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Thursday, August 24, 2006 INtake

DRINK: TEQUILA

Gold rush

Nothing gold ever stays, but fine tequilas last longer if you sip them slowly like Scotch. By Kimiko Martinez

Y DRIVES LIKE A GO-KART. DRINKS LIKE ONE, TOO.

kimiko.martinez@intakeweekly.com ou’ve licked it, slammed it, sucked it. But have you sipped it? According to Dennis Locke, liquor department sales manager at Kahn’s Fine Wines in Carmel, tequila is our generation’s Scotch. Adobo Grill, a new Northside Mexican eatery, even offers tequila flights and tequila dinners, moving the agave-made alcohol up to a level on par with wines. “Tequila is really starting to be recognized for the premium spirit that it is,” Adobo Grill’s General Manager George Munoz said. “It’s had a bad rap. People think it gives you massive headaches or hangovers. But that’s because people are drinking crap tequila.” Think the only way to drink tequila is in a margarita or as a shot? Think again. Munoz gave us the low-down on the often bad-mouthed beverage.

Tequila: A view from above

All tequilas are mescals (“mezcal” in Spanish), but not all mescals are tequila. Mescal, according to Munoz, is the equivalent of Mexican moonshine. Whereas tequila, originally the mescal produced in a specific region, eventually came to be more regulated. Made from: Blue agave plants. By law, tequila must be at least 51 percent agave. Distilled: Between one and three times. Aged: Usually in old bourbon barrels. Types: There are three. Blancos, reposados and añejos.

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Michelle Pemberton / INtake

George Munoz, 35, general manager at Adobo Grill, 4939 E. 82nd St., with a flight of tequilas, served here with a sangrita-filled cucumber.

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Thursday, August 24, 2006

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FOOD & DRINK INSIGHT

Tantalizing tequila Blancos

Reposados

Añejos

Color: More of an amber or caramel color. Aging: Two months to less than one year. Best for: Good for mixed drinks (higher-end cocktails) or for sipping. Since it’s aged in bourbon barrels, the wood tends to mellow the liquor and also imparts some smokiness, as well as notes of caramel and vanilla. Starts to take on some similar characteristics to a whiskey.

Color: Darker amber or caramel coloring. Aging: Minimum of one year. Best for: Sipping. Making a cocktail with these would be like making a wine spritzer with a $100 bottle of wine. Longer aging means the caramel and vanilla, and even cinnamon notes, are going to be more pronounced. Will generally be much smoother as well, with virtually none of the “heat” or bite.

Two to try

! Don Julio Silver: All the Don Julios are good, Munoz said. Clean, sweet, concentrated flavor with nice aguamiel (translated: honey water, the essence of tequila that comes from roasting the agave). A little smoky, but light. A little bit of heat. At Kahn’s Fine Wine and Spirits, 5639 N. Keystone Ave. and 313 E. Carmel Drive, Carmel.

! Herradura: Adobo Grill’s “house” tequila boasts notes of caramel and vanilla. This slightly toasty but smooth alcohol is “like candy going down,” Munoz said. At Kahn’s Fine Wine and Spirits, 5639 N. Keystone Ave. and 313 E. Carmel Drive, Carmel.

! Partida: One of the newer tequilas on the market. Because the tequila’s been sitting in the barrels so long, pronounced caramel and vanilla aromas, as well as some wood notes and even a little white pepper come out. Slightly viscous. Super smooth. Excellent for sipping. At Kahn’s Fine Wine and Spirits, 5639 N. Keystone Ave. and 313 E. Carmel Drive, Carmel.

Also occasionally termed “silver.” Color: Mostly clear. Can have a slight silver or amber tint. Aging: Mostly unaged. Must be less than two months. Best for: Mixed drinks. Some are OK for sipping, but since these are unaged, they’re less refined, not as smooth and have a bit more bite than reposados or añejos. If you’re going to drink a blanco, go for a margarita, or try it in a different cocktail, like a tequila-based mojito.

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! Casa Noble Crystal: This — Munoz’s personal favorite blanco — is very viscous, with a nice, smooth mouthfeel and vanilla and tropical fruit notes. With slight smokiness and sweetness, this drink is great for sipping. At Payless Liquors, 3739 N. Shadeland Ave. and Parti-Pack Liquors, 2633 E. Stop 11 Road.

! Espolón: “An incredible tequila,” Munoz said. The Espolon has little more smokiness than the Herradura, but is very balanced and very smooth. It also boasts a little more caramel sweetness, with hardly any burn. Crown Liquor, 6165 Allisonville Road.

! Milagro: Stronger, but ultrasmooth and with less alcohol smell. “It’s like butta,” Munoz said. At Kahn’s Fine Wine and Spirits, 5639 N. Keystone Ave., and 313 E. Carmel Drive, Carmel; Crown Liquor, 6165 Allisonville Road.

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