A beloved party drink, tequila has come a long way from its bad reputation. Today, the spirit is considered to be one of the most versatile drinks; one that is fun to experiment with for cocktails or as a classic sipper, neat or with ice. On this National Tequila Day, check out these delicious new tequila launches, from coffee-infused expressions to whiskey-barrel-aged creations and the popular pink tequila!
Cazadores Café
Photo Courtesy: Cazadores Tequila
Coffee and tequila are a match made in heaven. The rich flavour of coffee when blended with the crisp notes of tequila complements the other perfectly, delivering a rich, distinguished spirit. The Cazadores Café is a delicious agave-caffeine mix that is prepared using a diffuser method to extract the juices from the agave plant, a method usually frowned upon by tequila purists. Another step away from tradition – during the production phase –Cazadores subjects the barrels to the soothing tunes of Mozart during the fermentation process, which the brand claims, helps “to soothe the yeast and water particles to create the best possible taste for the tequila.” The resulting flavour profile comprises notes of vanilla, chocolate, and richly roasted coffee for a bold, smooth spirit with a subtle sweetness.
Don Julio Rosado
Photo Courtesy: Don Julio
After pink gin, it’s time for some pink tequila! While not the first, Don Julio’s Reposado is the newest pink tequila to hit the market, and no, the brand does not add pink colour to its tequila. It’s a known fact that barrel ageing tequila is what gives it its colour. This could be anywhere between a light yellow or rich amber tone which usually comes from ageing the tequila in ex-bourbon or American whiskey casks. The Don Julio Reposado too, gets its colour from the barrel ageing process, wherein the tequila is aged in French oak ruby port casks from the Douro region of Portugal. Matured for a period of four months, the oak ruby casks are what give the tequila its vibrant pink hue. The aroma is a mix of fresh citrus and light oak, while the flavour notes comprise dried red fruit, caramel and hints of black pepper spice towards the end.
Nobu Rare 2008 Reserve
Photo Courtesy: Qui Tequila
The Nobu Rare 2008 Reserve can be counted as a celebrity-owned tequila given Chef Nobu Matsuhisha’s reputation of branded collaborations. This time, Nobu collaborated with prominent tequila brand, QUI Tequila to create an ultra-premium tequila aged in whiskey oak barrels. The spirit is made using 100% Blue Agave grown in the Los Altos highlands of Jalisco, which were harvested in 2007 and 2008. The agave is then harvested using a proprietary method of distillation post which the spirit is then aged in traditional American Whiskey Oak Barrels before maturing in steel tanks. This method gives the tequila a sweet, oaky flavour profile with flavour notes of almond and maple, along with intense aromas of wood, tobacco, caramel, and vanilla. The limited edition tequila will be available at each of Nobu’s 51 restaurants around the world. A limited allocation of 500 bottles will also be available to purchase on QUI Tequila’s website.
Patrón Ahumado
Photo Courtesy: Patrón Tequila
Patrón continues its era of smoky tequilas with a limited-edition Ahumado range. Combining the best of mezcal and tequila, the new duo includes one silver and one reposado expression, both made from 100 per cent Blue Weber agave. Like its Gran Patrón Smoky Tequila, the Ahumado range too, roasts its agave in small batches before distilling it by crushing the roasted agave with a 100% tahona wheel. As for the tasting notes, the Ahumado Silver offers a blend of smoke and sweetness balanced with spice, black pepper, and cooked agave; the Reposado, on the other hand, has some woody notes with hints of vanilla and caramel.
Volcan X.A
Photo Courtesy: Volcan de mi tierra
Not exactly a new tequila, LVMH’s Volcan X.A tequila was unveiled last summer. However, the premium tequila was only available in select upscale restaurants in just about 250 locations around the world. But now, the brand has announced the tequila’s availability for purchase in about thirteen new markets in the U.S. as well as online. X.A is prepared using a blend of aged tequilas, which were then aged together in proprietary barrels called Grace Casks. These lightly toasted, virgin American oak barrels are crafted from trees obtained from different plots to give the spirit a unique flavour profile. Presented in a stunning, handcrafted gold and black decanter, Volcan X.A has a well-balanced flavour profile comprising cooked agave, vanilla, caramel and dried fruits with a hint of spices.
Quintaliza Reposado
Photo Courtesy: Quintaliza Tequila
Adding to the host of coffee-infused tequilas, new entrant Quintaliza Tequila, unveiled their coffee-flavoured tequila, which, unlike most caffeinated-agave spirits, has been aged in coffee-seasoned barrels. These barrels are seasoned with brewed coffee rather than plain coffee beans, which allows the cask to be fully infused with the coffee flavour and aroma. The tequila is placed in the cask after it is washed with tequila first to remove any remnants of coffee liquid. The tequila has a rich flavour profile of roasted coffee, oak wood, and subtly sweet agave with a dark chocolate finish.
