A Beginners Guide to Being a Tequila & Mezcal Connoisseur

You’re here ‘cause you like Tequila.

Which means I like you. Cause I love tequila.

Or maybe you just WANT to like tequila but you drank too much Jose Cuervo in college and it left a bad taste in your mouth (literally.) I get it. Let’s change your mind then. Jose Cuervo sucks. There, I said it. It tastes like bootyhole and you should never buy it. Not even to drown in a pile of sweet margarita. And you don’t just have to reach for the Patron if you’re looking for a bougee tequila. There are so many options when it comes to tequila! In this blog post I’ll:

The difference between tequila and mezcal
Tell you my top tequila & my top mezcal
Tell you my top BUDGET tequila
Tell you my top MARGARITA tequila
Give you my favorite simple margarita recipe

LET’S GET INTO IT!

The difference between tequila and mezcal:

Both tequila and mezcal are made from the core of agave. The difference is in the way they’re processed. Mezcal traditionally has a very smoky flavor and even what I like to call “burnt tire” flavor. Sounds weird, but I love it. It’s a very robust and almost jarring flavor compared to the silky and smooth finish of a high end tequila. Mezcal is quickly becoming more popular and is being interpreted by different distilleries to create really fun flavor profiles! I’ll mention a couple of my favorite mezcals later in this post!

The tequila making process:

Agave core is steamed in ovens
It’s then distilled two or three times in copper pots
It’s then aged in oak barrels after being distilled
Silver tequila is aged 0-2 months
Reposado tequila is aged 2-12 months (giving it more body & flavor)
Anejo tequila is aged 1-3 years (giving it even more body, flavor, & smoothness - thus making it the most expensive type of tequila typically)

The mezcal making process (the traditional way):

The agave core is cooked in earthen pits
The pits are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal (giving it its distinct smoky flavor)
It’s then distilled in clay pots
Then it’s aged in oak barrels
Joven or Blanco mezcal is aged 0-2 months
Reposado mezcal is aged 2-12 months
Anejo mezcal is aged 1 + years

My Favorite Tequilas & Mezcals

MY ALL TIME FAVORITE TEQUILA IS:

Casamigos Anejo

It is sooo smooth, the perfect sipping tequila. Drink it neat or on the rocks. It’s slightly sweet with hints of cocoa and caramel. MMMMMM!

MY FAVORITE MEZCAL SO FAR IS:

Del Maguey Vida De San Louis Del Rio Mezcal

It’s surprisingly smooth and complex - fruity with a hint of cinnamon and ginger. Sooo good.

MY TOP *AUTHENTIC* TASTING MEZCAL (AKA: BURNT TIRE GOODNESS)

Mezcales de Leyenda Guerrero

It’s super smoky and briney with a hint of sweetness.

MY TOP *BUDGET* SIPPING TEQUILA

Kirkland Tequila Anejo Extra Aged - Can’t link it, but find it at Costco!

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH the regular Kirkland Anejo tequila! The GOOD one is in a tall skinny bottle, not the wider bottle! This tequila is slightly sweet and super smooth. It’s not quite as complex as the Casamigos but it’s still very good!

MY TOP MARGARITA TEQUILA

Reposado Tequila Corralejo

It’s good, it’s reasonably priced, and it’s a huge bottle.