What's in your 12 bottle case?: Bartholomew Broadbent

 by: Hoke Harden


It's a fascinating question, one that is often asked---right behind the unanswerable “What’s your favorite spirit?”---and one that requires a little thinking: If you had to limit your available spirits to one case, 12 bottles, which 12 would you choose?
 
The answers, it turns out, are always different.  And the choices reveal much about the people making them. 

The ‘rules’ were simple: Only 12 bottles, any spirits you wish, and they don’t have to include bitters (they’re small, so they’ll fit in to your case anyway, and we didn’t want to make it too difficult).  You

Down the Tequila Trail

It is time for another Great Taste Tour and this time we ventured back to the land of Tequila.  We set our sights on Mexico to hopefully learn more about the mystique behind what makes this agave nectar so amazing.  We had a great group of people that consisted of many from Oregon and few from North Carolina, overall it was a very well rounded group of liquor store owners and employees. 

We arrived in Guadalajara on a Sunday and I was immediately reminded of what a beautiful city it is.  The

Tequila: It’s as simple as 1…2…3

The irrepressible and enthusiastic David Ravandi, a telling combination of practical and romantic mixed up in one persona, visited Portland this week to speak long and lovingly about his primary passion: his new Tequila brand, Uno Dos Tres.
Ravandi had a three part vision for his new tequila: First, it had to be organically made and organically certified.  Second, it had to be only of the finest quality.  And third, it had to be done in the authentic and traditional style of original tequila from the heartland of tequila.
Looks like he succeeded on all three counts.

Organically Certified
Despite romantic wishful thinking, Mexico is not largely organic. Quite the opposite, actually.  Poor and undeveloped is not the same thing as organic, and agrarian countries tend to depend fairly heavily on

Agave Spirits--- Tequila or Mezcal, it’s a growth market

©Hoke Harden February 2011

Anyone who has been paying the slightest bit of attention the last ten years or so has noticed the explosive growth of Tequila in the U.S. market.

Here’s some more news:  that growth is going to continue.  But it isn’t just Tequila that’s going to continue, and not just in the U.S.   Mezcal has entered the mix, so it’s now about the entire agave spirits category.  And agave has gone global, so it’s a worldwide phenomenon.

Did you know….there are six different agave spirits produced in Mexico?  Tequila, Mezcal, Sotol, Raicilla, Bacanora, and Comiteca.  The only two exported in significant numbers to the U.S. are Tequila and Mezcal; the others remain largely local.  So far.

Any extra CASH laying around?

Tequila Herradura, one of the oldest and most respected 100 percent blue agave tequila brands since 1870, announces the launch of its exclusive Buy-the-Barrel program, an exceptional opportunity for tequila connoisseurs to order their very own Herradura Double Barrel Reposado. When bottled, each barrel yields approximately 240 bottles of specially crafted tequila reposado aged for an additional month, ensuring every ounce captures flavors and notes directly drawn from the selected barrels.

Connoisseurs have the option of traveling (at their own expense) to the Hacienda near Guadalajara, Mexico, to select their own Herradura Double Barrel Reposado. Once chosen, the tequila is placed in bottles adorned with personalized labels, including the purchaser’s name, number and bottling date. The barrel itself then is varnished, branded and shipped with a framed certificate of ownership. Price per barrel is approximately $10,000 and the order process takes about 45-60 days.

The all-natural aging process, rooted on 140 years of dedication to the craft and tradition, begins with 100 percent blue Weber agave rested in toasted oak barrels for 11 months, creating Herradura Reposado’s distinct color with a cinnamon and oak aroma that provokes a rich and smooth taste. To enhance this tequila, it is matured for an additional month in a new toasted barrel handmade specifically for this extra aging. This process provides the tequila’s uncommon smoothness and complex flavor notes of cooked agave, dried fruits and sweet brown spice.

“We are proud to introduce Casa Herradura’s first Buy-the-Barrel program, which embraces the tequila aficionado and includes them in our celebrated selection process,” said Mark Bacon, director of Casa Herradura Tequilas in North America. “We felt it was important for us, as a tequila institution, to share the art of making this fine spirit with our valued customers, such as Emmitt Smith. We believe this program provides a great opportunity to partake in an unrivaled experience with our supporters as they select a unique expression of our tequila.”

Dick's Mix - for the Agave Margarita Connoisseur

Richard Dooley is a Tucson Renaissance man – a registered nurse, an artist, a Friday bartender at La Paloma Country Club and an entrepreneur with his creation “Dick’s Premiumargarita Mix.”

As an advocate for handmade cocktails with natural components, Dooley drew inspiration for his margarita mix based on the premise that Southwestern margaritas ought to be comprised of fresh ingredients. 

“I’ve always liked margaritas. So, I began mixing a bunch of things generally based on the knowledge that the combination of several ingredients often makes a better product than just pouring one product, it gives a better balance – so I made a concoction with fresh lime juice and lemonade, some other mixes, the essence of limes, lemons and oranges,” Dooley explains.

“The other thing that is a clincher is using agave nectar, because tequila is made from the agave plant and agave nectar is a sweetener that has a lower glycemic index. That, with some raw sugar imported from Mexico.”

It took Dooley three to four years to develop his formula and Dick’s Mix finally hit the shelves last September. The process culminated with Dooley whittling down several blends to four recipes last summer and inviting margarita-loving friends to a taste testing session in order to suss out a consensus.
“I realize it’s just margarita mix, it’s not rocket science. But it’s not easy to get the proportion of sweet and sour right,” Dooley explicates. “I wouldn’t say that I was working hard every day on it; I was going to nursing school. Once I became an RN, I was putting a little more time into it.”

While the mix is only available locally at three Tucson locations – Maynard’s Market, 400 N. Toole Ave., Rincon Market, 2513 E. 6th St. and The Rumrunner, 3131 E. 1st St. – it is something to seek out if you are interested in a quality mix to complement your 100% agave tequila. As Dooley says, this isn’t for the volume drinker; it is for people with a discerning palate who want an authentic margarita experience and especially for impressing out of town visitors.

Impress them you will, as Dick’s Mix adroitly walks the tightrope of tart and sweet that is oh so delicious, brimming with fresh ingredients that viscerally convey the spring sunshine.

On Trends in Mixology: “Old-style cocktails like the Side Car and the martini. What what makes a martini good is to shake it hard with a lot of ice and splinter that ice. Then when you pour it, you have a nice layer of ice crystals floating on top. That first sip is the most important. That ice needs to lift and melt, that’s the essence of the martini – as it passes over your tongue and down your throat, then the flavors rise up and you taste it through your olfactory senses.”

Favorite Ingredients: “Citrus juices are great in drinks. Keep it simple, make it fresh, it is always better to build a drink by hand.”

Signature Drink: The Dick’s Premiumargarita (single, on the rocks)

In a 16oz pint glass, 2/3 full of ice, add in this order:
1.  4oz of sparkling water (Perrier, Pellegrino, club soda)
2.  1.5oz of 100% agave tequila
3.  1.5oz of Dick's Premiumargarita^TM Mix
4.  1oz of premium orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, Prunier, Gran Gala)
5.  Squeeze of a lime

Follow Dick Dooley at DicksMix.net and on Facebook. 

photo credit and article written: Jamie Manser // thezmag.com

 

New "Tequila Train" Gives Behind the Scenes Look of Mexico's Famous Drink

EFE

Take a trip on a train that'll bring you near the foot of the Tequila Volcano in Mexico, where you'll find the Blue Agave plantations that are the source of Mexico's world renowned alcoholic beverage.

The new Tequila Train is the second of its kind and will begin operating in April in the southwestern state of Jalisco, giving tourists a first-hand look at the world famous tequila plantations.

The tour will begin around midday at a train station dating back to the late 19th century that Tequila Cuervo La Rojeña, maker of the world famous Jose Cuervo brand, is renovating outside Guadalajara, Jalisco's capital.
 

The train will return in the afternoon so the tourists can admire the view as the sun sets over the greenish-blue, agave-dominated landscape.

A project conceived of by Tequila Cuervo La Rojeña, the train will begin running on April 1 under a different concept than the Tequila Express - a tourist train operated by

100 Ways to Cook with Tequila

Ahhh, tequila, Mexico’s miracle elixir. This mysterious potion has the ability to both enhance and ruin lives. Often in the same 24-hour period. There is no better time to celebrate the wonders of tequila than mid-spring, that festive portion of the year when Cinco De Mayo comes to call!  Cinco is the ideal excuse for a night of debauchery. However if you, like me, crave a year-round  “south of the border” journey for your tastebuds without the shame spiral and permanent liver damage, these tequila-based recipes are just what the doctor ordered! Click on the photos for full recipes.
A BIG thank you to www.endlesssimmer.com // Posted by Emily on May 4 2011