Any tequilists in the house? I’m looking to enhance my palatte, develop a false sense of superiority, that kind of thing. Read: slightly more than bottom shelf (well, maybe bottom shelf as compared to the floor?). I’ve only had experience with Sauza Gold ($30 cdn a bottle), and el jimador reposado ($33 cdn a bottle). El jimador is FOUL; far too strong of a spice taste to it. I’m looking for something I can sip, enjoy, and if the worst case should happen, one without too vicious a hangover (but taste is first priority).
Anyone have suggestions as to what to be looking at? I dont want to be breaking the bank, particularly when I’m used to the cheap stuff. I’m just looking for a decent midrange tequila thats not too far up the scale on ‘diminishing returns’. Maybe upto $50 a bottle? I don’t know.
I’m by nature and history a Scotch man, although last year or so bourbon has been the drink.
GILD, would be interested in hearing what you’re prefering.
While I’ll always have a place in my heart and taste buds for Jack Daniel’s (deep history, university, etc.), I rarely drink it these days. One of my favorites–maybe THE favorite–is Woodford Reserve. Some of the small batch brands like Knob Creek, Blanton’s, etc. are also good. Jim Beam is, of course, inedible. Even mixed, it’s a waste of good Coke. This may sound perverse, but to my taste one of the best bourbon’s on the market is also one of the most mass produced, and that’s the Wild Turkey 101. Great flavor both up front and after, drives the required “hoooooh” feeling in the windpipe after a taste, and as a fringe benefit packs a wallop in the proof department.
I not only endorse it, but will back it up with a nip right now.
i’ve always been a scoth drinker with a definite preference for johnny walker red as a day to day brand and oban when i can afford it
i’ve been promising myself that i’d spend more time with the single malts for a couple of years now, haven’t gotten around to it yet
i’ve tried jack daniels a couple of times and could never quite get a taste for it
it’s very trendy position in the south african drinking market, with every two-bit poser ordering a john daniels with the fake sneer of a small-penised man on his face didn’t help to endear me to the brand
small minded i know, welcome to my world
a while ago we visited some friends and the guy showed me a couple of bottles of bourbon he received from someone
(can’t remember the name for the life of me “Kentucky something…”)
he asked if i wanted a bottle
i did
and said so
apparantly this was the wrong this to say (acc to the significant/other anyway, apparantly u’re supposed to say ‘oh nom i couldnt possibly…’
then they say ‘no, really, i want u to have it’
and after a mutually agreed upon but unspoken period of this negative bantering, social norms decree that u can then accept the gift
u people have a strange planet here…)
that was the first time i really enjoyed a bourbon
now for some backround
i’ve allways maintained an emergency stock of Southern Comfort to have on the big Janis days
birthday, death, release of ‘Pearl’, that kinda thing
i once went into a pub on her b’day and ordered a double, the way god and the south made it
the bartender poured it, put it down on the counter and said ‘Janis juice, no charge’
so i have a precedent for linking a person’s favourite tipple with their memory
when Hunter S Thompson recently suicided, i decided to keep my remembrance on the right side of the law and bought a bottle of Wild Turkey to drink in his memory
i like
saw a bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed in the bottle store last night
a bit spendy for me for right now
would anyone know if it’s worth the money?
tequila quite often suffers from the problem that most people drink it after a couple of beers, when the juices are really flowing
this is possibly the worst time to drink (the bad) tequila (they stock in most bars)
if u have too many mixed with other alcohol, u will almost certainly get sick and have that very distinctive tequila taste in your mouth and head while u’re spilling your guts
tequila should be drunk in isolation from other form of alcohol
just tequila and water and u’re on your way to a fun evening
there’s a mexican restaurant in ames that gives you a t-shirt if you finish 2 48 oz margaritas. i’ve done it. no huge deal. but oh man, is it ever worth the extra $3 to bump it up to cuervo. if i’m going to just drink tequilla, i’ll toss some ice in a glass and pour good tequilla almost like scotch or bourbon, but in this case the $7 margs are really strong with really cheap stuff unless you pay $10 each for cuervo. totally worth it. and surprisingly not that hard to drink.
i’ve been meaning to develop a taste of whiskey/scotch/bourbon for a while now, but when i have the money for decent stuff, i’d rather spend it on gin. damn i love gin.
Dave: Obviously this is one of those topics with many strong opinions and many that differ. Personaly I don’t weant to get into a conflict with people who have been drinking tequila, but here goes my 2 cents:
Only freeze cheap tequila (or vodka. or anything except popsickles). You cannot truly taste it when it’s that cold.
Cuervo Gold has always been fine for a budget. And if it’s going into a mixed drink, go much cheaper–like the stuff that comes in the plastic bottle.
How much Cuervo could they afford to give you in a 40 oz marguerita? Maybe they’re giving you less tequila with the Cuervo, so it doesn’t taste that strong… the tee -shirt has to be worth $15 anyway.
What do people think about those “tequilas” that are made from 100% Blue Agave??
And while your mixing, I’ll have an Apple martini with vodka and Pucker, shaken very well. 2 cherries.
(on a complete tangent: u know i shave my head
i also own (and dearly love) a pair of round, red sunglasses that i wear incessantly
quite often i’ll find people mocking me with ‘are u trying to look like the guy from Natural Born Killers?’
and i go
‘did u actually watch that movie?’
the mind boggles…
end of tangent)
from my experience, i find more taste in an icy cold tequila (Usually Cuervo Gold) than in one at room temperature
i especially find honey flavours being released by the cold
alternatively, it seems to inhibit the ‘burn’ allowing me to taste more
i suspect the maturity of the palate must have something to do with it
i asked my friendly local bottle store lady to find out about getting hold of the more upmarket tequilas
i’ll let u know what’s available
You know it. Try this one on for size: get a bottle of good rum, and if there’s no small batch stuff available then either Myers dark or Mount Gay or even the under-appreciated Bacardi Anejo. Buy some high quality naval oranges or tangelos…something with some snap and no seeds to mess with…and toss them in the fridge. Then drink the rum neat, a sip or small shot followed by eating a section of the chilled orange. Like a Rum and OJ, only better. I think even Magic 8 Ball would agree with me this is the way to enjoy a good rum.