Tipple
PURE ENJOYMENT
Known for its rowdy reputation, tequila is often associated
with shot-downing students, horrible hangovers and
decisions you’d rather forget. But if you’ve been shooting
tequila — and that places you in the majority — then
Mary Parbery urges you to put down the salt and
step away from the lime; it’s time to start drinking the
national spirit of Mexico in the manner intended
26 ASCOTT LIVING
tequila, it combines fresh lime juice,
simple syrup and a muddled jalapeño
to create a craft cocktail experience.
Our mixology amigos also attribute
tequila’s cult following to the number
of versions available today, as well
as its versatility as a spirit. While the
fresh citrus taste of blanco tequila
makes for a great cocktail base, there
is also a newfound appreciation
for the complexity and distinct
characteristics of aged tequila.
This is especially true of Añejo
tequila, which is aged for no less
than a year. Ideal for stirred, spirit
forward drinks — such as the old
fashioned and the Manhattan —
these tequilas are best when sipped
and savoured like a fine scotch.
Following the effect of a large-scale
Mexican wave, tequila is now in high
demand and as a global industry is
worth more than US$1 billion dollars.
To put that into perspective, seven out
of every ten litres of tequila produced
in Mexico is exported worldwide.
Celebrities have even jumped on
the tequila bandwagon — George
Clooney and Justin Timberlake are
the names behind the luxury labels
Casamigos and Sauza 901, while Sean
‘Diddy’ Combs has found his niche
partnering with spirits giant Diageo
on the boutique brand DeLeón.
Moving beyond its longstanding
association with slammers and
sombreros, tequila is in the midst
of a transient moment and is well
on its way to becoming known as
one of the trendiest tipples today.
The spicy delights of
handcrafted Tapatio
Blanco are appreciated
by tequila aficionados the
world over, for its distinctive peppery flavour.
Known as a silver tequila,
it basks in steel tanks for
a month after distillation.
Made with blue agave and
aged in whisky barrels
for a very specific eight
weeks and eight days,
from which it gathers
its golden hue, Ocho
Reposado is characterised by a sweetly subtle
nutty vanilla flavour.
Photography: Mark Teo
When it comes to tequila, choosing
quantity over quality is a rookie error
and usually ends with a vow to never
go near it again. Under Mexican law,
authentic tequila must be produced
in the state of Jalisco and made
from 100 percent blue agave. This
makes for a premium spirit that is
characterised by its fruity, spicy, smoky
and sometimes earthy flavours.
Alternatively, if your party-fuel
is giving you a hangover, then you
might have been fooled by mixto.
Found on the lower shelf — where
it belongs — this cheaper version
of tequila is made with as little as
51 percent agave and diluted with
substitutes like sugary alcohol. This
means that when you sip the lowergrade stuff, you’re essentially mixing
spirits, which explains the ensuing
heada