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Consumer interest in tequila is growing every year. Sales volumes of popular brands are increasing at such a rate that Mexican factories cannot cope with the load. Manufacturers of famous brands every year prove the quality of their drinks at international competitions. Judges often judge tequila along with mezcal, its progenitor, which is made from all types of agave, including wild varieties.
The Spirits Business
Tequila and mezcal are judged by experts from the leading publication in The Tequila & Mezcal Masters by blind tasting. In 2019, the Olmeca Altos Plata brand was recognized as the undisputed winner in the premium category. The judges noted the noble fruity taste of the drink, which is well balanced by hot spices. Tequila is produced in the highlands of Mexico according to the ancient Tahona method, which has a history of more than half a millennium.
Sierra Milenario Tequila Fumado received the highest award in the super-premium drinks category. Tequila is made by Destilería Sierra, located in Guadalajara. The collected raw materials are fumigated with mesquite smoke, which gives the drink a grassy and dry taste with hints of a fire at the finish. In 2018, Herradura Plata, a young tequila with a spicy and fresh taste of agave, produced by Herradura, was the leader in this category.
The best ultra-premium brand was named KAH Reposado Tequila. Each bottle of the drink is hand-crafted from ceramic and looks like a sugar skull, which is an attribute of the Mexican day of remembrance of the dead. The drink is aged in oak barrels for ten months, after which it acquires a vanilla aroma and a complex taste with hints of caramel, agave and flower honey. In 2018, the brand also received gold medals in its category.
San Francisco World Spirits Competition
The 2019 San Francisco Liquor Contest drew a record number of entries. More than three thousand contestants from all over the world came to the competition. The judges choose the best agave drinks depending on the method of production.
The best tequila was recognized as Kostiv Ultra Premium Blanco Tequila. Ultra-premium tequila is made from only one variety of agave called Blue Weber. The raw materials are baked for 22 hours in a stone oven, and then they are crushed and mash is prepared from it. After distillation, the drink is poured into oak bourbon barrels and aged for 3,5 years. As a result, tequila acquires a rich taste with hints of vanilla, oak, orange peel and sweet toffee.
The winner in the Best Reposado Tequila category was Vikera Tequila. The drink is produced in a plant run by women, which is rare in Mexico. Tequila with a fresh aroma and oak-vanilla taste is made from aged spirits that mature in Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels for six months.
The best añejo tequila was Hotel California, which is made from raw materials grown in the highlands of Jalisco. The second distillation takes place at a temperature of -6 ° C, which allows you to remove all unnecessary organic impurities. Tequila is aged in bourbon barrels for six months and mixed with spirits with an age of 2-3 years. The drink has a spicy multifaceted taste with a predominance of vanilla and candied fruits.
World tequila quality rating
Traditionally, the countries of Latin America are among the leaders in the consumption of tequila. But according to the Mexican Chamber of Industry, worldwide demand for the drink is increasing at an average of 3,2% per year. In the USA, Canada and Europe there are many lovers of tequila, which is included in a huge number of cocktails. Five most popular brands.
Don Julio
Premium tequila is produced by Tequila Don Julio, founded by Don Julio Estrada, who began distilling alcohol back in 1942. After distillation in copper cubes, spirits are aged in bourbon barrels, the period depends on the type of drink. “Don Julio” is considered the best choice in terms of price and quality.
Eight
The manufacturing company uses only its own raw materials. The label contains information about the year the agave was harvested and the farm where it was grown. The plant has been producing tequila for 80 years. The drink is made in the process of slow distillation and in small batches, so this tequila is considered craft.
Boss
Produced in one of the oldest factories in Mexico, Casa 7 Leguas, and has a refined taste. The brand became widely known thanks to an active advertising campaign involving country music and hip-hop artists. The tequila of this brand is popular with young people, and in 2019 the brand attracted the attention of the audience with direct sales on Instagram.
Сall 23
Tequila is made in the traditional way from raw materials that have been heated for 15 hours. The line includes young tequila and drinks aged 8 and 16 months. The taste is characterized by notes of oak, figs and hot peppers.
Tapatio
Sold in 150 countries, the plant has been operating in Mexico since 1937. Tequila is produced almost by hand according to ancient methods. The drink is famous for its original taste, where strong mint notes are mixed with the traditional herbaceous and spicy bouquet.
Tequila rating in Russia
Russian consumers prefer not too expensive brands, although drinkers clearly divide drinks into two categories – for cocktails and for consumption in its pure form.
Top 5 sales leaders:
- Espolon Reposado – a premium brand of tequila aged for at least six months, has a rich bouquet with hints of tropical fruits, mint, hot spices and herbs;
- Sauza Silver – young tequila of transparent color from the Jalisco region with the taste of agave, pepper and citrus fruits;
- Olmeca Blanco – the brand has collected more than a dozen awards at international competitions due to its fresh taste with hints of lemon and grapefruit;
- El Jimador Reposado – aged for at least two months in charred oak barrels, which gives the drink vanilla, caramel and smoky notes;
- Ley 925 Reposado – the brand is known for the unusual design of bottles using real silver, nutty, floral and pineapple shades stand out in the taste of tequila.
According to a market analysis conducted by Nielsen in December 2019, Russia lags far behind Western countries in terms of tequila consumption. At the same time, experts noted that in recent years, sales of the Mexican drink have been steadily growing, which is explained by the fashion for cocktails.