Tequila has joined rum to lead New World spirits to world-class status. The rough-and-tumble days of tequila as solely an esophagus-burning, memory-eradicating shooter may be over—as may well be the rapid expansion of the category we’ve witnessed in the past decade. But the spirit continues to garner new fans through ambitious and innovative refinement that has remade the wild Mexican liquor a drink worthy of contemplation and an upand-coming rival to traditional sipping spirits. All this and you’ll still find trays full of Margaritas making their way to after-work crowds from coast to coast.

While sales volumes may be wavering on the whole, tequila continues to provide brand excitement. The initial sway of image brands has given way to the powers of natural selection, pushing quality product to its deserved place at the fore of the category. Competition from other spirits seems to have encroached on tequila’s portion of the market, but devotees have compensated by up-purchasing within the category.

“If somebody orders tequila, they go toward the higher end,” says Ann Davis at Hilton Restaurant Group in Salt Lake City. “During the rapid expansion of tequilas over the past few years, people had the chance to sample good tequilas and they tend to order the better brands.” Davis has noted a “slight dissipation” of the tequila groundswell—giving way to the sexier feel of “Old Hollywood” cocktails like gins and drinks with flavored vodkas—but aficionados maintain healthy sales of the agave spirit.

Spirits consultant Sean Ludford (www.spiritsexperts.com) marvels at the quality of tequilas available across the country. “It wasn’t long ago that Cuervo Gold was the highest-quality brand,” says Ludford, who sees the big-marketing-dollar labels giving way to brands “hot for the right reasons.”

“The great producers in Jalisco are developing styles that approach ‘appellations.’” For example, Ludford says the reposados from the highland district of Jalisco—especially those produced by Oro Azul, Espolón, and Cazadores—define a distinct, fresh, and assertive “highland” style of very high quality. Through acute attention to ingredients, production, and handling, these producers are raising the reputation on the world stage.

Finishing Styles
One hundred percent blue agave high-quality spirit is available in each of the tequila finishing styles. The market trend is toward preference for higher quality within the blanco, reposado, and añejo sub-categories, with smaller producers catering to that inclination with pricier, more refined spirits and snifter-friendly añejos. Following the tequila boom of years past, Ludford cites a slight disappointment with image and volume brands he says have suffered from increased demand. Instead, Ludford and Davis have found true top-shelf craftsmanship in the bottles of those small producers.

Blancos: Blancos (or platas)—younger, white tequilas—are known for their aggressiveness and fiery nature. While brash, young tequilas can be like wild horses to rein in, Ludford praises Espolón as “the most amazing of whites—extraordinarily flavorful, very ripe but very delicate and citrusy” and recommends sipping it on its own. Davis likes the El Tesoro de Don Felipe Plata brand for its “smooth, easy-to-drink” qualities and as “a great place for beginners to start.”

Reposados: Reposados—“rested” tequilas— are known to flaunt intensified agave flavor without the harsher qualities of the blanco youngsters. Oro Azul is at the top of Ludford’s list as “very fruit-forward and assertive without being heavy.” Tropical flavors rounding out earthiness make Oro Azul “bold but balanced, very clean, and far from clumsy.” For Davis, Don Julio, Herradura, and Patrón have proven themselves good performers amongst reposados.

Añejos: Añejos—“aged” tequilas—combine the concentrated characters of 100 percent blue agave spirit with smoke, spice, and wood through years (legally, at least one year) of cask aging and bring tequilas into the realm of world-class brandies and whiskies. Here, Davis and Ludford both treasure the complex and elegant añejo from El Tesoro, with “very ripe fruit flavors, slight smokiness, cloves, cinnamon, a pepper finish, and amazing balance.” Adds Ludford, “It walks the line with about as much wood as I’d want in a tequila.”

In addition, Ludford suggests El Jimador from Herradura (a mixto tequila among the most popular in Mexico) and for great value, Pueblo Viejo—a littleknown, humbly packaged, very flavorful tequila. Davis points to her well tequila, Sauza Gold, as a continuing great value.

With tequila producers bringing ever-increasing depth and quality to their products, the category will certainly continue to draw a broad range of enthusiasts. Operators can now look outside the shot-or-margarita box to embrace the natural character and true versatility of tequila.

Denny Lewis has spent a big chunk of his adult life behind bars. He practiced the drink-slinging trade in New York and Boston, but left his bartending ways for a career in freelance writing and bar consulting. He now lives in Arlinton, Massachusetts, and can be reached at dennylewis@post.harvard.edu.