New Delicious Inexpensive Tequilas
As we continue to build towards Cinco de Mayo, summer, and the time of the year when white spirit cocktails dominate our drinking, we'll be on the lookout for more inexpensive, value-driven products that you can pour without having to work out your dollar-per-ounce ratio. These new tequilas just landed today and I am absolutely stoked about working them into my rotation at home.
Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila $19.99 - Olmeca Altos is produced at Destileria Colonial de Jalisco. Operation at the distillery is overseen by Maestro Tequilero Jesús Hernández and his team of workers. In November 1994 Jesús Hernandez travelled back to his native Mexico with a team of engineers from Kentucky to apply his architectural schooling and practical knowledge of bottling and production logistics on the new Destilería Colonial de Jalisco. When the site was finished in October 1997 Jesús stayed on to help with the start of production before being appointed Maestro Tequilero. All the agave used at Destileria Colonial de Jalisco come from the Highlands with 60% coming from Olmeca Altos' own estates and 40% from third party sources. The blanco tequila is not a neutral or flavorless spirit, but rather packs real roasted agave flavor and plenty of potent pepper into its affordable price point. For $20, it's a work-horse tequila that offers authenticity and bold character to any cocktail you should choose to make with it.
Olmeca Altos Reposado Tequila $19.99 - The barrel aging mellows out some of the funky agave notes present in the blanco and adds a flutter of baking spice to the mix. If you want something utterly sippable, yet priced at a point where mixing isn't a problem, this is definitely the value-priced reposado of your dreams.
Cimarron Blanco Tequila 1L $16.99 - From the distillery of Enrique Fonseca, the man behind the legendary K&L Fuenteseca, comes this value-priced label of liter-sized tequila that seems almost too good to be true. I'm willing to bet we'll have a problem selling the Cimarron selections, rather than the ridiculous success we should experience, simply because people will wonder why it's so cheap? Don't let the price tag sway you, however -- this is clean, fresh, easy-drinking tequila made from 100% agave that is definitely up to Enrique's high standards. This blanco is cleaner and lighter than the Pura Sangre blanco (also from Enrique) and mixes into Palomas like a breeze. You'll be buying this by the case before you know it.
Cimarron Reposado Tequila 1L $21.99 - The reposado is mellow and soft on the palate, offering a much lighter and less rich flavor profile than some of Enrique's woodier expressions under the Pura Sangre and ArteNOM labels. It's almost too seamless. I can imagine going through half a bottle before realizing I've gone too far!
If you want to see for yourself how good some of these tequilas are, you should buy a ticket for our El Sinaloense dinner on April 29th and come drink some cocktails with us! Check out the post below for details.
-Davio Driscoll