Don Julio Tequila

Don Julio Tequila

Tequila has a questionable reputation (like me, or so I dream), conjuring images of bleary border town high-jinks and late night/early morning swilling of stuff so vile you need to coat your palate with a numbing straightjacket of salt followed by cleansing lime astringency to make it even marginally palatable.

I have long realized this Gotterdammerung of the tongue was an unfair way to savor Jalisco’s signature drink, but most Tequilas do not seem to lend themselves to sipping, my preferred style of tippling.

Last night, at Sol de Mexico, Bill generously shared shots from his bottle of Don Julio Blanco (just how generous he was became apparent today when I went to buy some).

Ever since I read Malcolm Lowry's life-altering Under the Volcano (a great name for a bar, incidentally), I’ve been fascinated by Mexican hard liquors, but indulge in them only every few years or so.

Out with my oldest daughter a few nights ago, she ordered a margarita and I had a Cuervo with Rose’s Lime, the first tequila I’d had for a long time, and it wasn’t bad, so it’s been on my mind.

The Blanco of Bill’s was very mild. I’m not even sure if, drinking it in the dark, I could even identify this colorless liquid, but it had a depth I thought quite fine.

Tonight I bought some Don Julio Reposado (on sale for about $37), and found it excellent…but I have a problem: how to drink this stuff without rapidly achieving hallucinogenic levels of toxicity. Straight-up may be the way to go, but that seems so…dull... and dangerous. Mixing it, however, seems wrong. Thus, perplexity.

Hammond

David, the native solution is to savor it straight with something on the side, like sangrita -- a complex pomegranate based concoction that when authentic is very good, but rarely is either.

I took a shine to these during layovers in the in the DF airport's Jetsons-style central lounge.

JeffB wrote:David, the native solution is to savor it straight with something on the side, like sangrita -- a complex pomegranate based concoction that when authentic is very good, but rarely is either.

I took a shine to these during layovers in the in the DF airport's Jetsons-style central lounge.

JeffB,

I perused a few bottles of sangrita today, but was not quite sure which one to go with. Do you have a favorite, or do you make your own?

Hammond

The first time I had sangrita was at Don Juans in Edison Park, shortly after they opened. The bartender was the brother of the chef. It was simply a mix of almost equal parts o.j. and tomato juice, salt, pepper and a couple of good hits of tabasco. I've had various other versions, but this is the one I still prefer as a back to a good sipping tequilla.

David, many mexican markets have canned and bottle mixtures of sangrita... perhaps a taste testing is in order?

David Hammond wrote:Ever since I read Malcolm Lowry's life-altering Under the Volcano (a great name for a bar, incidentally), I’ve been fascinated by Mexican hard liquors, but indulge in them only every few years or so.

Does this range beyond tequila and mezcal? What other Mexican hard liquors do you include in the fascination?

David Hammond wrote:Tonight I bought some Don Julio Reposado (on sale for about $37), and found it excellent…but I have a problem: how to drink this stuff without rapidly achieving hallucinogenic levels of toxicity. Straight-up may be the way to go, but that seems so…dull... and dangerous. Mixing it, however, seems wrong. Thus, perplexity.

Hm. Maybe it's a matter of tastes (or tequilas) but I usually take mine easy-rocks or neat. I tend to be a spirit sipper for all makes, as opposed to a cocktail guy. Is your reference to toxicity about getting smashed or about taste?

I aspire to be a tequila connoisseur, but it's a slow process at the rate I drink it. I highly recommend Herradura products - both the reposado and the añejo are excellent for sipping; the añejo is really amazing. I'm working my way through a bottle of Herradura blanco for which I traded my last pesos on my last Mexico trip, and it's not nearly in the same league, although it's not bad. And even though I mostly go simple, we usually have a few rounds of margarita making in the summer, and a few times last year we made them with Herradura reposado and Cointreau for a remarkably tasty beverage.

Sangrita sounds like something I'd like to try, though.

Mixing good tequilla with anything other than fine food should be banned. Straight up is the only way to go. If you're sipping a fine selection, nothing else should be required. It should be enjoyed like a fine wine. Sip slowly and let the flavors expand.

Don Julio is darned fine tequila. We prefer anejo over reposado and will drink blanco in a pinch. Try any variety from the Herradura, Sauza, Corralles (sp....can't recall the exact spelling) distilleries.

I'll have to try the sangrita.....yum!

The New York Times just had an article on tequila's as well as a recipe for smokey sangrita that looked pretty good.
I'm partial to Cazadores for reposado and Casa Noble for a blanco, although my research is ongoing.
Don't forget the world of mezcal. It has a unique smokey taste.
Del Maguey single village mezcals are in a class by themselves and a world away from the worm in the bottle brands.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/09/dining/091prex.html/

http://www.cazadores.com/

http://www.casanoble.com/

http://www.mezcal.com/

germuska wrote:

David Hammond wrote:Ever since I read Malcolm Lowry's life-altering Under the Volcano (a great name for a bar, incidentally), I’ve been fascinated by Mexican hard liquors, but indulge in them only every few years or so.

Does this range beyond tequila and mezcal? What other Mexican hard liquors do you include in the fascination?

I have a bottle of Xtabentun that I brought back with the The not-quite-yet-Wife in the late 70s. It's interesting stuff, fully floral, honey-thick, and only rarely opened. More a liquor than a hard liquor, and more a curiosity than a beverage.

Hammond

David Hammond wrote:I have a bottle of Xtabentun that I brought back with the The not-quite-yet-Wife in the late 70s. It's interesting stuff, fully floral, honey-thick, and only rarely opened. More a liquor than a hard liquor, and more a curiosity than a beverage.

That was the only other one I could think of. That's the other thing I brought back from this last trip to Mexico in April. I am not one who usually drinks liqueurs, but sometimes it serves in place of dessert. It's a bit too thick for me to really love, but I enjoy the honey/anise with a bit of tingle from the alcohol. I don't think my bottle will last 20+ years, but I'm not ripping through it, that's for sure.

DBigg wrote:I'm partial to Cazadores for reposado

Dave,

I think I have you to thank for turning me on to Cazadores reposado, my current favorite. You owe me 9-million brain cells.

Bill's Don Julio blanco at Sol de Mexico was quite good, but, in minor disagreement with Hammond, I did not find it mild.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:

DBigg wrote:Bill's Don Julio blanco at Sol de Mexico was quite good, but, in minor disagreement with Hammond, I did not find it mild.

Compared to the reposado, the blanco was less mild; compared to the Cuervo I had earlier in the week, it was quite mild.

Then again, I'm a newcomer to the higher end tequilas...

Hammond

Sangrita is best made fresh. The bottled versions I have tried are to Sangrita as Sunny D is to Orange juice. That is not to say there might not be some good bottled Sangrita out there, but I have never had it. In Mexico, everybody has their own way of making the stuff. Most Sangrita starts with fresh O J. Beyond that, the only rule is that it has to look like blood (hence the name). For red coloring you can use tomato juice, grenadine or even ancho chiles (I prefer the non-tomato versions myself). For tang you can use lime juice, grapefruit juice or vinegar. For sweetness you can add sugar, fruit syrup or honey. Some Sangrita has a shot of hotsauce. Some has crushed chile peppers. Some even has onions. I bet adding a few drops of G Wiv's chile oil might even be good. Anyhow, I have made Sangrita many times, but never the same way twice.

As to my favorite Tequila, I used to be fixated on Herradura Reposado, but most of my Mexican friends like the Cazadores, so I have developed a taste for that.

To serve an authentic Tequila Completo, you need some of those skinny vial-like shotglasses. Anybody know where to buy some?

DBigg wrote:Don't forget the world of mezcal. It has a unique smokey taste.
Del Maguey single village mezcals are in a class by themselves and a world away from the worm in the bottle brands.

I had a mezcal "martini" at Topolobampo earlier this year; it was outstanding; the smokiness lifted it way above my expectations.

Mezcal seems like it has the image of being "rot-gut" -- and my old bottle Cusano Rojo does not do much to change my impression, but after tasting this Bayless creation, and based on endorsements such as yours, I intend to give it another shot (or two). As you say, "research is ongoing."

Hammond

I am big fan of sipping tequilas. A great 'smokey' tequila is the El Tesoro de Don Filipe Añejo, a bottle of which I always have by my side (ok, always in stock at my place). I remember a PBS (?) program which suggested that they are among the last few to dry/cure the agave by smoking. It certainly comes through.
I haven't tried the mezcals, though I really should.

At Salpicon one can try 'flights' of different tequilas. A great deal with a good meal.

I've been told, and have read, that sangrita originally was mostly bitter or blood orange and pomegranate, possibly with some chile. Tomato juice is a newer thing.

I agree that tequila goes well with all of the above. I'm a huge fan of the "Bloody Maria," for example. I find that tequila works better with the ingredients than does vodka.

Used to be, pomegranate juice was impossible to find, so Grenadine was used. Today's fadish obsession with super antioxidant fruits means that one can buy Pomegranate juice at 7-11.

Bottled sangrita from Mexico can be as good as bottled Margarita or Bloody Mary mixes. Not good, usually.

d4v3 wrote:To serve an authentic Tequila Completo, you need some of those skinny vial-like shotglasses. Anybody know where to buy some?

Funny, I take all of my tequila at home from my vial-shaped shotglass depicting Cuernavaca in a "Fun in Acapulco" shade of blue.

Not sure if I've mentioned it, but Acapulco is great fun.

Around these parts, Crate and Barrel and any number of places will have tall, skinny shot glasses perfect for tequila or vodka.

rapidly achieving hallucinogenic levels of toxicity

Thats an interesting statement...I would say that don julio is my favorite tequila, and i have the facial scars to prove it. I've had it with full meals and ended up just as useless as when i drank it alone. As long as you avoid the requisite 5 AM wakeup on someone else's bed covered in blood and vomit, you are probably doing quite well. The solution that I use most often now is, practice makes perfect.

Erik.

Speaking of tequila glasses, in a wild moment I bought a set of Riedel Tequila Glasses
although at 1/3 of the price. Not really traditional, but the 6oz capacity makes for fewer trips to the bar.

G Wiv wrote:

I think I have you to thank for turning me on to Cazadores reposado, my current favorite. You owe me 9-million brain cells.

Funny, I thought it was you who introduced it to me. I guess that's one of the hazards of tequila tasting.

d4v3 wrote:To serve an authentic Tequila Completo, you need some of those skinny vial-like shotglasses. Anybody know where to buy some?

Check the "gift box" displays at Binny's, Sam's or another liquor store around Christmas, where some spirits are packaged in a gift box with glassware, shakers or some other gift. These are typically the same cost as the standalone bottle of booze, and who doesn't love free stuff? I got a nice set of a half-dozen vodka glasses that are of the type you mention with a bottle of Chopin vodka last year.

DBigg, I was going to buy those too! You like them?? We generally use the bazillion glasses we've brought home from our trips to Mexico. If we're feeling wild, we pull out the Riedel Sommelier's Single Malts and partake.

As far as mescal goes, mescal is pretty much the same as tequila. Both are brewed from the blue agave. Only those distilleries from certain states in Mexico (Jalisco is the biggest) can call their product tequila. Some distilleries in Oaxaca play around with their product, adding flavors and such. Rot gut? Only the cheap stuff; just like tequila!

When we were in Huatulco, Oaxaca, we visited several distilleries and stores, tasting as we went. Mescal is pretty darned good. It's finally starting to get some notice here in the States. Mainly because the price of better tequilas has gone up so much. Some mescals will cost you a pretty penny, if you can find them!

Gary, I seem to recall a moment at the bar down from H1 and the birria place when I introduced (reintroduced?) you to the stuff. Been a favorite of mine for years, well before they started marketing to los gringos. At one time, I had a bottle in the fridge at TAC....

JeffB wrote:At one time, I had a bottle in the fridge at TAC....

Shiiit. That was your bottle?

E.M.

After following eatchicago's reference to Adobo Grill in another thread, I saw that they are having a Chinaco tequila dinner on August 31. Each course comes with a different cocktail made with Chinaco blanco. There are also tastings of the three "ages" with "homemade sangrita".

I've never been to one of these sponsored tasting dinners, but I recently ate at Adobo for the first time and was quite pleased with the meal (Lomo in mole negro and a carne seca appetizer from the daily specials, both delicious.)

Looks like they are doing a similar dinner with Herradura at their Indianapolis location the week before. And in fact in Indy more such dinners in September and October with other brands. They probably do this all the time and I just haven't noticed before.

I'm mildly suspicious of the commercial side, but maybe that's just silly. Anyone been?

dees_1 wrote:DBigg, I was going to buy those too! You like them??

They're not bad. Can't say I'm such an expert to be able to tell the difference, but for the tequila and mezcal you've just spent a little extra on, they are a nice touch.
I got curious and looked them up on ebay, they're about 1/2 the cost of amazon.

JeffB wrote:Gary, I seem to recall a moment at the bar down from H1 and the birria place when I introduced (reintroduced?) you to the stuff.

Jeff,

I've been keen on Cazadores reposado for a while, though took a little respite after I found myself considering a case of the stuff one afternoon.

I guess it'd be fair to say reintroduced after an absence, thanks, I think.

Funny, but I seem to be in the mood for tequila.

Enjoy,
Gary

germuska wrote: They probably do this all the time and I just haven't noticed before.

I'm mildly suspicious of the commercial side, but maybe that's just silly. Anyone been?

We've been to their wine dinners at Vinci, their sister restaurant (and met the manager of the Indy Adobo last week at one!). They do these every month. I don't know about the tequila ones, but at the wine ones they match the wine to the food pretty well, they have the distributor or someone involved in the wine there to talk about the product. It's a lot of fun, you get to try new foods and new wines. I would assume it's fairly similar.

Lots of restaurants do wine dinners, beer dinners, etc. Why not tequila dinners?

Tequila has more flavor than, say, vodka or gin or even grappa, but it's still one powerful beverage, and it seems to need a little "help" to make it something more than medicinal. I'm currently trying just a splash of Rose's Lime, which seems to bring out the deep flavors without covering the fine tang of a better variety (e.g., Don Julio). Suggestions welcome.

My boyfriend and I were in Mexico in March and grew even fonder of tequila than we previously were. Neither of liked most of the sangrita we tried down there...too harsh, overpowered the tequila. We usually ended up sipping the tequila straight with either a Bohemia or a Squirt (or some other grapefruit soda) on the side. Our favorite from Mexico was Corralejo (we only had the blanco down south, but have tried the reposado and anejo since being back and enjoy all of them). One of our favorites that we received in Chicago (but did not find in Mexico) is Distinguido Reposada - it's very melony tasting and is a great sipping tequila.

David Hammond wrote: I'm currently trying just a splash of Rose's Lime... Suggestions welcome.

Add a few drops of hot sauce to that and you have a Texas Prairie Fire. I like to use habanero sauce and roll the rim of the shot glass in salt. The combined effect of the ingredients is amazing. It's just like getting kicked in the head, but from the inside.

d4v3 wrote:

David Hammond wrote: I'm currently trying just a splash of Rose's Lime... Suggestions welcome.

Add a few drops of hot sauce to that and you have a Texas Prairie Fire. I like to use habanero sauce and roll the rim of the shot glass in salt. The combined effect of the ingredients is amazing. It's just like getting kicked in the head, but from the inside.

3-5 squirts of hot sauce to three-quarters of an ounce of tequila? Yowsa!

I won't use any of my excellent Don Julio for that purpose, but my next tequila purchase will be of a more mixable variety, and thus more appropriate, and I can see how some hot sauce might be nice with distilled agave juice.

Hammond