¡Viva el tequila!
Beyond the margarita
By Coley Ward
cward@azstarnet.com
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 11.20.2008
Think tequila is only for margaritas and bachelor parties?
Think again.
Despite its reputation as a party drink, tequila is a complex beverage that has a lot in common with wine.
A pair of tequila ambassadors are preaching the gospel of agave-based liquor at tastings every Saturday afternoon at Salud, the bar at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort.
Bar supervisors Carlos Ruiz and Sergio Duenas are two of only a handful of American ambassadors certified by the Academia Mexicana del Tequila.
Ruiz, 25, recently talked to Caliente about what it means to be an ambassador and why he loves tequila.
Aren't you a little young to be a tequila ambassador?
"In Mexico you only have to be 18 years old to be able to drink alcohol. I was born and raised in San Diego, California. So with me living in San Diego, we would go to Mexico a lot. It was only five minutes away. We would go visit family there, and on special occasions we would drink tequila."
What does the Academia Mexicana del Tequila do?
"The academy gives you in-depth knowledge about the culture and history of tequila. Also, the classifications and certifications the tequila has to go through before coming to the United States."
How did you become an ambassador?
"In 2007, Sergio and I ventured out to San Diego as part of a tequila tasting that they were offering. We got to meet the president of the Academia, Phillip Soto. He told us about what he does. It sparked our interest and we inquired. He got the impression that we were knowledgeable about tequila and we were, because we carry over 115 different tequilas at the Starr Pass bar. Actually, we have 110 now, because we downsized. But we used to be 115."
How many ambassadors are there?
"There are eight ambassadors in the U.S. and one in France. There are close to 200 in Mexico. Every tequila company has its own ambassador, though I don't work for a tequila company."
What is the biggest misconception about tequila?
"That would be the difference between mezcal and tequila. Tequila and mezcal are both made from agave. To make tequila 100 percent it has to be from the blue agave plant. The agave is like a pineapple. Tequila is made from the core of that agave plant. The mezcal is made from the leaves. Mezcal is the one that is marketed with the worm. A lot of people ask for the tequila with the worm in it, but that's a misconception."
Which do you prefer, tequila or mezcal?
"It's kind of like comparing a vodka to a scotch. I prefer tequilas, myself. Tequilas are made from the heart. I like the rituals that they do for tequilas. Some of them, they bless their agave fields. They call on the angels to bless the fields."
What's your favorite tequila?
"Probably Tonala. They do a pretty funny method. It's a four-year-old tequila — two years in oak barrels and two years in barrels that previously held cherries. The cherry flavors the tequila to a certain extent. It's pretty good with a cigar."
What are the different types of tequila?
"There are three different classifications of tequila: a blanco, which is clear like water and is aged from no weeks to three weeks max; then there's reposado, it's in between silver and gold and aged for at least eight months; the third is the añejo, it's a golden-brown color and is aged for 12 months at least."
How do you judge a good tequila?
"I primarily look for the legs. You can put it in a champagne flute or snifter and tilt the glass, just like with wine. I look for the smell as well. I like a wooden or oaky smell to it."
Does all tequila come from Mexico?
"All tequilas come from Mexico, just like all champagne comes from France. Some other countries make a liquor that is like tequila, but they spell tequila a different way. But a majority of those aren't allowed in the United States."
How do you taste tequila?
"Typically in a snifter, or in a champagne flute. That's because you want to treat it like a wine, because the aging process is similar to wine. Wine comes from grapes that are muddled, distilled and put into barrels. Tequila is the same way. They cook the agave plant, extract the sugars and put them in barrels to age."
When you taste tequila, do you swallow it or spit it in a bucket?
"Guests are more than welcome to spit it out, but I wouldn't recommend it. Because then you're wasting tequila."
0 Comments on this story
