Tequila: Take home the new hip sip

Move over cognac and single malt scotch; make room for the latest sophisticated, smooth and aromatic liquor of choice — tequila. No longer is the liquid essence of Mexico the butt of jokes such as "one tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor." In fact, the beverage once known mainly for margaritas and shooters is enjoying a newfound popularity as the new "hip sip" savored by discerning drinkers around the world, propelling the demand for premium and super-premium tequilas to an all-time high.

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. 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.

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. 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.

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.