Beyond the Margarita 

    Tequila was the fastest growing spirits category last year with an 8.7 percent growth spurt, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. And, while the Margarita reigns as the most popular tequila cocktail in the country, bartenders are thinking outside the glass these days by mixing in their own imaginative ingredients to create a host of other unusual and exotic tequila libations.

Fresh, New Possibilities
    These innovative cocktails include drinks such as the Tequila Cosmo, which is a twist on the Cosmopolitan that substitutes vodka with tequila, says Shawn Kelley, communications director at DISCUS. Another is The Mesa Fresca, she says, which is a signature cocktail served at Mesa Grill in New York City that mixes in grapefruit juice.
    Laurence Kretchmer, author of “The Mesa Grill Guide to Tequila” and co-owner with Bobby Flay of Mesa Grill, says, “Tequila is just complex enough with its peppery spice quality to give a cocktail layers of flavor that go well beyond just being fresh. Blanco and Reposado tequilas, in particular, with their floral flavor profile, are a perfect component for creating bright cocktails with freshly squeezed citrus juices.”
    At Mercadito Restaurant in New York City, where they serve tequila exclusively, Chef/Owner Patricio Sandoval, says,  “Our customers are excited to learn that all of our cocktails are tequila-based, including the Mojito, which is made traditionally with rum.”
    To spark the imaginations of your bartenders to try new tequila cocktails, put some of these great brands behind your bar and let the magic happen.

Meet the Players

• 1800 Tequila  — 1800 Tequila is the number one super-premium tequila in the United States. Crafted in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, it is the first tequila to be aged in French and American oak barrels. 1800 Tequila is distributed in the United States by SKYY Spirits, a global spirits company based in San Francisco. Its name is in commemoration of the year in which the first successfully aged tequila was produced. This super-premium tequila is a tribute to the earliest master tequila blenders.

• Casa Noble — Casa Noble ultra-premium tequilas begin as carefully selected individual 10-year-old plants of Blue Agave. The agaves used for Casa Noble Tequilas are slow baked in stone ovens for 38 hours and then spontaneously fermented. All of the distillery’s tequilas are triple-distilled in alembic stills. Casa Noble Añejo Limited Reserve is an elegant, añejo tequila extended-aged in French white oak casks. Made in limited quantities, the Casa Noble Añejo has a silky texture, a spicy palate, and a slightly sweet, smoky finish, says spirits expert Robert Plotkin.

• Chinaco Añejo — This seamlessly smooth tequila is a handcrafted gem. Made at a distillery named La Gonzaleña, Chinaco Añejo is credited with sparking the tequila boom in the United States in the mid-80s. It is an alembic tequila that is aged in American oak for up to three years. The medium-bodied añejo is imbued with an expansive bouquet, a full, voluptuous palate and a long, lingering finish. Chinaco Añejo is produced in a less assertive style that makes it a perfect entrée for someone new to tequila.

• Don Julio 1942 — Don Julio founded the Tequila Tres Magueyes distillery in 1942 at the age of 17. Sixty years later, he is considered Mexico’s leading tequilero-master distiller, and his line of tequilas are considered among the very finest. To commemorate his marvelous career, the company has issued a tremendously satisfying spirit called Don Julio 1942. The super-premium añejo is aged in oak for a minimum of three years. It has an engaging, fruity and slightly sweet bouquet and complex palate of vanilla, spice, pepper and fruit.

• El Diamante del Cielo – Distributed in the United States by Extreme Beverages, El Diamante del Cielo comes from deep in the heart of Mexico. Respectful of the heritage it is, according to the company, the most authentic tequila made today. The Beverage Testing Institute describes it as exceptionally smooth and flavorful — having a vivid, golden copper color with decadent aromas of toffee, vanilla, perfume and rich brown spices.

• El Tesoro de Don Felipe Silver  – People who truly appreciate the art of making great tequila tend to drink silver tequila, primarily because it best reveals the master distiller’s craftsmanship, Plotkin says. One of the most revered silver tequilas is made by El Tesoro de Don Felipe. It is handmade at a small distillery named La Alteña located high in the Los Altos Mountains. There the Camarena family makes tequila the same way they have for over 50 years, using methods long since abandoned by others as too expensive. It is aromatic, peppery and loaded with the robust character and clean, crisp flavor of blue agave. The tequila is bottled within 24-hours of distillation-unfiltered and unaltered, exactly as it came out of the still.

• Herradura Añejo — Founded in 1870, Tequila Herradura was the first brand of 100 percent agave tequila available in the United States. Every stage of its production takes place on the Herradura estate in Amatitán, and it is among only a few distilleries that have always only produced 100 percent agave tequila. Herradura Añejo is double distilled in large, stainless steel, alembic stills and aged in both American and French oak barrels for a minimum of two years. This luxurious tequila is richly colored and loaded with the aromas and flavors of pepper, ripe apples and toasted oak. The finish is long and flavorful.

• Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia  – After two centuries, the people at Jose Cuervo have learned a thing or two about producing tequila. To celebrate their 200th anniversary, the tequila-producing giant first issued the limited edition Reserva de la Familia de Jose Cuervo in 1995. The ultra-premium, vintage-dated añejo is aged for a minimum of three years in new French and American charred oak barrels. This elegant tequila has a floral bouquet and is rich with the flavors of nuts, vanilla and spice. The lingering finish is remarkably similar to Cognac.

• Patrón — These artisan tequilas are masterfully produced is a style that accentuates taste and aroma. Patrón Silver has a velveteen texture and is imbued with an exuberant, spicy nature. It is amazingly refined for an unaged spirit and its finish is satiny smooth. Patrón Añejo is extraordinarily elegant. It has a voluminous bouquet and a palate rich with fruit and spice. The tequila finishes like a pleasant dream.

• Rey Sol — Rey Sol is an extended aged, ultra-premium añejo from Casa San Matías in Jalisco. The distinguished spirit is aged in charred American oak barrels for six years, making it possibly the oldest tequila in the United States. Rey Sol is an exquisite tequila, one highly influenced by its prolonged stay in wood. The bouquet is soft and slightly herbal and its palate is imbued with vanilla, carame and spice. Rey Sol has a classic warm and savory finish.

• Sauza — Plotkin says triple-distilled Sauza Tres Generaciones Plata has “a captivating aroma of citrus and spice and lilts over the palate without a trace of heat or harshness, then slowly builds in intensity revealing layers of spicy, peppery flavor. The finish is relaxed, lingering and quite flavorful.” The Sauza Tres Generaciones Añejo has for years ranked high among the super-premium elite. It is double distilled in copper alembic stills and then aged a minimum of three years in 180-liter white oak barrels.

• Tequila Rose – The original Tequila Rose is a mixture of strawberry cream liqueur and tequila. The tequila is very subtle and really only gives a spirit flavor to the liqueur. The strawberry and cream flavors are predominate and this tastes more like a strawberry milkshake than a tequila-based liqueur. NCB