Jeff Houck

The Tampa Tribune’s food writer since 2005, Jeff Houck covers the way people live through their food. He also hosts the Table Conversations food podcast and believes that everything crunchy is good.

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One Tequila, Two Tequila, Three Tequila… FLOOR! [National Tequila Day Is Here]

Posted Jul 23, 2010 by Jeff Houck

Updated Jul 23, 2010 at 05:37 PM

I don’t know who thinks up things like National Tequila Day, but I’d like to shake that person’s hand.

Ever notice they rarely come up with National Days of Something that aren’t fun, good or delicious?

But I digress.

Yes, July 24 is the day so designated for Americans to appreciate the tequila arts. I, for one, am most grateful, although I do not care to restrain my love for agave squeezin’s to merely one day.

Another who shares my affection is Dori Bryant (above)of The Polished Palate in New Port Richey, who puts on great spirits festivals across the country, including the Rum Festival in Tampa Bay. (More about that later.)

But the tequila field is a crowded one. The number of new labels coming into the market remind me of the Great Vodka Rush of the mid 2000s. I asked Dori to give me her opinions on which tequilas she think are worth their weight:

Being a whisky lover, and, being a sipper, I naturally tend to head for Extra Anejos when at tastings.  For the better part of the past 7 years I’ve had the pleasure of tasting (all tequilas) Chinaco Negro, (the first extra anejo to be introduced to the U.S. market), Herradura Suprema, Reserva de la Familia and El Tesoro Paradiso - always among my perennial favorites.

Now, there are several new introductions complementing those which have paved the way, such as Grand Mayan (you’ll want to collect as many of these bottles as you can - they are as stunning as the juice inside), Abandonado, Suavemente, Clase Azul, Corrido & El Agave.

Of course, my taste does tend to skew to the upper reaches of outright affordability, as most Extra Anejos are pretty pricey, (starting at about $350 per bottle) and heading to the extreme north ($1,800 for the Clase Azul).

This Extra Anejo category rivals the longer-aged Single Malts with their layers of complexity and nuances.  For example, Clase Azul’s is redolent of anise and pepper - black pepper, to my recollection.  (It’s not every day that I sip this one!).

Grand Mayan and Suavemente have deep rich chocolaty overlays with a hint of sweet; Abandonado is most similar to a liqueur, being much sweeter than any others in the ‘extra’ category that I’ve tasted. Most Extra Anejos have spices such as nutmeg, clove & cinnamon, citrus, vanilla and other notes (Now I’m thirsty!). The artful Master Distiller still manages to keep that pure agave taste, however subdued, with the extended aging.

But one doesn’t have to go for the granddaddy of tequilas so get a good dose of flavor.  Unlike other clear spirits, the blancos are for sipping too!  One naturally assumes that all blancos are unaged. Not true. Some are aged for short periods to mellow that pure agave rush. While reposados need a mininum of 2 months in the barrel, some are aged 11 months or more, just shy of qualifying as Anejo. And, some Anejos, too, are aged much longer than the required 1 year.

With this riot of new tequilas being introduced, it’s so hard to choose favorites. Also, palates differ in likes and dislikes. However, when I’m making a Paloma or another cocktail, I always choose a 100 percent de agave over a mixto any day. If one is not available, I consider a mixto that has a higher ratio of 100 percent de agave in the mix. And, I like that agave attack that builds cocktails of distinction. Chinaco Blanco, Milagro Silver, Herradura & Fortaleza are a few. 

I’m anxious, particularly this year, as several overproof versions are beginning to make their mark, like KAH “Day of the Dead” and Agave 99 Tequilas.  I’m sure they’ll pack a wallop of heat!

Don’t even get me going on Mezcals, Sotols and Bacanoras.  While I’m not a babe in the woods on Mezcals or Sotol, which are immensely diverse styles of Mexican spirits, I’ve never tasted Bacanora.  But I hope to this year. I’ll keep you posted.

Dori’s Spirits of Mexico event on Aug. 16 in San Diego promises to be her best event yet, with more than 70 labels competing and sampling over 200 styles.

Be sure to catch her next International Rum Festival. Taking place the first weekend of June 2011 at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, the festival is always a great time for aficionados and amateur rum drinkers alike.

I have to concur with Dori’s analysis. Especially since she introduced me to 1921 Tequila Cream. Holy hell, that stuff is nectar from the gods. Imagine Bailey’s. Now make it tequila. Get my drift?

Her take on tequilas is especially accurate where Herradura comes into the conversation. I enjoy all of their line, but the Suprema is a tremendous sipping experience.

Here’s a gallery of pics I shot during a Herradura dinner last year at The Palm in Tampa. It was an amazing night of food paired with premium tequilas:

RELATED: Table Conversations podcast with Sammy Hagar, maker of Cabo Wabo tequila. [Link]