How to drink high-end tequila?
Of course, it does not matter how you drink it, as long as you enjoy it. But drinking tequila as a shot with a lemon slice and salt or an orange slice and cinnamon hurts the Mexican soul! High-end tequila is meant to be enjoyed slowly, sip by sip, and shared with the people you love.
How is Padre Azul tequila made?
Padre Azul Tequila is made from 100% blue agave. We let our agaves grow between 8 and 10 years. After the harvest, we steam them for 24 to 48 hours in “mamposterías”, traditional Mexican ovens made of masonry, followed by 72 to 96 hours of fermentation. Our fermentation is strictly spontaneous. That means we do not use artificial yeasts of any kind. After the double distillation, our Blanco is bottled straight away, while our Reposado is aged in hand-selected ex-bourbon oak barrels for at least 8 months, and our Añejo for a minimum of 18 months. Still curious? You’ll find more about our tequila production here.
Is Padre Azul an original Mexican tequila?
Yes! Tequila is a protected designation of origin product. It’s like the French Champagne or Cognac: It can only be produced traditionally and within a specific region. According to Mexican law, tequila can be produced exclusively in the state of Jalisco and a few other Mexican municipalities. The name “tequila” actually comes from the Mexican town Santiago de Tequila in Jalisco. There you can visit the National Museum of Tequila – very interesting!
Where does the vanilla come from?
Our tequila reposado and tequila añejo are aged in American oak barrels. The smoky oak wood adds wonderful tertiary aromas and gives our tequila its characteristic flavors. American oak barrels are known for adding a slight vanilla aroma. If we use French oak, for example, our tequila would probably have a toasty flavor.
How do you cook the agave?
The cooking is done in mamposterías, traditional Mexican ovens made of masonry. First, the agaves are steamed for 24 to 48 hours. Then we make use of the residual heat and add 24 hours more. An autoclave can do this process in 5 or 6 hours, however, the slow cooking of our agave provides much more flavor to our high-end tequila. It’s like using a clay pot on a slow fire instead of a pressure cooker – the clay pot will always produce better results. You see, the most important ingredient for our premium tequila truly is time.
Which tequila should I buy?
Well, that one is easy: Padre Azul, of course! However, if you are not sure whether you should opt for Padre Azul Blanco (Silver in the USA), Reposado or Añejo, why don’t you try our Padre Mini Tasting Box? But for real: when buying tequila, we recommend only purchasing 100% agave tequila. If there is no “100%” written on the bottle… stay away! This is a mixto tequila, which might only contain 51% agave, while the rest could be any other source of sugar.
Why the bottle design?
Our bottle design is a reference to Mexican culture and heritage. In other cultures, the skull may be considered scary, but in Mexico, it stands for eternal friendship. By and large, spending TIME with family and friends is what matters most in life, isn’t it? The unique Padre Azul bottle design is supposed to remind you of that, and our high-end sipping tequila is just perfect to make your shared quality time even more special.
What mixes nicely with tequila?
Tequila is a versatile spirit enjoyed in many ways. Our preferred way to drink tequila is straight out of the bottle – no lime, no salt, no bullsh*t. For cocktails, we recommend our padrecito tequila. In cooperation with David Rios, a world champion in bar keeping, we crafted this tequila to enhance your favorite cocktail. But the best combination is still: you and your favorite people.
What is the difference between tequila and mezcal?
Mezcal can be considered the big brother of tequila. They are separate spirits, both with their protected designation of origin. Tequila is typically produced by steaming the agave inside ovens before being distilled two times in copper pots. Mezcal, on the other hand, is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots. Furthermore, tequila is only made from blue agave whereas mezcal is made from other types of agave
Is there a worm in Padre Azul tequila?
No, tequila is not supposed to have a worm inside! This myth was created as part of a marketing strategy by some mezcal brands in the 1950s, who claimed that the worm had magical powers or that it could be used as an aphrodisiac. Were they right? Who knows! But what we know is that high-quality tequila or mezcal usually doesn’t come with a worm in the bottle.
Which glasses to use for high-end tequila?
For our sipping tequila, we recommend our Riedel sipping tequila glassware:
The glass plays a crucial role in the tequila-drinking experience. With the right glassware, you will get the full flavor of your high-end tequila. For Añejo you can also use a classic whiskey tumbler or, the easiest option, just use a white wine glass.
