15 replies to this topic

[drcocktail]

Hi Gary & Mardee,

I was drinking Margaritas at the home of a certain Magoo and we disagreed about which variety of Tequila made the best Margarita. While this is obviously a matter of taste, interestingly our tastes wanted exactly the same thing: the most redolent flavor of the Tequila to dominate.

One of us (I'll not say which) preferred blanco saying it was the strongest in flavor being closest to the distillation and without the flavor and bite filtration that make reposado and anejo milder.

The other of us (I'm not telling) said no, reposado is stronger in flavor because to extracts flavors from the wood aging - but with not so much aging as to cut the Tequila flavors - or bite - very much (unlike anejo.)

Brand differences notwithstanding, what do you think?

--Doc.

[Gary Regan]

I think that Magoo is right.

[drcocktail]

Who knew spirits dynasties could be so MEAN? ;-)
--Doc.

[Gary Regan]

Just kidding!

For those of you who don't know Dr. Cocktail, I'll just say that we've known him for years, and he's one of the most knowledgable people around when it comes to spirits and cocktails--expecially in the history department.

Given the choice I would always use blanco tequila in a Margarita--it's the sharp peppery bite that I'm looking for, and that nuance starts to fade after the spirit spends time in oak.

That being said, though, most reposado tequilas will make very good Margaritas, and if that's what I have on hand I don't hesitate to use it.

I'm sure that this will make Magoo happy since it was he who won me over to blanco in Margaritas many moons ago.

[drcocktail]

ACK! My cover is blown!

Ah well, I'll be gentleman enough to admit to Magoo that I was wrong. There's a first time for everything!

Magoo want to know when you are coming to Los Angeles. I think he wants to make you a Margarita.

--Doc.

[Gary Regan]

You're not wrong, Doc, you just like a different style of Margarita than Magoo and me.





Okay--you're wrong.

[beans]

ACK! My cover is blown!

Welcome to eG drcocktail. Pull up a virtual barstool anytime in the Cocktails forum and join us.

None of us bite.




I promise!

[JAZ]

Yes, welcome. It's great to see you again, Doc. Thnk we can get Magoo here to add to the mix?

[drcocktail]

Hi Beans & JAZ, thanks very much! What a nice set of forums. I'm glad to find 'em!

Janet, I will surely let Magoo know about this thread. He wouldn't want to miss it for the world. Maybe you could figure out some sort of fast-track registration so we could receive his post while he's still "all het up".

In any event, I'm alerting him now!

--Doc.

[JAZ]

I'll see what I can do.

[JAZ]

Back to the original topic, what's your favorite tequila for margaritas? I'm less familiar with different brands of tequila than most other spirits. I've used (at various times) Los Arangos (sp?), El Grito (not sure that's available anymore), Herradura (silver), El Tersoro, and Sauza Hornitos and been satisfied with most of them, but I can't say I've found the definitive tequila.

And because you disagree on the best type of tequila for margaritas, I'd like to hear from both Gary and Doc, so I can compare for myself and see which of you is right.

[drcocktail]

I'm going to allow myself to be swayed to blanco for a bit to see my reaction over time. I've always loved cheap Mexican reposado - like 3 Magueyes - myself. As to blanco, I have a bottle of Patron Silver which ought to do the trick. Candidly, the whole Tequila trend is a little toward the end of my historical interests, so I am guilty of not giving it the study I have most other spirits. The only other liquor about which I know less is vodka.

--Doc.

[Gary Regan]

I'm usually a Herradura man, but recently we compiled a list of a dozen highly recommendable brands for an upcoming article in Wine Enthusiast (June). Here's a sneak peak (in alphabetical order, and noting which styles are available in each brand):

Casa Noble (Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo)
Cazadores (Blanco and Reposado)
Chinaco (Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo)
Don Eduardo (Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo)
Don Julio (Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo)
El Tesoro de Don Felipe (Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo)
Herradura (Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo)
Jose Cuervo Tradicional (Reposado)
Patrón (Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo)
Sauza Hornitos (Reposado)
Sauza Tres Generaciones (Blanco and Añejo)
Tequila Corazon de Agave (Blanco and Reposado)

[magoo]

There is a well known Mexican mariachi (ranchera) song called "El Rey", a part of which lyrics (loosely translated) go "It is not so important to be the first to arrive, as it is to know when you have arrived". Well, at long last I've finally made it here, and so greetings to Gary, Mardee, JAZ and Jason.
I see Doc has stirred up the old 'which tequila to use in a margarita' discussion and noted that Gary sussed out that I was recommending a blanco vs. Doc's reposado preference. I note further along that Doc is now going to experiment with a Patron blanco (!)--hey Doc, wouldn't that be an anejo? Thats not my idea of a "blanco", nor are any of the other tequilas that Gary included in a list that had Hornitos in it. I make my margaritas with the regular Sauza blanco that in LA can be obtained for about $20 for a 1.5l bottle.
Yes, I know its not 100% blue agave and its certainly not something you want to sip as Doc discovered when he was over last week and I gave him a blind tasting along side a reposado. I use it only for magaritas as I contend that its raw taste stands up well in blending with that most essential ingredient: fresh lime juice.
As a matter of fact I just finished picking up my wife up at the airport as she was returning from a week in Arizona taking in spring training games (we're both baseball nuts). Practically the first thing she mentioned were the horrible margaritas they were serving at the resort type hotel she stayed at in Scottsdale--made with expensive tequila and undoubtedly some high priced orange liqueur and, of course, some damned sweet and sour mix. Ugh! So, you see, I must toddle off now and make her a proper one. Cheers! (to be continued)

[mnebergall]

Welcome to eGullet, Mr.Magoo. Now which blanco, if any, would you recommend with a tequila gimlet?

[magoo]

I've never had a tequila gimlet, but I would venture that a more subtle tequila than the blanco I use in a margarita would be in order, since the lime taste in Rose's is not nearly as astringet as fresh lime juice (even after modification with the orange liqueur).