Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/551867
Tequila www.beveragedynamics.com May/June 2015 • Beverage Dynamics 39 achieve the highest quality possible." Equally engaging is Tequila Villa Lobos 100% de Agave, a collaboration between Carlos Camarena, mastermind behind El Tesoro and Tequila Ocho, and Dale Sklar, renowned tequila expert. In addition to using estate-grown agaves, the brand sports a few production twists. Unlike most blanco tequilas that are bottled unaged, Villa Lobos Blanco is rested in stainless steel tanks for six months prior to bottling, allowing the tequila's constituent to fully integrate. Villa Lobos Reposado is also rested prior to being aged in American oak for 11 months. The brand's añejo is aged for two years in charred, Ameri- can oak barrels. "We set out to make Tequila Villa Lobos the best tequila possible," Sklar says. "We wanted the te- quila to be soft and gentle. It's a spirit that caresses the palate in almost a feminine way. Carlos Camarena is a true genius with a still." As it is with wine, the grow- ing region where the agaves are cultivated and the tequila is made is a point of distinction between brands. Few better il- lustrate this point than Tierra Noble Tequila 100% de Agave, which is made at the highest distill- ery in the world, La Estacada. Located at 7,200 feet above sea level, the purity of the air, cool temperatures and soil composition all factor into the tequila's overall character. "The low temperatures slow down the fermentation process, and after eight days the must undergoes a second fermenta- tion, better known as malolactic fermen- tation," notes Alberto Herrera, master distiller and owner of Tierra Noble. "The cool, damp climate in our cellars slows maturation and adds to the complexity of the fl avors and aromas." The brand is most ably represented by Tierra Nobel Reposado, which is ma- tured in American white oak for up to 12 months, and Tierra Noble Añejo, which is aged in French and American white barrels for 24 to 30 months. Newcomer Celestial Tequila is made from single-estate agaves grown by fourth-generation agave farmers in the famed Lowlands of Amatitán. In contrast to Tierra Noble's temperate upbringing, growing conditions in the "valley terroir" are exceedingly warm and dry, and the agaves grow in mineral-rich, red clay soil. Crafted under the watchful eye of Master Tequilero Raul Garcia, Celestial Silver is bottled fresh from the still, while the Celestial Reposado is matured in charred, ex-Bourbon barrels for up to 11 months. The añejo spends a minimum of 18 months in American oak. According to Bruce Milligan, vice-president of Tequila Celestial, the defi ning characteristic of the tequila is its brilliant agave character. "The very essence of the Lowlands is forward and present; bright, yet earthy, like the fl avor of freshly roasted agave. Celestial is made with care, passion and a true undying re- spect for nature and our environment." Jalisco is only one of the Mexican states that can produce tequila. Mi Casa 100% Agave Tequila is made from agaves grown on the Rodriguez family ranch in Michoacán, the only single-estate tequila exported from the region. Part of Mi Ca- sa's character is due to the agave's unusu- ally high sugar content, which averages 30%-35% brix. "There is nothing that affects the quality of a tequila more so than the quality of the agave you use to make it," contends Arthur Eli Rodriguez, patriarch of the Mi Casa Family. "We rest our blanco for at least six months, which softens the mouthfeel and fi nish of the spirit considerably." Mi Casa Reposado is aged for 10 months in barrels obtained from Heaven Hill. The añejo is matured up to 30 months in ex-Bourbon barrels. NEW ARRIVALS VIDA Tequila 100% Agave Azul is pro- duced at Tequilera de Arandas with ma- ture agaves cultivated for up to a decade in the rich soil of the Highlands. "We bake our agaves in brick ovens called hor- nos," says brand owner Lisa Barlow. "The " I'm confi dent that in the foreseeable future tequila will challenge vodka as America's spirit of choice." — Gary Shansby, founder and chairman of Partida Tequila