Tequila Myth #2:
All tequilas are the same.
Like single-malt scotches, or small-brewery sakes, tequilas
vary according to the company making them, the process and the growing
environment. The temperature, soil, types of equipment, age of the plants
and the means by which the plants are baked and aged all affect the flavour
and body.
There is a surprisingly wide variation in tequila flavours
- especially between styles like blanco, reposado and añejo -
making it difficult for many neophytes to recognize each distinction,
especially when the more subtle añejo tequilas are involved. Tequilas
can accost you, confront you and challenge you - or they can woo you
ore seduce you with soft, subtle fragrances and dusky aromas.
Production techniques affect the taste. Generally traditional
methods produce much stronger agave flavour than modern, mass production.
Aging in barrels also affects the taste, and not always to the better.
The woody flavour imparted by the oak can overpower the natural agave.
And some manufacturers are now adding wood essence to darken the tequila
so it looks more aged - see the notes below.
Fancy packaging, wooden boxes and elegant bottles -
many handmade or decorated by artisans - and are now common with premium
tequilas. They have become collector's items in their own right. While
they don't add to the basic quality of the drink in the bottle, they
do add to its charm and certainly its visual appeal.
Click the following links for more tequila myths.
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