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 Entertainment | February 2005 
Elite Tequilas Are A World Away From Slammers And Hangovers
 The Observer
 A tequila session has its own special parameters: spontaneity, adventure and abundance. The typical routine, shooting neat tequila down-in-one, also affirms 'I can handle it' (for men), equality (for women) and a sense of bravado (unisex). But when the party's over and the hangover begins, it's a different story. Tequila becomes the culprit, as though it's the fault of the drink rather than the drinker.
Everyone who's done tequila also thinks they know all there is to know: it's made from a cactus and it's the one with the worm. Wrong each time. Tequila is distilled from blue agave, a succulent, not a cactus. And worms only lurk in mescal, a similar but separate Mexican spirit.
Misunderstood and ritually abused, tequila has also been judged on the basis of various uninteresting or unpalatable brands. But many distillers are more creative, and their tequilas can take us to a special place on the basis of flavour, rather than alcoholic excess.
Agave plants yield distinctive spicy, earthy and vegetal notes, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, sometimes laced with citrus and smoke, which can be a surprise for the uninitiated. Tequila is therefore often condemned for its natural pungency. The degree of pungency is also determined by the style, with '100 per cent agave tequila' distilled entirely from agave and so the most intense. Any other tequila is a 'mixto' (blended) style, distilled from a minimum of 51 per cent agave, blended with a maximum of 49 per cent sugar. Which is better depends on whether you prefer an uninhibited agave experience, or a sweeter, more laid-back style.
Similarly, unaged tequila, known as blanco, silver or plata, promotes the freshest, earthy, spicy agave character. Reposado tequila is aged between two and 11 months, while anejo undergoes at least a year's aging, which contributes notes such as vanilla, creme brulee, chocolate, stewed fruit and oak. As unaged and aged tequilas are like a poncho versus a cashmere sweater, which suits your palate, and the occasion, is the only way to decide.
The flavours and status elite tequila brands offer has attracted a new generation of fans. And with specialist bars dispensing a double measure at up to £100, this is an opportunity for conspicuous consumption, rather than a shot in the dark. Drinking these tequilas is also one-upmanship, showing that you have the discernment to order outside the box.
Tequila benefits enormously from the margarita being the world's best-selling cocktail. Combining tequila with lime juice and triple sec (an orange-flavoured liqueur), served in a salt-rimmed glass, is a privilege for the palate, and rotating the glass ensures that every sip is perfectly seasoned. The margarita is a perfect ambassador for tequila. But as so many indifferent examples are churned out, there's a risk that the margarita will be dismissed as a loser, instead of the person who prepared it. |
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