Tequila
June 14, 2010
Given Tequila Liqueur Review
When we first heard about Given tequila liqueur, we weren't quite sure what to make of it. A Mexican spirit, fiddled with in France, and to top it all off, it's apparently not pronounced "given," it's pronounced "jee-vahn." Well, given that the folks from Given sent us a bottle, we decided to give in to the temptation and we're glad we did, since it's frickin' delicious.
The Look: The Given bottle is sleek and black with splashes of red, with a flat profile...all in all pretty good-looking.
The Nose: We got a lot more tequila than we expected when we sniffed Given, combined with a nice citrusy tang. It smells like a perfectly-mixed margarita, showcasing a bit of tequila's fire, tempered with tartness.
The Taste: Mostly citrus, with a faint tinge of tequila on the back end. We tasted a lot of lime juice, with very little sweetness. This isn't a heavy, syrupy liqueur, trying to overpower cheap booze with too much sweetness - it's nice and light on the palate with a nice long finish. If you're looking for a strong tequila flavor you're gut of luck, but this is a nice alternative.
The Verdict: Color us pleasantly surprised by Given. It's not going to replace tequila in our liquor cabinet, but it's got a nice citrusy flavor we can see working extremely well in a lot of cocktails.
We can also see ourselves sipping it on the rocks on a hot day, and seems like a good alternative when you want something margarita-esque with a lower alcohol content, or using it in citrus-based drinks to which we want to add some zing. We're seeing pricing around thirty dollars for a bottle, and you can check the Given website for tips on where to find a bottle.
June 8, 2010
Given Tequila Liqueur
We just found out about Given, a tequila-based liqueur produced in the Cognac region of France. According to the email we got, Given combines:
premium agave tequila from Jalisco, Mexico and once in France we incorporate some of the wine and cognac producing techniques to the tequila, even using grapes in the infusion process to create a smooth, refreshing liqueur that is not as sweet and thick as a typical liqueur and and as strong as a typical tequila.
Sounds interesting to us.
Even more interestingly, the email states that since it has properties of both a liqueur and a regular distilled spirit, they've coined the phrase "spi-queur." We're not sure how things are done in France, but to us that sounds more like a racial epithet than something we'd order in a bar. Hey - who are we to judge? Maybe that IS the way things are done in France.
Learn more at the Given Website, or follow them on Twitter or Facebook
Hell, while you're at it, follow us on Twitter and Facebook too.
May 12, 2010
Tequila: A Guide to Types, Flights, Cocktails, and Bites
Hola from Mexico, amigos. The Liquor Snob staff is on a much-needed vacation this week, drinking mucho tequila and murdering mucho Espanol. In other words, don't expect much from us this week, but we'll be back to our regularly-scheduled drunknness next week.
To tide you over, we found an excellent book about tequila so you can read about what we're drinking. Suckers.
Tequila: A Guide to Types, Flights, Cocktails, and Bites at Amazon
March 5, 2010
paQui Tequila Arrives for Review
We always love hearing about brands were weren't otherwise familiar with, and we recently got a package on our stoop that gave us just such a surprise. In the box was a bottle of paQui tequila. According to their website, paQui means "to be happy" in the original Aztec, and we can say its lived up to its name so far...who doesn't like seeing a bottle of tequila?
We haven't cracked it yet, though we plan to with a quickness because we're suckers for a blanco tequila. Until then, you'll have to satisfy yourself with the blurb from their site: "paQui Silvera expresses the essence of blue agave, with an inviting, flowery aroma and layers of complex flavor that include notes of fruit and spice."
February 3, 2009
Hornipolitan: Best Valentine's Cocktail Name Ever?
What's the best way to make someone feel randy romantic? Well, there are a couple ways, but one tried and true method is to ply them with tequila. We're not talking "Night in Tijuana With Your Buddies" amounts, but just enough. If you're looking for just the right drink for Valentine's Day, we submit to you: The Hornipolitan.
You might not want to mention it by name, though, because the object of your affection might see through your ploy. Unless you want them to, of course...
Continue reading: "Hornipolitan: Best Valentine's Cocktail Name Ever?"
January 27, 2009
1st Down Tequila: 60 Second Superbowl Cocktails
As you know, the Super Bowl is only a few days away, and it's time to start thinking about what you're going to drink. You could stick with your standard beers and whatnot, but you may want to class up your party, like if your grandma or your priest or your parole officer is going to be there. What better way to do that than with these 60 second cocktail recipes from Herradura?
Not only can you mix them up during a commercial break, you definitely need to drink rapid fire tequilas on a Sunday night. Trust us, it's always a good idea.
Continue reading: "1st Down Tequila: 60 Second Superbowl Cocktails"
November 14, 2008
How to Talk About Tequila
We got an email from the folks at Herradura Tequila with tips on how to talk - and think - about the illustrious beverage. No, you don't have to drink the whole bottle. No, you don't have to shoot it. And no, contrary to what some people seem to think, tequila is not a stimulant.
Good tips, and Rick over at Martini Groove did a nice job cleaning up some of the markety language, so we'll just give you his; the folks at Herradura obviously want you to choose their tequila and we'd actually have to agree since it's one of our favorites, but it's obviously not your only choice.
Continue reading: "How to Talk About Tequila"
November 7, 2008
Tommy Guns Tequila Review
Our long-time readers (both of them - hi Mom and Dad) will remember our glee when we discovered Tommy Guns Vodka a couple years back. We loved the fact it came in a bottle shaped like an old-fashioned tommy gun, we loved the Al Capone-themed concept behind the company, and best of all we thought it was a damned fine liquor. Imagine our excitement when we found out the same folks also make a tequila, and they also put it in a gun-shaped bottle...but this time the bottle is red.
Will what's inside the bottle live up to our exacting standards? Will we give it a good review for fear of getting shot by Capone's cronies? Find out after the jump.
Continue reading: "Tommy Guns Tequila Review"
October 27, 2008
Tommy Guns Tequila and KU:L Vodka Arrive
Anyone who's been reading this site for a while knows we really enjoyed Tommy Guns Vodka, and not just because you can get it in a bottle in the shape of its namesake. We've just gotten our hands on a bottle of the vodka's sibling, Tommy Guns Tequila, which is available in the same gun-shaped vessel. A reposado laid down for six months, we've heard good things about the smoothness and taste of this one and we're looking forward to trying it.
Another new item we just picked up is KU:L vodka, imported by the same folks and with a name that makes us think it's something Conan should have drunk from the skulls of his enemies. We don't have much information beyond that, but we're certainly going to give it a taste and let you know what we think.
For more info, head over to the Tommy Guns Vodka website.
September 9, 2008
Agavero Arrives for Review
We've finally gotten our hands on some Agavero Tequila Liqueur, which we covered back in August, and we're looking forward to checking it out. We gave it a few initial sips and found it to have all the characteristics we like in a good tequila, along with a sweetness that should make some great cocktails. Plus, as we mentioned in our first story, Agavero contains the aphrodisiac Damiana, which means things could get a bit randy around the Liquor Snob offices. We'd better have the Interns stock up on Barry White albums and chocolate covered strawberries - we'll be doing this review at home.
Learn more about Agavero if you just can't wait for us to review it.
August 20, 2008
Agavero Tequila Liqueur
One thing we really like to do here in the Liquor Snob offices is to blow away people's misconceptions about tequila. Everyone seems to have some horrible "...and then I woke up in a jail in Fargo, North Dakota" story about the stuff, but is it really fair to blame the drink when you did 27 shots of it? Anyway, one of the misconceptions we like to do away with is that tequila is eye-searing, grit your teeth and shoot it, devil water.
One product we just discovered that could help us in our mission is Agavero Tequila Liqueur. It's made with 100% blue agave and sweetened with Damiana, a plant said to have an odor and flavor similar to chamomile, which you might be into, or cannibas sativa, which you probably are. It only clocks in at 64 proof, or 32% ABV, and we expect it to be much smoother and sweeter than other tequilas, making it an effective "gateway tequila." We'd be interested in trying it on the rocks, and we can envision it as a nice touch for some summer cocktails.
As a side note, according to Wikipedia, Damiana is believed to have aphrodisiac effects, and "Mexican Indians drank Damiana tea mixed with sugar for its ability to enhance lovemaking." We've put together a quick formula to help you get a full understanding:
Tequila + Aphrodisiac = Higher Possibility of Boom-Chicka-Wow-Wow
August 7, 2008
Maestro Dobel Diamond Tequila
Maestro Dobel Diamond Tequila is a small-batch, handcrafted spirit that has piqued our interest recently. It's a blend of tequilas aged 12-36 months, which are then filtered to take out the congeners (read: huge hangover contributors) to give the appearance of a blanco or white tequila. The stuff isn't cheap, running for around $75 a bottle, but it sounds like it's a far step away from that yellow Cuervo you usually throw up at 3 AM. Dobel Diamond Tequila is currently available in California, Illinois, Georgia, and Wisconsin.
at MaestroDobel.com
Image courtesy of Remove the Labels
December 6, 2007
Manik Tequila Blanco Review
Manik Blanco Tequila
Imported from Mexico
80 Proof (40% ABV)
The Company Line:
Clear and pure as the Artic Winds, has smooth and distinct softness, resulting in this icon of perfection. This premium creation is a favorite of connoisseurs of ancient traditions; a true masterpiece of sublime flavor and majestic notes.
Website
Available at
Internet Wines & Spirits
Our Thoughts: When we first got our bottle (not the bottle pictured above; we just haven't had a chance to snap a shot), we were impressed with the packaging and the lack of a paper label. It was replaced instead with a stamped metal piece glued to the bottle, giving it a distinctive look.
The nose was fairly mellow and unaggressive for an unaged tequila, and we could already sense the pepperiness that was to come with our first taste. We tend to like silver tequilas because they haven't picked up the flavor of whatever they're aged in, and have a snappiness to them that can disappear during aging; Manik was no exception.
The flavor was spicy and almost reminiscent of black pepper, and while we wouldn't shoot it we enjoyed it on the rocks. The peppery taste also made for some excellent Bloody Marias (bloody marys but with tequila instead of vodka). The mouth feel was a bit thin, but the tequila had a nice long finish that kept us coming back for more.
The Verdict: We'd pick up a bottle of Manik if we were out in the liquor store looking for something a bit different, and we liked using it in more savory drinks rather than your typical sweet margarita. It made tasty margaritas as well, and with a silver tequila this tasty we'd love to try some of this company's more aged products. Recommended if you like your drinks with some south of the border heat.
October 16, 2007
Tequila Confessions from Partida
In our experience, just about everybody has a tequila story. Some might remember too much Cuervo one night in college. Others might have gone to a bar in Mexico and had a random stranger who may or may not work there unexpectedly clamp off your nose and pour low-grade tequila in your mouth (we know from experience these gentlemen expect a tip). Whatever the story is, it usually ends up with the person communing at the porcelain confessional (pictured).
The folks at Partida tequila have come up with a new way to capture all these stories, and have put together a series of videos called Tequila Confessions. There are only a few videos right now, but they're looking for new stories, so you can get in touch with them about the time you tried to plow through a bottle of Sauza in a sitting. The initial videos consist of "man on the street" interviews, but they're looking to expand to "Bartender Confessions" as well.
Watch the videos at Tequila Confessions; see the full press release below.
Continue reading: "Tequila Confessions from Partida"
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