Joven tequila, also called gold, is made from a blend of blanco and aged tequilas. The most popular example might be party starter Jose Cuervo Especial Gold. There’s a reason bar industry experts gravitate towards reposado tequila. Meaning “rested,” reposado sits for at least two months, but generally less than a year, in the barrel. Most oftentimes, they’re American oak casks that once held whiskey. “It’s like the VSOP of tequila, aged but not too aged, with some wood but not overly decadent,” says Ivy Mix, owner of New York's Leyenda and author of "Spirits of Latin America." She quotes Carlos Camarena, master distiller of Jalisco La Alteña distillery, where Tequila Ocho is made: “He says aging is supposed to be like a picture frame, and in this case, the picture is of agave. You don’t want the frame to overtake the picture but to bring out [the] best attributes and highlight them.”

The rules for tequila categories and what you call them are controlled by Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council ( Consejo Regulador del Tequila, or CRT). The official rules are known as the NOM or Norma Oficial Mexicana. According to Mexican law, tequila can only be produced within five Mexican states: Jalisco (where the majority of the spirit is made), Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. The spirit must also include a minimum of 51 percent blue agave, though most critics agree that superior iterations are made from 100 percent. Añejos are not necessarily better than blancos just because of extra aging and a higher price. The flavors of agave are complex and interesting enough to drink it unaged. Contrast this to other spirits like whiskey where most of the desirable flavors come from the wood itself. For whiskies, it’s mostly the case that more years aging results in a better product.

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Tequila was originally all blanco, with reposado only being introduced in 1974 by Herradura. Find out more about blanco vs reposado tequila.

A heartier pairing can be found in one of Mexico’s most popular street foods, elotes Mexicans (Mexican street corn). This mouthwatering — and deliciously messy! — street staple is classically prepared by liberally coating boiled corn with a tangy combination of lime juice, creamy mayo, queso fresco, chipotle chili powder, and chopped cilantro. It’s the best way to use two hands: a PATRÓN Reposado Perfect Margarita in one and elotes in the other. Don Julio is one of the widest distributed tequilas. Both Don Julio Reposado and Añejo are aged for well above the minimums. The reposado is aged for 8 months and the añejo is aged for 18 months, both six months more than the respective category minimums. For the same brand, añejos are likely to be smoother and richer than reposados. Plus they are more expensive. On the other hand reposados will retain more agave character and the complexity that goes with it. Some extra añejos are not so distinguishable from cognac or even aged rums. If you like that, great, but I like to appreciate the agave. For reposado it is lighter than others, much closer to a Joven that expected, which goes some way to explain the rest of the experience. It is a pale golden colour and when poured is a watery consistency. Aroma When they are ready, workers called jimadors harvest the blue agave by cutting off the spiky leaves and taking the core of the plant, known as the piña.Tequila is made from the cooked and fermented sap of the blue Weber agave ( agave tequilana). The agave plants grow on farms and take five to nine years to mature. Certain brands introduce more additives with aged expressions, which may taste more artificial, sweet, and have unnatural vanilla flavors. To replicate the aging process, añejos are likely to have more additives than reposados. My personal thoughts Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie. Patrón prides itself on its traditional approach to tequila making, using a small batch mentality. It is one of the top selling tequila brands worldwide. Patrón tequila is one of the very few major brands to be additive free.

The two new serves were handcrafted with Tequila and Mezcal enthusiasts in mind, Patrón has said in a press release. They have been distilled using 100% Weber Blue Agave and an innovative production process. Mexican baked white fish in cilantro sauce is another light seafood dish to serve alongside the PATRÓN Silver Classic Margarita for a complex flavor combination. This tasty main course is usually made with tilapia filets but can be substituted with halibut or another white fish. The tasty marinade of blended lemon juice, garlic, and onion also doubles as a flavorful and stunning green sauce for serving.

Patrón Reposado Details

Here we highlight the PATRÓN Silver Classic Margarita and the PATRÓN Reposado Perfect Margarita , matching them with traditional Mexican dishes that make for an ideal sip-to-bite experience. PATRÓN Silver Classic Margarita Patron is known for making high-quality and smooth tequila fermented, a fruit commonly found in hot and arid regions of Mexico. Patron tequila was originally produced by Casa 7 Leguas, one of Mexico’s oldest distilleries. Patrón Ahumado Silver and Reposado are made from agave piñas roasted in small batches with mesquite charcoal for seven days in underground stone pits at Hacienda Patrón in Jalisco, Mexico. They are then crushed through a 100% tahona wheel distillation process. Patron tequila is made by fermenting the fruit of the blue agave plant. The plant takes a long time to mature, taking nearly eight to ten years to reach the perfect level of ripeness.

Añejo tequila: Añejo tequilas undergo a longer aging process, which results in a richer, sometimes more complex flavor profile. The extended time spent in oak barrels softens the agave taste and imparts deeper notes of dried fruits, chocolate, toffee, and an enhanced oak presence. Additional spices and a hint of smokiness may also be detected. Note – in both cases distilled water is usually added prior to bottling to reduce the alcohol volume to its intended level, usually 40% ABV / 80 proof. Tequila production method The first feel in mouth is peppery and alcoholic as expected and very strong cooked agave. Again as expected given the lighter colour. It is tingly on the tongue but not too strong. The intensity of the agave is quite full and catches the nasal senses taking the flavour into the nose. Añejo is better than a reposado because it develops more character and flavor due to the long aging process compared to a Blanco tequila.One great reason to barrel age a tequila is to mellow the rough edges that are sometimes left in the spirit after distilling. Reposado should have personality but be easily sippable. No one’s stopping you from shooting añejo. For that matter, no one’s stopping you from mixing it with coke. But the more pragmatic choice for shots is a reposado. Best for margaritas: Reposado