On the Tequila Trail: Orendain Anniversario

On the Tequila Trail: Orendain Anniversario

Wanting to bring home some tequila from Mexico, and not really knowing where to start, I used the Calvin Trillin approach of taking the lead of a person who looks like me. After a brief search, I spotted a guy standing in front of a shop, obviously an American (expat), Caucasian but tending toward pink, medium height, blue jeans, black mock turtle neck, slightly bulging belly, receding hairline: target acquired.

This guy suggested Orendain Anniversario, so I bought a bottle and consumed it over the course of a few days:



The Orendain was sipping good; an anejo, and barrel-aged for at least eight years, it’s very smooth. Now, my main point of comparison for such a drink would be Scotch, and I must say, the depth of flavor was not comparable to, for instance, Johnny Walker Black (not a highly nuanced whiskey, perhaps, but kind of my standard in that category). For drinking under a palm tree, though, the lighter, less dense flavor of a higher end tequila is satisfying; not a potable to ponder, just pleasant, with no rough edges (four removes from raicilla), a flavorful and mouth-filling drink of the region.

I bought another bottle of the Orendain to bring home, plus one of Cazadores Anejo, which I haven’t cracked yet. Both about 300 pesos ($30, give or take).

I've never had that one, but I find top end tequilas on par with decent whisky. You drank the whole bottle over a couple of days? nice.

David Hammond wrote:This guy suggested Orendain Anniversario, so I bought a bottle and consumed it over the course of a few days:

Wow, that picture is making me feel like I just helped you finish that bottle

Jamie

I have not tried that one as well. I have to agree about top of the line tequillas being like fine whiskey. My favorite at the moment is El Tosoro Plata. I like it a bit chilled. mmmm. Another good one is Sauva Hornitos 3 generation Anejo. mmmmmmmmmm

Hi - The in laws have started to take a liking to Tequila in "Margarita" format. They went out and got one of those margaritaville machines, and a jug of, well, I don't even like to say it..Cuervo Gold. For those of us who have had one of those nights doing shots of Cuervo, you know what I'm talking about when I say yuck. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE good tequila. LOVE it. ( I love a good scotch as well, and find the two comparable for my tastes.) I've been casually looking at a few tequila boards looking for some recs for a few really decent bottles of tequila for the FIL who has a bday coming up soon. Other than a neighbor who has a basement bar full of great tequila (I always seem to forget the good ones when we go over for parties ) I'm wondering if there is anyone around lth who might be able to throw out some recs for some good ones 50.00- 150.00 that would be avail around town at say a Binny's or a Sam's. I think I'd rather get him a few bottles under 100.00 so it wouldn't sit in the basement as that "Too fancy to ever drink tequila." I'd just like to kinda show them that Cuervo Gold <cringe> is not the only option for tequila. Ideally I'd like to get a nice medium priced reposado, and maybe an anejo. Or maybe two really nice reposados.

Don Julio 1942 Anejo is about as good as it gets for me @ around $110/bottle +/-.

I also like the Herradura brand as one that is mid priced, and readily available. Corralejo reposado is nice, as is Don Julio Anejo. I also like the Cabo line. But most of the time I am drinking Cazadores Reposado

With that said I am a tequila sipper, and wouldnt think of putting an expensive tequila in a margarita if I was to drink one(I havent had a margarita in maybe 10 years).

I'm with you on the Margaritas. I might get them a Sauza that would be a comparable price to Cuervo for their Margaritas.
I want to show them that a good tequila is really good straight up.
Corralejo Reposado - that's pretty much my baseline. I know it's really decent for the price, and that might be one of the bottles. Plus, I think the btls are cool looking in a plain kind of way. I'm very familiar with Cazadores and that's the first thing I look for if I'm in a bar and someone suggests Tequila shots. I've also heard decent things about the Herradura line, but have never tried any of them.
Thanks a bunch!

seebee wrote:I want to show them that a good tequila is really good straight up.

thats a tough sell sometimes & for some folks, but good luck.

I like the Herradura brand, they hit some nice flavor notes in the reposado, and anejo versions, and they are in the $40-$50 range.

I don't think it's a tough sell at all if you buy the right stuff. One sip of a decent brew that goes down much smoother than Cuervo opens a lot of eyes, I've noticed. I think a lot of folks associate tequila with "Cuervo" (kudos to them and their advertising) and then make the cringe face when the word tequila is mentioned. Oh, and if they decide to use it to fry up margaritas, I'll be ok with it. Hopefully, though, they start searching out better tequilas for sippin, and then I get to try some more too.

seebee wrote:I don't think it's a tough sell at all if you buy the right stuff. One sip of a decent brew that goes down much smoother than Cuervo opens a lot of eyes, I've noticed. I think a lot of folks associate tequila with "Cuervo" (kudos to them and their advertising) and then make the cringe face when the word tequila is mentioned. .

thats what I was trying to say in only a few words, but you put it much better.

Some folks are hard to sway from that mindset.

good luck with your tequila search. and hopefully some research.

seebee - at the risk of coming in under your lowest price point, I would suggest a very affordable reposado that I have posted about on LTH before: Tres Mujeres. Here's a link to their website: http://www.tequilatresmujeres.com.mx/

I keep this one behind the bar at all times and it's great neat, as a chilled shot or in a margarita. Tres is imported by a company in Valparaiso, IN and should be available at Sam's and Binny's. It's 100% blue agave and I can buy it in downstate Decatur for $18.99 per bottle. Tres is on the citrus and floral side of the flavor profile - true to its highland agave origin.

In the $50 - $150 range, I like Casa Noble Anejo. (I think I gave $68 for a bottle the last time I bought it) This is a lowland agave tequila, with caramel, vanilla, and smoky wood flavors, IMO.

Cheers,
Davooda

Tres Mujeres is definitely a name I remember from one of the forums I visited. It's on the shortlist now as well. Thanks! 50.00 is not set in stone. If you knew me, you'd know that I'll always take better quality over higher price. 50.00 was just a guestimate on what a fairly decent reposado to mid priced anejo would start around. If there was a 5.00 anejo better than the 400.00 gran centennario (I think that was the brand) that tasted like smoky scotch with a hint of tequila and finished like pure caramel, I would always buy the 5.00 one, and brag about how I found a better deal.

seebee - I heard from a fellow aficionado that Tres Mujeres is now selling an anejo in the US. This may have been available for a while for all I know because in my downstate community the local liquor store staff isn't much interested in finding these kinds of things.

I have not tried it yet, but IMO their reposado outclasses plenty of other anejos I've tried.

Happy hunting!

Davooda

Tres Mujeres Reposado is one of my favorites, too, especially since it runs for $22 and still tastes great. I have no qualms about using it in Margaritas, and it makes for a great sipper.

However, I have been unable to find it at any Binny's/Sam's I've looked at. For reference, the locations I've tried were the Loop, South Loop, and St Charles locations of Binny's, and the near-Goose-Island Sam's.

Strangely enough, I was first able to locate it in St. Charles, at the Mexican supermarket La Huerta, while I was on a search for good tequila with my girlfriend. Luckily, she lives out there, so she's agreed to do some tequila muling for me. I'd love to hear any reports of finding this at a more accessible location, for those who don't want to make the trek. In the meantime:

La Huerta
(630) 587-0549
580 S Randall Rd
St Charles, IL 60174

Finally made it home. Have the "shortlist" from cross referencing a few sites last weekend. Casa Noble / Tres Mujeres made the cut. I have no idea on any prices of these, I just know that I'm gonna go to a few bigger liq stores and see what I can find. I did stop at a Famous today and saw the Tesoros in the 50.00 range. I also saw a reposado named "Cielo" on clearance for 48.00. The short list (along with above recs:)
1921 reposado
1921 Tequila Reserva Especial
374 Tequila Reposado $
4 Copas Tequila Reposado
5150 Tequila Reposado
Aha Yeto Reposado
Casa Noble Tequila Reposado
Cava Antigua Reposado Tequila
Chinaco Tequila Reposado
Clase Azul Reposado Tequila
Don Valente Reposado Artesanal
El Tesoro de Don Felipe Reposado
Gran Centenario Reposado
Herradura Gran Imperio Reposado
Los Abuelos Tequila Reposado
Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Reposado
MuchoTE Tequila Reposado
Penca Azul Reposado Tequila
Tezon Tequila Reposado
Tres Mujeres Reposado

If anyone has any yays or nays, much appreciated in advance.

seebee - I just had some Cielo last weekend. Bro-in-law brought a bottle over for digestif at a big family dinner. Cielo was pretty darn good and I'd say $48 is a fair price for the quality. It has a lowlands flavor profile (caramel, vanilla, buttersctoch) and made for a great after-dinner sipper.

Cheers,
Davooda

Well, then, that settles one bottle. I also saw Cielo Reposado on clearance at another Liq store for 35.00. I'll swing back by today and hopefully score a bottle. The reviews on Tequila.net claimed it was smooth as silk, but had a low agave flavor profile. The ratings were still pretty high. I'm in.

I can see why someone might say Cielo has a "low agave flavor profile" because it is sweeter than most and doesn't have earthy flavor characteristics, but IMHO it is a solid tasting reposado.

My bro-in-law and I have been buying and trying tequilas for about five years now and we've had a couple FUNKY reposados that tasted how dirt smells -- if there is "terroir" associated with tequila, maybe this is it -- but never, in my experience, with anejo or extra anejo tequilas.

I wish I could remember the names of the more funky ones so you could steer clear but I can't...

Enjoy your quest!

Davooda

I recently spent 6 weeks in Purto Vallarta in what basically turned into a Tequila sampling expedition and hands down, Don Juilio was the best. Not the Don Juilio you get up here in the states, but the authentic Mexican Don Juilio

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee13 ... PVR220.jpg