Don Julio's care and attention stretched even to the planting of his agave plants. He planted them further apart than was typical, which allowed them more space to grow. He harvested the agave only when it was fully mature, and then worked with only the most juicy and ripe parts of the agave heart, or piña. The piñas were roasted slowly for 72 hours. The result was a tequila which was smoother and richer than any had been before, and Don Julio achieved his dream of making the world's first premium tequila. Don Julio offer a refined 1942 añejo tequila and an extraordinary Real extra-añejo tequila The longer aging period of Añejo introduces more oak flavors, making it a great choice for whisky enthusiasts interested in exploring tequila. Don Julio Añejo Tequila, gold medal winner, is an 18-month aged 100% Agave tequila, matured in American Oak barrels with a soft golden color and rich wood, toffee & cooked agave aromas and nice expressions of light vanilla, chocolate, and wild honey with a dark chocolate aftertaste. The short answer here: I couldn’t find my Cointreau bottle. BUTTTTTTT had I found it, I would likely still use the Grand Marnier. GM is a cognac based orange liqueur, lending more to those notes that I knew would compliment the REPOSADO tequila used. If this margarita was made with a Blanco tequila, I wouldn’t mind using the Cointreau product at all here. Agave Nectar

This seems like a no brainer, but I’m going to state it anyway. IF YOU DON’T USE FRESHLY SQUEEZED LIME JUICE, DON’T EVEN BOTHER. I’m talking about my mom that used to use that nasty green bottle product that never seemed to go bad. Don’t even think about Lime Cordial, orrrr LEMON! No debates here, capeesh? Here, I’m not just sharing opinions; I’m weaving tales from the rich tapestry of my experiences over these three decades.

Reposado

Kleinman, Geoff (13 March 2013). "How Tequila is Made: Behind the Scenes of Don Julio Tequila" . Retrieved 20 February 2014.

Don Julio Gonzalez-Frausto Estrada was born on 7 January 1925 in Atotonilco, Jalisco, where today's main facility is located. Don Julio learned the meaning of responsibility at an early age by working at his uncle José's tequila distillery. At the age of 23 he married Dorothea Garcia with whom he had 9 children. In 1942 he started a tequila distillery which would later be known as "La Primavera." By 1951, with the brand Tres Magueyes, he was on a path that would later become Tequila Don Julio in its different variants: Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, 70, 1942 and Real. Don Julio González-Frausto Estrada died on Tuesday, 20 March 2012 from natural causes. [10] [ non-primary source needed] Process [ edit ] Generally, good Reposados make better sippers than good blancos but it comes down to a matter of personal preference. It’s worth noting that Añejo was considered Don Julio’s top-tier option until the introduction of 1942. How to drink it? Don Julio Reposado is easier to drink than Don Julio Blanco as barrel aging made it sweeter and smoother while adding a pleasing oak note.

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Don Julio Gonzalez established his roots and his distillery “La Primavera,” in Atotonilco, on the highlands of Jalisco. The essence and soul of Don Julio began from his sheer love for the land, the agave, his people, and the process for creating exceptional tequilas. So this was an easy one and that’s because you voted for Reposado as part of #DrinkYourGram! Realistically, I’m always team Blanco for a Margarita, but it doesn’t mean a Reposado will be OUTSTANDING. Now because I used a Reposado Tequila, I wanted to bring out more of the savoury, nutty notes coming out, which is why I choose this particular Salt Rim… Cinnamon Salt Rim (Salty Paloma’s Sweetie Pie mixed with Kosher Salt) The good news is that I’ve got you covered on this with the following post comparing both releases from Don Julio. Is Don Julio Reposado better than Añejo? Lapcewich, Maggie (21 March 2012). "Don Julio González Estrada, Tequila Pioneer Dies at the Age of 87" (Press release). Diageo Global . Retrieved 20 February 2014– via Business Wire.

Personally, I prefer reposados over Blancos as I’m fond of light oak flavors and the vanilla notes that aging in oak provides to the tequila.For those of you that don’t know, Reposado translates to “Rested” in Spanish, and to be called a Reposado it needs to be aged for a minimum of 2 months and up to a year. So with that oak presence comes all the delicious notes we love, from caramel and vanilla coming out of the cask and into the tequila. So instead of using traditional kosher salt for the margarita, I decided to dress it up with a bit of Cinnamon. Now I had a batch of Salty Paloma‘s Sweetie Pie mix, and I simply added a 1:1 ratio of that and kosher salt. If you don’t have access to this product, add a dash of cinnamon to 2 tbsps kosher salt. Cinnamon powder goes a long way, so I wouldn’t create the same ratios I did with the Salty Paloma product. After pounding shots of blanco tequila on your 21st birthday, you still have a few lessons to learn in the ways of agave. Patiently waiting for good things to come is the first of those lessons, which is immediately evident when sipping a reposado tequila. To make reposado, distillers take blanco tequila fresh from the still and store it in American or French oak barrels. Legally, reposado sits between blanco and añejo on the aging spectrum and must rest in the barrel for between two months and one year, which gives it just enough time to develop a unique flavor profile without losing younger notes from the original agave juice. During a blind tasting, the judges granted awards to three variants of Don Julio Tequila. Don Julio Blanco Tequila and Don Julio Añejo Tequila both won gold medals and Don Julio Reposado Tequila won a silver medal. Other options within this price range include Fortaleza Reposado and ArteNOM 1414. Is Don Julio Reposado better than Blanco? Tequila Don Julio reaffirms the super-premium quality of its tequilas by winning three medals during the latest edition of The Global Spirits Masters, an international contest that qualifies and rewards excellence in the production of spirits, providing brands with key differentiation in a competitive market.