The Tequila Aficionado Consumer Catador Course: A comprehensive course for tequila lovers from field to glass

The Tequila Aficionado Consumer Catador Course is a comprehensive course for consumers, hobbyists, and professionals to understand the art and science of tequila tasting.

This course is the culmination of over 30 years of research, thousands of tastings, and two years of intense writing.

One of our greatest frustrations in the tequila industry is that all of the general educational opportunities were locked behind language and financial barriers and brand specific education is often riddled with half truths and outright lies and then stuffed with meaningless fluff. A phrase you’ll often hear us say around here is “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”

And nobody does.

Our goal at Tequila Aficionado Media has always been to filter out the nonsense and provide consumers with an unbiased educational experience.

This book, which will soon be available in audio and video formats, is the basis of your course. Each lesson is supplemented by additional reading, videos, and homework assignments (see the last chapter of this book for the web address) and one-on-one mentoring with Mike Morales. By the time you’ve completed this course of study, you’ll have acquired a comprehensive education on all things tequila from field to glass. You’ll also have a significant number of tastings under your belt – to include blind tastings and flights – and you’ll be fully equipped to participate in a formal cata under the guidelines of the Mexican Tequila Academy.  

Consumer Catador Course Table of Contents:

• Introduction (Do Not Skip!)
• Chapter 1 The Consumer Catador Course Difference
• Chapter 2 Who this course is for
• Chapter 3 Course Objectives
• Chapter 4 The Profile of a Consumer Catador
• Chapter 5 The Agave Lifespan
• Chapter 6 Highlands vs Lowlands
• Chapter 7 Pollinators
• Chapter 8 Organic and Kosher
• Chapter 9 What’s a Denomination of Origin
• Chapter 10 Martinsplaining Terroir, Taste, and the DO
• Chapter 11 Terroir and Taste
• Chapter 12 Tequila Process
• Chapter 13 Agave- The Urban Legend of 24 Brix
• Chapter 14 Fermentation
• Chapter 15 Distillation
• Chapter 16 A Word About Additives
• Chapter 17 The Fuss About Diffusers
• Chapter 18 Final Thoughts on Diffusers
• Chapter 19 Distillery Diffuser List
• Chapter 20 The Dumbing Down of the American Palate
• Chapter 21 Maturation
• Chapter 22 Pet Peeves
• Chapter 23 Evaluating Tequila by Sight
• Chapter 24 Evaluating Tequila by Smell
• Chapter 25 Aromas in Tequila
• Chapter 26 How You Feel
• Chapter 27 Taste
• Chapter 28 A word about oral hygiene
• Chapter 29 How to train like a Sommelier
• Chapter 30 Pro Tips & Tricks of The Trade
• Chapter 31 The Greatest Trick of All
• Chapter 32 Important Elements of a Tasting – The Glass
• Chapter 33 Important Elements of a Tasting: La Cata
• Chapter 34 How to Taste Tequila Like a Catador
• Chapter 35 How to Survive a Tequila Tasting Show
• Chapter 36 How Disinformation Becomes Misinformation
• Chapter 37 How Disinformation Becomes Misinformation: A Case Study
• Chapter 38 How to Read a Tequila Label
• Chapter 39 How to download the NOM list
• Chapter 40 What is the three-tier system of alcohol distribution
• Chapter 41 The Twisted Histories of the Mexican Tequila Tasters Academies
• Chapter 42 Tequila Statistics from the CRT and DISCUS
• Chapter 43 Executive Board of CNIT
• Chapter 44 DISCUS Director Members
• Chapter 45 What Is…
• Chapter 46 Who Is
• Chapter 47 Important links to know
• Homework and Additional Reading (Bonus Website)

Tequila Aficionado Tasting Journal

A workbook and ready reference complete with 50 scoring worksheets, the definitive tequila aroma wheel in English and NOM List

This is a comprehensive workbook for Tequila and agave spirits enthusiasts to document their tasting journey as well as learn more about the spirits they love.

The Tequila Aficionado Tasting Journal is constructed in three parts:

1. Tasting Sheets
2. Aroma Wheel
3. NOM List

Tasting Sheets

This journal contains 50 tequila tasting sheets which use the Mexican Tequila Academy 20-point system. These sheets can be utilized for blind tastings of numbered samples or for your own reference with notes for Brands, NOMs and Expressions.

Aroma Wheel

After the tasting section, you will find the Official Tequila Aficionado Aroma Wheel in English. We felt there was a definite need for an aroma wheel in English as consumers’ desire to delve into agave spirits often outpaces their desire to learn a foreign language. 

The aroma wheel will help you to go deeper into your observations and study of agave spirits by helping you identify scents and their origins in the tequila production process. It will also help in your studies as you work to expand your senses. 

NOM List

The third section of this journal contains a NOM list, current as of this publication in March 2020. Where the Tequila Aficionado NOM list, released monthly in Tequila Aficionado Magazine, is organized by brand name, this NOM list is organized by NOM number. When you find a tequila you enjoy, check the NOM number and see what other brands come from that same NOM. Of course the same holds true for tequilas you don’t enjoy. You may find yourself identifying most and least favorite tequila producers this way. Knowing your favorite and not-so-favorite NOMs will help when you’re planning your tequila shopping list or tasting with a friend.

We hope you will find this tasting journal a helpful tool as you proceed along your own tequila tasting journey.

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Learn all about tequila from field to glass and then get paid to share your love of agave spirits with others! Buy Them Both Now!