics in each vintage harvest. The brand represents the unveiling of terroir as a genuine product concept in tequila and confirms that it exists as much in agave as it does in grapes. This concept is well understood in wine, but has not been seriously explored in spirits. Whereas most spirits focus their production on delivering a consistent character profile for their product, Ocho is unique in its delivery of complexity of character through its use of multiple estates at different altitudes in different climates.

While Ocho’s product concept is highly innovative, the process by which the tequila is made remains highly traditional. All agaves are slow-cooked at low temperatures in stone ovens and fermented naturally with airborne yeast. The distillation is done very slowly at low heat to retain the maximum agave flavors. No chemicals are used. The artisanal approach is intensely handcrafted at every step of production, including the packaging, when each bottle is numbered by hand and stamped with the estate name of each vintage.

"Agave is rich and complex. It imparts vastly different flavors when harvested from different microclimates at different altitudes. No one has ever demonstrated this before in tequila,” says W.L. Lyons Brown, CEO of Altamar Brands. "Ocho will demonstrate there is terroir in agave. The wonderful taste nuances in the 2009 vintage from Las Pomez showcase this concept.” 

Tequila Ocho 2009 Vintage from Las Pomez will be available in markets such as: LA, San Francisco, New York, Miami, Boston, Chicago, Dallas and Houston. 2009 Ocho is currently available in Plata and Reposado and will be sold at $60 and $70 per 750ml bottle, respectively.  Añejo will be available in July 2009 and retail for $80.

Think collectablity when purchasing Tequila Ocho. If you do the math correctly, and have paid attention to this article, it should immediately be apparent that the next vintage of Las Pomaz may not be available until 2020. Pick up two bottles. One to enjoy now and one to lock away for posterity. That's what I did. Enjoy!

(sources; Wikpedia; National Chamber of the Tequila Industry, Tomas Estes.)