What's Yer Nirvana Tequila?

[Vito]

Mine is Asombroso 5-Year Añejo Blue Agave Tequila. I know there's more expensive tequila (for example, Asombroso 11-Year Añejo), but I've never coughed up the megabux it takes to quaff that stuff...OK, sip it. Only a damned fool would quaff such nectar of the gods.

Anyhow, the 5-year Añejo ain't exactly rotgut, and it's my flat-out favorite. In fact, it's a psychedelic, transcendental, over-the-top, off-the-charts, heaven-on-earth drink. Sounds like rank hyperbole, but anyone who's ever tasted that sublime stuff knows what I mean.

So, what's yer nirvana tequila?

:joker:

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Unfortunately, tequila has always kicked my butt...my capacity for drinking tequila is about a third of other liquors. For that reason I rarely drink tequila, but when I do it's usually in a margarita or "Mexican Screwdriver" at home. My preferred tequila for these is Sauza Gold.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to sample some Herradura Suprema. I can't imagine any other tequila being any better for sipping. However at about $300 per bottle it's way beyond my price range.

Jim...my ha'pence

 

[Vito]

Howdy Jim:

Here’s a neat article about Casa Herradura: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-ceaser/tequila-grows-up-and-gets_b_834567.html

That Herradura Seleccion Suprema is pricier than even the Asombroso Añejo. I have no doubt that it's awesome stuff.

Truth be told, tequila kicks my butt too. I'm just not much of a boozer, so when I find something worth drinking, I take my time with it and savor it. Actually, this photo from the article linked above...

...shows the way I drink a fine tequila, except that I seldom put more than 1/2" in the bottom of a 4" diameter snifter. For me, at least half of the experience is the aroma. A little goes a long way...I can nurse a glass for an hour or more.

Good to be yakking with you again, amigo.

:joker:

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Hey Vito,

Thanks for the link and informative article! The aroma part is something I've never concentrated on or even paid close attention. My loss to date though I'll see if I can find a moderately priced aged tequila and give it a whirl.

It's good to see you posting again...it's much easier to communicate/yak with you. :mrgreen:

Jim...hoping an old dog can learn a new trick

 

[Vito]

Jim:

One of the most amazing things about tequilas is how different they are. Herradura Seleccion Suprema is aged in American oak for 4+ years, which undoubtedly gives it its deep color. It also gives it a flavor and aroma that you won't find in lesser tequilas...even those made by Casa Herradura. That's the trouble with having the best; it spoils you for everything else.

The first time I tasted Asombroso Extra Anejo was at my favorite Mexican restaurant. It was many years ago, and at that time it cost $22 for a glass like the one shown in my last post. It probably costs quite a bit more now. Heck...it's $25 for a 50 ml (~1.7 oz.) bottle at the BevMo, so it's probably 1.5 to 2 times as much in a restaurant.

Anyhow, in your quest to find a tequila that you can love and won't send you to the poorhouse, http://www.tequila.net/ might be a useful resource. If you find something you think might be worth trying, check to see whether the maker might offer it in those little 50 ml bottles, which provide a good way to sample the stuff without breaking the bank. Check with your nearby booze shop, or search the sites of the big online sellers like BevMo.com.

And if you find a nirvana tequila, be sure to let the brethren know. :mrgreen:

:joker:

 

[Lupulus]

I have never had Asombroso, though I have wanted to try some for a while now. My favorite is El Tesoro de Don Felipe Anejo. Only $35-40 a bottle and fantastic, a great sipping tequila. I would love to try the El Tesoro Paradiso, but I never seem to have an extra $125 laying around for alcohol.http://www.tequila.net/tequila-reviews/anejos/el-tesoro-de-don-felipe-tequila-anejo.html

I don't know why I can't get the link to work as part of the post, I have done that before, but I can't get do it right now. :scratch:

 

[Vito]

Lupulus:

Thanks for posting that. Dammit. Now I have to try it. :roll:

Hey...no worries on that Asombroso thang, mate. If you don't like it, I'll be happy to dispose of it for you in a responsible, environmentally sound way. Purely as a selfless act of civic duty, you understand.

I don't know why I can't get the link to work as part of the post, I have done that before, but I can't get do it right now. :scratch:

I've had that happen, especially when a link found through a search function tacks some extra characters onto the end of the URL. The message composer has some bugs in its ability to interpret links. Sometimes cleaning the extra characters off the end fixes it. I had to do that to get the composer to even recognize the BevMo link as a link.

It doesn't look like that was the case with the link you posted, though. I was able to get it to embed just fine: El Tesoro de Don Felipe Tequila. Go figure.

Ah, the serendipitous wiles of cyberandomania. Maybe it has something to do with the way you're holding your mouth when you hit the "Preview" or "Send" buttons. How about sunspots? The "devil"? Microbursts? Nazi space monsters? No, wait...Congress is in session. That's enough to put the SNAFU to anything. :mrgreen:

:joker:

 

[Lupulus]

Ah, the serendipitous wiles of cyberandomania. Maybe it has something to do with the way you're holding your mouth when you hit the "Preview" or "Send" buttons. How about sunspots? The "devil"? Microbursts? Nazi space monsters? No, wait...Congress is in session. That's enough to put the SNAFU to anything. :mrgreen:

:joker:

Close, but it was just because I was using Chrome. I tried again using Firefox and Explorer and both of those worked. Must be something with the browser.

 

[Vito]

...it was just because I was using Chrome. I tried again using Firefox and Explorer and both of those worked. Must be something with the browser.

Here it is when I use Chrome for Mac: El Tesoro de Don Felipe Tequila

A Chrome for Windows bug, perhaps? Or maybe it's still looking good for that sunspots thang...I dunno...try some Beano<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/>. Sometimes that works. :mrgreen:

:joker:

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Vito,

Thanks for the ideas! Several years ago when "researching" scotch, I found mini-bottles to be a fine method. Living close to South Carolina makes it much easier. (until a few years ago,if you ordered a drink in SC the booze would be poured from a mini bottle) As my research on tequila begins, I'll try to remember to post the results and brief impressions.

Lupulus,

Thanks for the link! Looks like a good place for me to begin my "research".

Jim...able to open both posted links with Firefox 4.01 but never used Beano<img class="emojione" alt="" title=":tm:" title=":tm:" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/emojione/assets/png/2122.png?v=2.2.7"/> with a computer. However, it does work if taken internally by bloated older men.

 

[Vito]

I did it. I took the plunge. I took on a quick one-off job that netted me a couple of hundred bucks, specifically for the purpose of funding the purchase. (The image is a clickable link.)

​

Got it here: AsomBroso Extra Anejo - HiTime Wine Cellars

Nirvana obtaineth! :mrgreen:

 

[Ol'Dawg]

What I thought would be a fairly easy task of finding some mini-bottles of añejo tequila turned out to be something like finding a needle in a hay stack. Apparently folks in NE Georgia and NW South Carolina are still trying to imitate Shelley West. :lol: and the local liquor stores are stocking their shelves to serve them. Also the on-line stores don't ship to Georgia.

I have found a few so far. After reading some of the reviews to find out the generalities of what to look for, my first sippings were:

Jose Cuervo Black Añejo- yuck, very oily and seemed heavily flavored to hide some poor tequila. I wondered why some of the reviews mentioned "oily" and this was a good one to understand. Not as oily as castor oil but not far away.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado- Not much better but still had a yucky stale flavor and nose.

Familia Camarena Reposado- Surprisingly clean smooth flavor and nose. Hope to find a mini of their añejo to compare.

Jim
Coming soon- 1800 Reposado, Avion Silver, Reposado and Añejo, Patron Añejo, Sol Dios Añejo, and Kah Reposado (cool mini-bottle)

 

[Vito]

...Coming soon- 1800 Reposado, Avion Silver, Reposado and Añejo, Patron Añejo, Sol Dios Añejo, and Kah Reposado (cool mini-bottle)

Jim: Thanks for sharing your impressions. I'm looking forward to your take on the others you've mentioned.

I can see that this tequila thing is just as fascinating an exploration as pipes and weed...well, for me, at least. As much as I love AsomBroso Extra Añejo, it would be a mighty expensive habit to drink it to the exclusion of all others. The quest for other sippin' tequilas continues.

:joker:

 

[babysinister]

I did it. I took the plunge. I took on a quick one-off job that netted me a couple of hundred bucks, specifically for the purpose of funding the purchase. (The image is a clickable link.)

​

Got it here: AsomBroso Extra Anejo - HiTime Wine Cellars

Nirvana obtaineth! :mrgreen:

If you give that bottle of tequila to a ladyfriend as a gift it will have this additional benefit: it will count as two gifts.

 

[Vito]

...If you give that bottle of tequila to a ladyfriend as a gift it will have this additional benefit: it will count as two gifts.

Bad babysinister!! Go lie down! :lol:

Truth be told, bro', I have one very special ladyfriend, and I married her. She doesn't need to be messin' with a tequila bottle when she can get the real thang. :twisted:

 

[Tim_Haggerty]

I had a particularly unfortunate experience with Cuervo in my youth and I've been wary of tequila since then. I might try a good agave, but if that's around I can usually find a good single malt or top-shelf bourbon.

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Update---

1800 Reposado- Disappointed because I had seen this advertised and being purchased by others while shopping in the past. Put off by aroma--lots of alcohol and similar to rubbing alcohol and had a funky agave taste.

Sol Dios Añejo- Another disappointment. Another high alcohol aroma along with a light bourbon sniff. Must have been aged in used Heaven Hill barrels. Woody/oak taste and not much agave.

Avion Silver- Thinking the last two high alcohol aromas might be due to cold dry weather, I opened this mini to see. Nope, had a nice clean agave aroma and not overwhelming alcohol sniff. A little sharp but nice agave flavor somewhat fruity like pineapple.

Avion Reposado- Nice agave aroma with a little caramel and balanced alcohol. Nice smooth taste but would be better with some more age.

Avion Añejo- Very pleasant and balanced though light aroma. Very smooth, clean and complex taste though not heavy at all. Best I've tried so far.

Jim..having purchased some more minis in Atlanta last week end to add to the list.

Tim, I had a few tequila headaches in my earlier years too. A suggestion- Avion comes in a 3 mini sampler pack and would think it might fit your bill if you wanted to venture into tequilas again. At least it didn't bring back any bad memories for me.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I'm not too much into tequila, but a good smoky mezcal is okay... this one did me alright.

 

[Vito]

...Avion Añejo- Very pleasant and balanced though light aroma. Very smooth, clean and complex taste though not heavy at all. Best I've tried so far...

Thanks for your notes, Jim. I put Avion Añejo on my shopping list!

 

[Ol'Dawg]

Update--

Patron Silver-Very nice balanced alcohol and agave aroma. Doesn't come thru in the taste though. Heavy agave taste, almost sickening and caused me to step away from tequila for a couple of weeks. Seems to be very popular but I can't understand why.

Sauza Hornitos Añejo-Nice toasted/roasted agave aroma and that came thru in a nice smooth almost creamy taste but ended with a very astringent finish..causing my lips to stick to my teeth.

Ultimo Agave Reposado-Another tequila with a rubbing alcohol aroma along with a light agave smell. Unremarkable taste.

Patron Reposado- Decent aged agave aroma and balanced with nice alcohol aroma. Came thru in the taste but rough around the edges.

Cazadores Reposado-Decent balanced agave and alcohol aroma but has a strong alcohol burn but fairly smooth taste. Would make a good mixer.

Jim...still searching for a winner

Coming soon- Patron Añejo, El Jimador Reposado, Kah Reposado, Kah Añejo, Don Julio Reposado, Don Julio Añejo, Lunazul Reposado, Asombroso Rose, and for fun...Margaritaville Gold,