Beyond the sophomoric shot: The 10 steps of tequila enlightenment
In simpler, less flavorful and more per- sonally damaging times, tequila was a simple drink. Salt, shot, lime and shudder — end of story, and sometimes the end
of the night, too.
Fortunately, while bar life still presents
ample occasions for the tequila shot, Mexico’s
national spirit now affords many more opportunities for enjoyment, from well-known
cocktails to late evening sippers, almost all of
which may be found somewhere within the
10 stages of tequila understanding.
1. A shot glass full of clear mixto tequila,
meaning a spirit concocted from at least 51
percent agave as well as other fermentable
materials. Knock it back and return to your
beer.
2. The discovery of the margarita, usually made with that same mixto tequila, a
bit of triple sec and plenty of lime bar mix,
all poured over ice in a blender and
processed to a fine frappe.
3. Enter the possibilities proffered by
premium tequilas made from 100-percent
blue agave, a long-maturing member of the
lily, not cactus, family, and the corresponding
realization that tequila can have more flavor
and complexity than previously imagined.
4. The substitution of 100-percent agave
tequila and fresh lime juice for the mixto
STEPHEN
BEAUMONT
and bar mix brings
with it a whole new
kind of margarita
experience that is
shaken rather than
blended.
5. Reposado tequilas that have been aged in wood for up to a
year bring with them mild vanilla and spice
tastes not seen in silver or blanco tequilas.
6. Añejo tequilas, aged for between one
and three years in wood, expand the flavor
profile even further, bringing with them
notes of sometimes formidable spice, fruit,
smoke or caramel.
7. Four main categories of tequila, plus a
mixto variant called abocado, to which color
and/or flavorings are added, open up all
manner of possibilities, from cocktails well
beyond the margarita to on-the-rocks enjoyment or brandy snifter digestif.
8. The palate expands yet again, this
time with the super-premium extra añejo, a
minimum three-years-old distinction for
tequilas aged in wood for longer than regular añejos.
Drinkers who look past tequila’s association with shots, lime wedges and salt can find a wealth
of other options, including cocktails, flavored varieties and superpremium brands.
9. In what some purists consider a step
backwards, an emerging wave of tequilas
flavored with everything from peppers to
citrus to almonds expands the tequila
palate even further.
10. Luxury comes to the tequila world
with the introduction of ultrahigh-end, single-barrel, single-village, limited-production
brands. Proving yet again how far tequila
has come from the days of the shot and
shudder, even if there are those who still
prefer it the “old school” way. ■
BEER OF THE WEEK
Smuttynose Star
Island Single
Single, or in Dutch, enkel, style is possi- bly the least recognized of the Belgian- abbey brewing styles. This is likely
because, coming as it does from a nation
well recognized for potent and boldly flavorful ales, a lighter bodied, moderately
strong and frankly rather obscure sort of
brew must struggle hard
for acknowledgement.
More credit, then, to
New Hampshire’s Smuttynose Brewing Company for taking a
chance on the style for
their newest year-round
offering, and even
greater kudos for doing
such a good job of it.
Gold in color with a
spicy, off-dry aroma,
Star Island is appropriately a beer blessed
with the quality the
British call “
quaffabili-ty,” meaning that it
brings refreshment with character. The
body possesses a mild malty sweetness
balanced beautifully by a spicy, citrusy
quality that builds through the taste to dry
out the finish. This brilliantly flavorful ale
is almost certain to become a summer
patio favorite.
BEVERAGE DIGESTS
European rosé makers
win labeling battle
Producers of rosé wine in France,
Spain and Italy have won their battle to maintain traditional production methods and avoid having pink
wines created through the addition
of a little red wine into a white legally defined and labeled as “rosé.”
The win came after a concerted effort by the Conseil Interprofession-nel des Vins de Provence, or
Provence Wine Council, as reported
on this page in May.
According to new reports
appearing on the UPI news service
and elsewhere, the European Commission retreated from its proposal
to allow the blending of wines to
create rosé after hearing from the
three principal rosé-producing nations.
“It is important that we listen to
our producers when they are concerned about changes to our regulations,” the news story quoted European Farm Commissioner
Mariann Fischer Boel as saying.
STEPHEN BEAUMONT
The European Commission has ruled that blends
of red and white wines cannot be labeled rosé.
