StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
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a lifetime to master. Production of tequila is closely scrutinized by the government to ensure exacting quality standards are maintained. As a result, much of what you need to know about a brand can be found on the bottle. All 100% agave tequila must state that fact on their label. If it doesn't, then the tequila is a blend, or mixto, which is allowed to contain up to 49% cane sugar, or caña. There is a four-digit number on every bottle of tequila. These numbers are assigned to individual dis- tilleries. They signify the tequila was made by that distiller alone and that it passed all standards of qual- ity. NOM is an acronym for "Norma Oficial Mexicana," a set of laws governing the production of tequila. If you find two brands of tequila that have the same NOM number, they were produced at the same distillery. • Game Plan. Perhaps the best way to assess a tequila's attributes is to sample the silver or plata ver- sion. Ultra-premium silver tequilas are typically unfiltered and unaffected from aging in wood. They are vibrant, brim- ming with peppery flavors and best rep- resent the compelling qualities of tequila. A reposado tequila is aged in oak between two months and one year. It strikes a true balance between the fresh, spirited character of a silver tequila and the mellow refinement of an añejo. Añejo tequilas must be aged in oak for more than a year. Aging in wood leaves some añejo tequilas smooth and luxurious, with a subtle amber hue. In others the character of the wood is dominant, with prominent tannin, a broad vanilla flavor and a deep golden color. From a sales perspective it is important to ask the client about how much wood character they like in tequila. Another is to inquire whether the tequila will be sipped neat or used primarily for mixing. The answers will dictate whether your recommend a silver, reposado or añejo tequila. While some may suggest that silver tequilas are most appropriate for use in mixed drinks and that añejos are best suited for sip- ping, that advise hardly holds true these days. 36 LIQUEURS T he popularly held misconception about liqueurs is that they're thick, sweet and syrupy. It's likely born out of the days when liqueurs resembled flavored cough syrup and people sipped crème de men- the and drank apricot sours. Well, times have changed. Today, most of the liqueurs on the shelf are light and brimming with flavor, products completely in step with contemporary tastes. Thatcher's Organic Artisan Liqueurs are handcrafted in small batches from USDA certified organic fruits and vegetables. It's possible that just minutes after the first person tasted the first distilled spirits as it came out of the first still that he scrambled around looking for ways to fla- vor it. Thus was the beginning of liqueurs. They date back over 400 years. At first the process was no more complicated than steep- ing spirits in a mash of fruit. Honey was often used as a sweetener to negate the biting edge of the alcohol. Gradually as the art of distillation became Gran Patron Platinum is one of the superpremium expressions in the Patron line of tequilas. more precise, so did the methods used to make liqueur. The words "liqueur" and "cordial" are essen- tially synonymous. Liqueurs and cordials are made by blending or redistilling spirits with the extracted essence of fruits, flowers, plants, or some other typically organic item. A sweetener is added to the flavored spirit, an amount equaling not less than 2.5% by weight of the fin- ished liqueur. Their alcohol con- tent varies greatly. While most weight in at 34-60 proof, some are marketed 100 proof and above. • Game Plan. The best piece of advice is to find out how the client wants to use the liqueur. Those pre- ferring to sip a liqueur after dinner will gravitate to the classic propri- The new Drambuie 15 is made from a selection of old Speyside malts combined with the famous liqueur's secret recipe. StateWays s www.stateways.com s November/December 2011