Tequila: Take home the new hip sip

Contributors: Millie Acebal Rousseau and Josef Kandoll W.

What's a visit to Mexico without a taste of what is probably its most famous libation? Long stereotyped as the drink of bandidos, guerrilleros and vigilantes (not to mention rambunctious frat boys and rowdy sorority girls), tequila is now experiencing a renaissance, being heralded as a drink of sophistication and class.   This flavorful liquor boasts as many different flavors, grades and aromas as even the finest of whiskeys and cognacs. Depending on the grade, tequila can be aged anywhere from one month to 10 years. The longer the age, the darker the color and the smoother the taste, with those older grades having an "oaky" sensation due to their storage in oak casks.

Although tequila is produced mainly in the state of Jalisco, Los Cabos has a very strong and loyal tequila tradition, with many bars and shops offering wide selections. No trip to Baja is complete without a tasting of this legendary spirit. Just ask the Red Rocker himself, Sammy Hagar: He developed the brand Cabo Wabo Tequila in 1996 expressly to complement his world-famous cantina, Cabo Wabo. Since then, the brand has transformed into a celebrated, prize-winning label of this potent potable.

A Mexican Tradition
A true Mexican tradition, tequila's roots date back to the days of conquistadors, when the Spanish adopted the Aztec liquor mescal (which is itself an offshoot of an earlier drink, pulque). Over the years, a type of mescal evolved into its own beverage — tequila — and started being commercially produced in the 1600s. Tequila is, in fact, the first distinctly North American distilled spirit. But though its much-celebrated status is relatively new, there's archaeological evidence that suggests tequila was a much-loved beverage in Mexico as far back as AD 250, when native Indians began brewing a sweet beer-like beverage from agave plants called pulque.

What Makes Tequila, Tequila?
Today, tequila and its sister drink mescal are both derived from the agave plant. Despite their common agave (a spiky plant in the lily family) origin, the two beverages are distinctly different in flavor. Tequila is to mescal what cognac is to brandy — smoother and a bit more expensive. However, the main difference between them is that tequila is only made from a particular variety of agave — the blue agave — while mescal can be made from any other of the 400 varieties of the plant. And while both are made by slow baking, fermenting and distilling ripened agave hearts, as a rule, mescal is distilled once, and tequila twice.

A tequila by any other name just isn't tequila. That's thanks to tequila's Denomination of Origin, a law that sets the guidelines for how the drink is produced, bottled and distributed. Tequila can be made only in Mexico, in certain regions, and is government-regulated. Five states — a total of 180 municipalities — may grow blue agave and produce tequila. Most of it is grown in Jalisco, but the areas of Michoacán, Guanajuato, Nayarit and Tamaulipas all produce it also. Tequila grown anywhere outside the designated regions, or outside of Mexico, cannot carry the name "tequila." Instead, the drink would have to be referred to as an "agave spirit." To be officially classified as tequila, the liquor must be made up of at least 51 percent Weber blue agave, while top-of-the line brews are usually 100 percent.  The process is closely scrutinized by the government to make sure 100 percent blue agave is being used and that all procedures, including fermenting, distilling and processing follow strict guidelines. Mixes do not receive Denomination of Origin qualification because they are not made from 100 percent blue agave. There are only five drinks, including tequila, recognized with this qualification. The others are sherry, cognac, champagne and mezcal, also made from an agave plant, but not the blue agave that gives birth to tequila.

As part of the Mexican government's regulation process, each type of tequila is categorized by age and color. Blanco (white or silver) tequila is clear and usually has little or no aging. Gold tequila, known as Gold or joven abocado, is made in the same fashion, but has added caramel for flavoring and color. Reposado (rested) is tequila that has been aged in oak casks for at least two months, while añejo tequilas are matured in sealed oak barrels for a minimum of one year or as many as 10.

A Matter of Taste
So, how do you taste tequila? Do you sip it? Do you quaff it? Or do you just hold your breath and toss it back? Here's what experts say. First, tequila, like all fine liquors, should be sipped slowly to enjoy the flavor, fuller at room temperature. While a caballito, or tall shot glass, was traditionally used, Reidel Glass Company of Austria introduced a 6 3/4 oz. tequila glass with a slender stem, encouraging taking proper time to appreciate your good tequila. Aged, or añejo, should be sipped from a snifter — but frequently blanco or reposado are still served in a shot glass with salt and lime. However, a shot of tequila should be poured at the table just like that good glass of wine.

Tequila 101

• Premium tequilas are served in shot glasses called caballitos.
• True tequila aficionados sip super-premium tequilas "neat" at room temperature, without ice, salt or lime.
• The tradition of "shooting" tequila consists of pouring it into a shot glass, then moistening the indent on the back of the hand and sprinkling on salt. The next step is to lick the salt, drink the tequila and bite into a fresh lime quarter.
• Tequila is not made from cactus, but rather from the agave plant, a relative of the aloe vera family.
• It's safe to assume that a tequila is not aged unless designated as an añejo, muy añejo or reposado.
• If it has a worm in the bottle, it's not tequila; it's mescal. And the worm is really a butterfly larvae, which despite popular belief, is not an aphrodisiac nor will it cause hallucinations.

Tequila Lime Shrimp
(Courtesy of Mexico Tourism Board)

2 tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 tbsp. tequila
Juice of one lime
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add garlic and sauté for about one minute. Add shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes. Stir in tequila, lime juice and pepper flakes. Cook two minutes or until about half the liquid evaporates and shrimp are pink and glazed.

Tequila lover? Don't miss the Agave Lounge at Tequila Restaurant (www.tequilarestaurant.com) in San Jose Del Cabo. Or buy your souvenir stash at Puerto Paraiso Mall (www.puertoparaiso.com) or CCC Super Center (www.ccc.com.mx) in Cabo San Lucas.

Click here to browse the shops in Cabo and other areas of Baja, Mexico.