I’m always surprised when someone watches me pour a spirit from a bottle, sip it straight and then shoots me a look that implies I’m a drunk or a daredevil. “Don’t you want to mix it first?” such inquisitors ask. “I mean, it’s kind of harsh just straight, isn’t it?” Well, of course, it can … Read more
Compared to its siblings, Embajador Supreme Añejo is a big, big brother. Rested for 18 months—a full 10 months longer than its Premium Reposado—Supreme is a veritable post-grad student compared to its primary school brothers. Yet, for all that age its color is surprisingly pale gold. Not that color determines everything, but 18 months is … Read more
Premium, the second of three Embajador Tequila offerings can be described as the good middle child of the bunch– Eager to please, never offending, yet losing a tad of its uniqueness sandwiched between its siblings. According to the distiller, it’s rested for eight months in American and French Oak barrels, meaning the final product is a … Read more
Note to all tequila distillers… I love it when, along with your generous review bottles, you supply a story of how your tequila is made. The makers of Embajador tequila did this by sending a simple folder with a few laser-printed pages that told a brief but helpful story about its goods. And they are … Read more
You only turn 50 once, so why not celebrate? That was my logic last fall when I bought a bottle of Tequila Ocho Single Barrel Anejo (NOM 1474). I don’t commonly spend $78 for spirits, but, hey, it was a special occasion made extraordinary by this smart splurge. Some reviewers tend to gush over new … Read more
Casa Noble Joven Few spirits I’ve tasted—tequila or otherwise—grabbed my attention the way Casa Noble Joven did when I tasted it at the distillery two years ago. Traveling with a press group led by the distillery’s CEO, Pepe Hermosillo, we’d consumed multiple expressions of Casa Noble while there. But this one, packing a 104 … Read more
Congratulations to Tequila Aficionado Contributing Writer, Steve Coomes on his new release, Country Ham: A Southern Tradition of Hogs, Salt & Smoke! “Few things are as timeless and southern as a country ham. Gone are the days of considering it a blue-collar staple that is too often overcooked, squashed between biscuit halves or served swimming … Read more
The Ohio Valley’s schizophrenic spring weather has had an unexpectedly positive effect on my home liquor cabinet. Since it’s been too warm for the furnace and too cool for the air conditioner, the house temp has averaged about 75 degrees for two months. And one of the most notable beneficiaries is Tequila Penasco Anejo (the … Read more
Tequila Penasco Reposado The quality of tequila pushing into the U.S. market is so high these days that it’s hard to write a really bad review. It’s easy to be wowed by some more than others, and some, though good, make me question the price point, but I have yet to find one I’d swear … Read more
Herradura Coleccion de la Casa, Reserva 2013 – Cognac Cask Finish Reposado By Steve Coomes, Tequila Aficionado Contributing Writer In October, I visited Casa Herradura Tequila distillery, in Amatitan, Jalisco, Mexico, where I and five spirits writers tasted the new Coleccion de la Casa, Reserva 2013 – Cognac Cask Finish Reposado. Aged 11 months in … Read more