322474 Fri Sep 01 05:45:18 -0700 2006 37 36 Spirits 0 1847818 I saw Don Julio and Cazadores at Costco, are they good? Something else I should try? Thanks! Fri Sep 01 05:45:18 -0700 2006 10864 sel 1 1848043 Don Julio is good, as is Patrón for the easy-to-find ones. As is usually the case, my favorite (Lapis Añejo) is extremely hard to find and expensive. Fri Sep 01 12:48:17 -0700 2006 1847818 12193 JugglerDave 2 1900212 There are several choices when it comes to Don Julio but for sipping purposes, I would select the Anejo or the 1942 Anejo. Mon Sep 25 14:41:46 -0700 2006 1848043 12763 schoenick 1 1848268 My favorite is Herradura. Both the reposado and anejo are great sipping tequilas. Milagro is also good and very smooth. Fri Sep 01 14:43:39 -0700 2006 1847818 10132 sku 2 1849559 I second the Herradura! Fri Sep 01 23:19:44 -0700 2006 1848268 23762 Papa Kip Chee 1 1849458 El Tesoro is nice, too. Fri Sep 01 22:28:07 -0700 2006 1847818 12341 vanillagrrl 1 1849633 Corralejo is dreamy--very smooth and sweet-spicy. I don't see it around very often, unfortunately. Fri Sep 01 23:58:32 -0700 2006 1847818 14366 gina 1 1851644 Between Casadores and Patron, go with Patron. But if you're willing to splurge, CASA NOBLE. It smells like buttercream frosting (no joke!) and goes down smooth like the best brandy. I could sit with a glass and just enjoy the smell. It shocks everyone who says "Ick, how can you sip tequila?" I've tried Herradura, Corralejo, El Tesoro, Patron, and any number of the cheaper brands, and Casa Noble is the runaway winner. Lapis is good as well. Casa Noble loos like this, in a handblown bottle: http://randalls.stores.yahoo.net/rws20574.html Lapis is in a triangular bottle: http://randalls.stores.yahoo.net/mh461584.html A little more rare than the others, but I've been able to find them at Bevmo from time to time, and at smaller liquor stores that sell a lot of tequila. Sun Sep 03 15:22:29 -0700 2006 1847818 11577 Pei 1 1869624 General roundup of tequilas: http://www.sfbg.com/37/36/x_bottle_rockets.html Mon Sep 11 23:13:03 -0700 2006 1847818 13093 Maya 1 1872994 I third Herradura. Delicious! Wed Sep 13 05:06:12 -0700 2006 1847818 40218 liverfail 1 1873367 I'm surprised no one's mentioned Cuervo Riserva La Familia yet. It's my favorite. There used to be a few bars in ATL where you could get a generous pour for $8. Probably not the case any more. One of these days, I'll pony up the $80 to get a bottle of my own. Wed Sep 13 13:53:46 -0700 2006 1847818 12626 ted 2 1907724 IMHO, the Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia is absolutely the best Anejo for sipping. It far surpasses the Herradura Selection Suprema. The best value Anejo is Gran Centennario, unbelievable for the price. The Cabo Wabo Reposado, while not having the extent of oak aging, is an amazingly clean and fruity tequila. Thu Sep 28 07:12:40 -0700 2006 1873367 16797 bogie 1 1873636 I love Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo. it is really a great tequila. if you are into a splurge: Herradura Seleccion Suprema is the best premium aed tequila I have ever had. Wed Sep 13 15:37:37 -0700 2006 1847818 24925 chow_gal 1 1879023 I'll go ahead and throw Corazon into the mix here. (I actually prefer the reposado for sipping.) Fri Sep 15 16:28:58 -0700 2006 1847818 40108 jakew8 1 1881682 Tres Generaciones or Lapis! They both rock. Or Don Eduardo. Patron is over priced and if you ask about it in Mexico.. no one there drinks it. Apparently it is for us gringos. LOL. Enjoy. You all made me thirsty for some Lapis. Sun Sep 17 00:52:11 -0700 2006 1847818 41143 ZinGal 2 2015745 Patron is an American-owned company from what I've heard. Sun Nov 12 20:47:42 -0800 2006 1881682 20664 therealbigtasty 1 1882219 I think that too much oak can obscure the tequila flavor. I really prefer the unoaked versions. Having said that I have enjoyed some Reposado. The Añejo for me however are completely too woody. Sun Sep 17 15:15:00 -0700 2006 1847818 26180 Chinon00 1 1897400 Of the anejos mentioned already, I second the Casa Noble and Don Julio. You should know that there are only about 65 tequilarias and about 5000 labels. (For example, I am told that Lapis is an American concoction, a label without a tequilaria, put together to take advantage of the fact that hard currency paying Gringos and Germans associate good tequila with good bottle design) There is also a shortage of juice. So, like wine, many labels buy their juice on the market. This means that fine tequilas, especially the anejos, vary in quality and flavor from batch to batch. What you liked 2 months ago you may not like today and vice versa. Gran Centenario anejo is an extreme example of this phenomenon, going from unbelievable to undrinkable from batch to batch. As it has expanded its production, Don Julio has also improved its consistency. 1921 is also very good and a new entrant, Abuelo, is also excellent. But if you really like tequila, do as the Chivas (Guadalajarans)do in the capital of Jalisco state where the town of Tequila is located-- drink blanco or plata. Again, Don Julio, 1921, Abuelo are all good choices as are Trancas, Regional and Coralejo. Sat Sep 23 20:25:06 -0700 2006 1847818 23963 hungrylawyer 2 1898367 Hungrylawyer - THANK YOU SO MUCH for the education on Tequila. I will try those that you name here. Your comments on the shortage of juice resulting in the variability on the quality explain my lack of ability to find THE one good tequila. Sun Sep 24 13:44:13 -0700 2006 1897400 41143 ZinGal 1 1898075 also chinaco Sun Sep 24 04:22:06 -0700 2006 1847818 29475 dylafleur 1 1898712 Alot of folks do like Chinaco, I am just not one of them. IMO they use too much wood, sometimes too much "perfume" and are another label that suffers from extreme variability. Th amount of money that I am wiling to spend on tequila, both per bottle and in the agrregate, makes me shy away from labels that have extreme variability unless, like Gran Centenario anejo, one variation is a knock-out. I have never had a bottle of Chinaco that I have raved about so I don't buy it very often. (But I would rate it MUCH higher than Heradura). In Chainaco's defense, one of the oweners lives in the area and she is very nice. Also, they are not a concocted label, they have a real tequileria, but I don't know if they buy juice or not (I suspect that they do, as the juice buying issue was the product of enhanced world wide demand and a weavil problem) Sun Sep 24 18:04:28 -0700 2006 1847818 23963 hungrylawyer 1 1899241 I was unaware of this variation in tequila form bottle to bottle. I recently had a great bottle of the milagro single barrel anejo which a friend brought back from mexico. I bought an identical bottle at my local liquor store and it was no better than cuervo. Totally different taste and finish. Is Milagro also known for inconsistency? Sun Sep 24 22:46:33 -0700 2006 1847818 17509 vittus 1 1899392 I would say that Milagro's consistency is better than many, but that your experience is not surprizing. I often enjoy Milagro, but I am also deeply suspicious of it, and no longer buy it for myself. Whoever makes and markets this stuff certainly knows their business. First, I woulkd guess that it is a US export label, unknown in Mexico, except in high traffic tourist areas and duty free shops. I don't think that it is associated with any particular tequileria. I admit that I could be wrong. Second, tequila is not like Scotch so I would not waste money on the single barrel marketing gimmick. The anejo barrels are sealed by the government. Third, I keep my open tequila in the freezer. In the past, part of the Milagro has frozen, indicating the presence of a significant amout of water as tequila has too much alcohol to freeze. No other tequila has ever done that. Finally, their bottles are too cool. Mon Sep 25 00:28:36 -0700 2006 1847818 23963 hungrylawyer 2 2037239 Greetings from Guadalajara, tequila fans. My personal sipping favorite is Don Eduardo añejo, delicious and smooth as silk. Note: the nickname for a person from Guadalajara is *tapatío*, not Chivas. The Chivas, god bless'em, is our wonderful futbol (soccer) team. Mon Nov 20 23:09:06 -0800 2006 1899392 24772 cristina 3 2044275 I am also from Guadalajara but now live in SF, arriva las chivas! Fri Nov 24 01:05:14 -0800 2006 2037239 41146 anejospirit 4 2072484 Y las chavas y las chelas! Tue Dec 05 19:43:57 -0800 2006 2044275 24772 cristina 1 2037282 Is it Estampa? Mon Nov 20 23:22:48 -0800 2006 1847818 51569 ergozum 1 2094822 While most of you have made many good suggestions I have to add my 2 cents. Clase Azul - One of the best blancos there is. Gran Patron - While it's siblings are over marketed in the states, Gran is the best sipping blanco I've tasted. And believe me I have tried many. AsomBroso - while fairly new to the market the LaRosa 11 month reposado is absolutly outstanding. Anejo? - Hurredura Seleccion Suprema or Rey Sol - both pricey but...........but then again most of the finer things in life are. Wed Dec 13 02:44:45 -0800 2006 1847818 59443 chase808 1 2096022 Born in the great state of Jalisco (where tequila comes from) I prefer reposado to anejo but it is certainly a personal choice. Reposado in my opinion is a little more "raw" and gives you something to chew on while today's anejo has gone the route similar to that of a smooth scotch. As far as specific types, Heradura is my favorite but I wouldn't turn down a Don Julio either. The NYTimes article below has been archived but for those of you with login access take a look: http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F50E12F7355B0C7A8CDDA10894DE404482 Wed Dec 13 16:07:09 -0800 2006 1847818 13094 chowcito 2 2096080 I was born in Tequila, Jalisco... hi paisano. Wed Dec 13 16:21:24 -0800 2006 2096022 41146 anejospirit 3 2096242 salud! Wed Dec 13 17:09:42 -0800 2006 2096080 13094 chowcito 1 4954572 Cabo Wabo is my favorite!! I only drink tequila, i have tried so many tequilas and i fell in love with Cabo Wabo it is great for sipping and for mixed drinks, you will not be disappointed, trust me. other recommendations are Herradura being second and Don Julio being third!!! Mon Aug 17 19:02:00 -0700 2009 1847818 1102481 jvmedi03 1 4955537 http://www.chow.com/stories/11023 Tue Aug 18 07:30:51 -0700 2009 1847818 243219 craigasaurus 1 4958255 Huge fan of the Don Julio for sipping. Im not sure if anyone can help me with this but here in London the Don Julio seems to be a bit smoother. I was recently out in the US (NYC) and i could definitely taste a more harshness to the taste over there.. Wed Aug 19 03:33:51 -0700 2009 1847818 286766 BeefeaterGin 2 4962881 Interesting, I've always found the Don Julio reposado and anejo harsh and plain. The 1942 is fantastic. The Don Julio anejo in Mexico is just as harsh, too. Thu Aug 20 11:29:07 -0700 2009 4958255 128722 streetgourmetla 1 5126068 First off, Patron is not all it is cracked up to be. Notice how often bars don't care their Anejo. 75% of Patrons sales are their Blanco. If you are looking for an amazing sipping Anejo check out Sol de Mexico Tequila. I tried it at a culinary event in Arizona and it was amazing. My fiance who doesn't even like tequila fell in love with it. It is smooth, spicy, smokey, with hints of caramel. I picked up a bottle for $50. It was worth every dollar! Try some of the smaller distilleries. What they can't afford in marketing they can make up in quality! Fri Oct 23 14:10:37 -0700 2009 1847818 1118652 drinxnfood 1 5133372 I have a bottle of Gran Centenario Anejo Tequila that is quite smooth and tasty. Picked it up in duty free the last time I was in Mex DF. Mon Oct 26 19:29:07 -0700 2009 1847818 89493 scubadoo97 2 5135192 This is a good one, and a brilliant buy at Duty Free, one of the few good options at most Duty Frees in Mexico. Tue Oct 27 12:57:37 -0700 2009 5133372 128722 streetgourmetla