What Brand Tequila Is Best & Where Best Place to Buy

[Okie1946]

I am learning a great deal about tequila and the large number of different ones. I never realized that there were flavored ones also. Only knew about the white and gold types.

 

My husband and I are booked into the shore excursion going to the Hacienda Doqa Engracia tequila factory. As we were told earlier, that is strictly for entertain ment value only, so we will be entertained for a little while and get to do some taste testing. That might help give us an idea of what to look for later when buying.

 

Please keep the advice coming. The posting from MSN-Travelers was really interesting, helped alot and a copy of it will be coming with me.

[Evil Scotsman]

NOT to hijack your thread, but the ONLY time I have ever had Tequila was at the Sr. Prom and some homemade stuff a shipmate brought back from Mexico SOMEWHERE? Obviously the stuff I had was rot gut, because it BURNT like HELL going down and turned me off COMPLETELY! I was wondering if there were "SIPPING" Tequilas that DON'T burn! Have never even tried a Margarita just from getting flashbacks from the the only 2 shots I ever took! :eek:

 

Thanks

[SNJCruisers]

NOT to hijack your thread, but the ONLY time I have ever had Tequila was at the Sr. Prom and some homemade stuff a shipmate brought back from Mexico SOMEWHERE? Obviously the stuff I had was rot gut, because it BURNT like HELL going down and turned me off COMPLETELY! I was wondering if there were "SIPPING" Tequilas that DON'T burn! Have never even tried a Margarita just from getting flashbacks from the the only 2 shots I ever took! :eek:

 

Thanks

 

 

Don Julio Reposado chilled and strained into a martini glass and sipped or taken as a shot is great...no training wheels needed (lime & salt).

[mr jamms]

NOT to hijack your thread, but the ONLY time I have ever had Tequila was at the Sr. Prom and some homemade stuff a shipmate brought back from Mexico SOMEWHERE? Obviously the stuff I had was rot gut, because it BURNT like HELL going down and turned me off COMPLETELY! I was wondering if there were "SIPPING" Tequilas that DON'T burn! Have never even tried a Margarita just from getting flashbacks from the the only 2 shots I ever took! :eek:

 

Thanks

 

There are many great sipping tequilas but if you really need something soft and tasty to introduce you back, try some Agavero, it's a tequila Liquer so it's quite sweet and not at all burny, but it's got a lot of the developed flavours of tequila. http://www.agavero.com/

 

Tequila aficionados shun it because of it's sweetness but it's probably just what you need.

[Hlitner]

test test

[Hlitner]

There are many many Tequilas and choosing the best depends on your taste and budget. You can buy genuine Agave (the only real Tequila) for as little as $5 - $6 a bottle and you can also buy bottles for over $1000. In Puerto Vallarta (where we live in the winter) many of the Tequila shops are just phony places that have mediocre products but are there to sell time shares. Probably the best place to taste really good Tequilias in Puerto Vallarta is at the Agave Grill (which is a decent restaurant) that has an excellent Tequila collection at its tasting bar. And here is another shocker! You could also just go the Cheeky Monkey, which is a fun bar known for having $1 Margaritas and $1 beer (and a great view of the Malecon). But many are not aware that the owner of the Cheeky Monkey (a New Yorker named Troy) also stocks many excellent Tequilas at his 2nd floor bar. Troy will even make you a $1000 Margarita which is quite different from his $1 version. I believe that all the proceeds from the $1000 drink (it has only the best products but not sure if he has ever sold one) goes to charity.

 

Hank

P.S. It is true that Patron Tequila (popular in the USA) is not sold in Mexico.

[Okie1946]

NOT to hijack your thread, but the ONLY time I have ever had Tequila was at the Sr. Prom and some homemade stuff a shipmate brought back from Mexico SOMEWHERE? Obviously the stuff I had was rot gut, because it BURNT like HELL going down and turned me off COMPLETELY! I was wondering if there were "SIPPING" Tequilas that DON'T burn! Have never even tried a Margarita just from getting flashbacks from the the only 2 shots I ever took! :eek:

 

Thanks

 

When I originally started this thread, I didn't know too much about tequila. Since then I did a great deal of reading and then my husband decided that we would take the ship sponsered shore excursion that went to the tequila factory outside of PV.

 

That was quite interesting - we actually got to see how the tequila was made in the early days and moved forward. We also had to opportunity to taste several different kinds of tequila. Will try and make this short - But REMEMBER THIS - the tequila you buy has to have the wording 100% Puro de Aguve. Meaning the tequila must be made with 100% Blue Aguve plant. Any thing else is not tequila

 

1. Blanco (Silver) Is the best to use for margarita's. Depends on the brand you use as to the taste. We wound up purchasing Hacienda Dona Engracia and even the white can be drank as a straight shot but it will give you the WHOOOOOOO feel after you drink it.

 

2. Reposado is a sipping tequila. It has been aged in oak barrels for 6 months and so much smoother than the Silver and should not be used for Margaritas

 

3. Anejo is also a sipping tequila but has been aged in barrels for at least a year and is SOOOOOOO smoothe. It is really nice. Not a mixed drink so do not use in Margarita.

 

4. They also manufacture several smooth flavored tequilas. We purchased the two that are Peach and Almond. We did not purchase the Chocolate/Raspberry. The peach mixed with mango makes a fantastic marinade for pork.

 

Hope this will help everyone who has looked at this thread.

 

Previous Cruises

Alaska - Westerdam - September 2009

Alaska - Rotterdam - September 2010

[TravelRocker]

Hi, I wanted to add my two cents here as well. I really, really appreciate all the information that has been previously been given too. My husband and I go wine tasting all the time here in Northern California so love the whole experience. We had no experience with Tequila tasting so also booked the Tiles and Tequila tour through Princess. I now know what to buy when we go back in February 2012.

We had a wonderful day though it was rather different than what we expected. The "Hacienda" where the factory is was not a "Hacienda" as we pictured, but that was OK. And the manufacturing experience was not what we expected either. BUT, with that said, we learned so very much about the making of Tequila that I was very happy to see it and understand how their brand was so much better than more mass produced brands.

The tasting room itself was a kick, our guide, and I wish I could remember his name, darn a very nice looking man with a wealth of information. The tasting was done in little cups and every one was better than the next. We ended up purchasing two bottles and I got a purple T-shirt as well to remember the day with. Good picture taking opportunities there as well on the property where there is also a small church.

After this we went to the Tile factory and let me tell you, we went nuts, I've never seen such beautiful tiles, picture frames, bowls, plates etc. in my life. We purchased several and my favorite were the dolphins and crosses. My husband does mosaic stepping stones and pots and he went crazy.

From the factory we drove into town, visited the Cathedral and ended up at the Beach, weather was beautiful. If you want to experience a little bit of PV and contribute to the local economy this would be a good tour to hop on to. We really enjoyed it.

[Glaciers]

We brought two bottles back from Puerto Vallarta in January that we purchased at Sam's Club. We should have checked prices locally before we went down as one of the bottles was about the same price here as it was there. We thought there had to be a difference but the batch number on the bottles matched. Just a different distributor.

[roger001]

I've found that I can get tequila in the US, large chain liquor stores, for not a great deal more than the prices on the same tequilas in Mexico. When I figure in the effort to carry and check the bottles, then have to pack and ship if flying home, I just buy locally. For easy comparison of tequilas, Tequila.net has reviews and ratings on many of them. A good tequila, reposado or anejo, locally will run about $45 to $55 (Don Julio Anejo or Casa Nobles Reposado around $55). And excellent reposado, if purchased in their non handcrafted bottle, is Sol Azul at $20. The list of good tequilas is almost endless. There are hundreds, each with a slightly different complexity of flavors. Reposados and anejos are sipping tequilas. Blanco (silver) is a good choice for mixing. My tequila affection began after visiting one of the tequila sipping locations in PV. Before that, all I knew was rot gut 50% agave shooters ...and the hangovers. No good tequila will be other than 100% blue agave. Hope I didn't drift too far from what this thread was about.

[Okie1946]

I've found that I can get tequila in the US, large chain liquor stores, for not a great deal more than the prices on the same tequilas in Mexico. When I figure in the effort to carry and check the bottles, then have to pack and ship if flying home, I just buy locally. For easy comparison of tequilas, Tequila.net has reviews and ratings on many of them. A good tequila, reposado or anejo, locally will run about $45 to $55 (Don Julio Anejo or Casa Nobles Reposado around $55). And excellent reposado, if purchased in their non handcrafted bottle, is Sol Azul at $20. The list of good tequilas is almost endless. There are hundreds, each with a slightly different complexity of flavors. Reposados and anejos are sipping tequilas. Blanco (silver) is a good choice for mixing. My tequila affection began after visiting one of the tequila sipping locations in PV. Before that, all I knew was rot gut 50% agave shooters ...and the hangovers. No good tequila will be other than 100% blue agave. Hope I didn't drift too far from what this thread was about.

 

Thanks for the tequila.net link. I have some problems finding good tequila up here. There isn't as much of a demand for it as I thought there would be. Haven't found a liquor store that carries the blended tequilas and when you ask for some of the Reposadas and Anejos - the store clerks get a blank look on their faces. I did purchase at the Hacienda in PV because I knew we would not be able to get it up here. So am reading and looking for replacements.

[dforeigner]

is it possible to post tequila home from mexico? you would not believe how expensive the good stuff is in this part of the world

 

Yes, but you need an import license and pay for an exporter to ship it to you. Unless you dealing in volume, you are better off paying the $45.00 per bottle at home.

 

Also, the guidelines in the US are very strict. If the bottle reads 80 Proof, it better have 40% alcohol content. Where in Mexico and most of the rest of the world, the alcohol content is an approximate measure +/- 40%.

[mr jamms]

Yes, but you need an import license and pay for an exporter to ship it to you. Unless you dealing in volume, you are better off paying the $45.00 per bottle at home.

 

Also, the guidelines in the US are very strict. If the bottle reads 80 Proof, it better have 40% alcohol content. Where in Mexico and most of the rest of the world, the alcohol content is an approximate measure +/- 40%.

 

Sorry, I'm in New Zealand. Individual bottles are allowed in through the post here. Even if you receive a case, you can call customs up and pay the duty over the phone with a credit card. And when I say expensive, Patron is about $75USD and nice bottles like Herradura are over $100

 

I was wondering if the post shops are reliable enough to use. I quite often post gifts home from Asian countries and it's a bit hit and miss as to what gets there in the end.

[dforeigner]

Sorry, I'm in New Zealand. Individual bottles are allowed in through the post here. Even if you receive a case, you can call customs up and pay the duty over the phone with a credit card. And when I say expensive, Patron is about $75USD and nice bottles like Herradura are over $100

 

I was wondering if the post shops are reliable enough to use. I quite often post gifts home from Asian countries and it's a bit hit and miss as to what gets there in the end.

 

 

In that case I am not sure. One thing for sure is that the mail in Mexico is not very reliable. Therefore, you would need to use FedEx, UPS, DHL for shipping. A bottle of Patron Añejo runs about $45.00 USD. Not sure how much the shipping would cost from MX to NZ. Now, Herradura is a bit cheaper than Patron; unless, you are looking for special edition, fancy bottles, or above Añejo quality.

[Goobaroo]

I visited Hacienda Dona Engracia in 2006 on a shore excursion. First part was a horseback ride in the hills, second part tequila tasting. We were served no less than 8 - maybe 10? - different "samples" (decent shots). Let's say it was a good deal and we were quite the party bus on the way back to the ship! Hope your tour is as generous as ours was!

 

Happily I had the good sense (after the tasting) to purchase a bottle of Dona Engracia Anejo tequila, 100% agave, in an opaque burgundy colored bottle. If I remember correctly, I purchased one of the "better" tequila's they make, and at the time I thought "well, this is expensive even for U.S. prices", but I can't remember what I paid. Had I known better, I would have bought several bottles! Smooth and easy for me, I am a "shot girl", purist (no lime), and there is NO BURN in this tequila.

 

Sadly, I have not been able to find it sold here in the U.S., nor have I been back to P.V., so we have been hoarding it and stretching it out - for 5 years now! Alas, we just emptied the bottle tonight.

 

I'm not a tequila expert, but I would imagine that buying 100% agave Anejo would be good tequila regardless of brand. I vote for buying something local versus Don Julio or any brand that is readily available in the U.S., that's the adventure of traveling!

 

Bon Voyage! Cheryl

[roger001]

In Cozumel last time bought some Manana anejo. Was a sale priced special that store had. Very smooth, sweeter than most.....and super nice bottle. But can't find at home. So many tequilas to choose from.

[Okie1946]

I visited Hacienda Dona Engracia in 2006 on a shore excursion. First part was a horseback ride in the hills, second part tequila tasting. We were served no less than 8 - maybe 10? - different "samples" (decent shots). Let's say it was a good deal and we were quite the party bus on the way back to the ship! Hope your tour is as generous as ours was!

 

Happily I had the good sense (after the tasting) to purchase a bottle of Dona Engracia Anejo tequila, 100% agave, in an opaque burgundy colored bottle. If I remember correctly, I purchased one of the "better" tequila's they make, and at the time I thought "well, this is expensive even for U.S. prices", but I can't remember what I paid. Had I known better, I would have bought several bottles! Smooth and easy for me, I am a "shot girl", purist (no lime), and there is NO BURN in this tequila.

 

Sadly, I have not been able to find it sold here in the U.S., nor have I been back to P.V., so we have been hoarding it and stretching it out - for 5 years now! Alas, we just emptied the bottle tonight.

 

I'm not a tequila expert, but I would imagine that buying 100% agave Anejo would be good tequila regardless of brand. I vote for buying something local versus Don Julio or any brand that is readily available in the U.S., that's the adventure of traveling!

 

Bon Voyage! Cheryl

 

I also am not a tequila expert, but do like a good shot that doesn't burn. The ones from the Hacienda were the best that I had ever tasted. During the tasting portion of the tour, we were given 6 different shots. '

 

Considering our tour was the third one of the day and there were 4 others behind us - thought that was very generous. Had a shots of the Silver, the Reposado and the Anejo as well as shots of their blendeds - the Peach, Chocolate/Raspberry and Almond. Because we had been looking at the various brands in the store the day before, we did buy at the Hacienda.

 

AM SO GLAD WE DID. Bought large bottles of the Silver, Peach and Almond. I like the blendeds for sipping after dinner. But we did purchase two of the gift sets which had three small bottles (one each) of the silver and aged tequilas. We do fixed a lot of the mixed drinks so the Silver was a very good purchase. Besides Margaritas, have discovered Tequila Sunrises and they do taste better with a good tequila, plus no headaches.

 

Mix the Peach with a fresh Mango crushed, mixed with some cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into a marinade and let the pork tenderloin set for at least 4 hours before grilling - talk about tender and AMAZING flavor. Did find a liquor store about 30 miles away our home that carries the Strawberry blend from another bottler. Might give that a try - to see what it is like in a cream sauce for desserts. Did find out that the blendeds are VERY HARD to find and when you do - expect to pay the premium price for them. BUT if you use them - it is worth it.

 

Will say this, once you have had the REALLY good tequila - it will be very DIFFICULT to go back to the cheaper brands usually found here in the

U. S. Oh well, live and learn.

 

Keep smiling - it makes folks wonder about what you know and they don't.

 

Previous Cruises

September 2009 - Alaska - Westerdam

[September 2010 - Alaska - Rotterdam

B]April 2011 - Mexican Riveria - Oosterdam[/b]