Picking the best 100% blue agave tequila for you comes down to personal taste. Reading a bottle’s label can help you zero in on the tequila’s characteristics to which you can match your preferences. In a nutshell: it’s all in the tequila name: Silver or Blanco, Reposado and Añejo.
Silver/Blanco Tequila:
Even without reading the label you can identify silver tequilas by their clear to slightly pewter-like color. Silver Tequilas are aged no longer than 60 days. (IZKALI Silver is not aged at all.) Due to their short aging period silver tequilas have the strongest agave flavor of all the tequilas. Silver is excellent to use in mixed drinks, especially fruit based cocktails and margaritas. We find IZKALI Silver the perfect drink for sipping on a sunny afternoon. F. Paul Pacult, editor of Spirit Journal, says IZKALI Silver “Offers an aromatic bouquet of fresh dill, leather and salt. Taste is slightly peppery, zesty and silky textured. Finishes tangy, dry and keenly herbal. Ideal as a shot or in a margarita.”
Reposado Tequila:
These tequilas have been stored in oak barrels for a period of two months up to one year. Due to their shorter aging period, Reposado tequilas maintain the agave flavor of the silver tequilas while mixing in hints of the older Añejo tequilas’ spicier flavors. Reposados are usually a light to deep golden color. IZKALI Reposado has a smooth and pleasant finish, which is equally appreciated by tequila sipping aficionados as well as those using it for mixed drinks. F. Paul Pacult has this to say about IZKALI Reposado: “The mellow, slightly cocoa-like nose is deep and vanilla-like. In the mouth, the taste profile is multilayered, peppery, and lusciously supple. An elegant spirit that is perfect in a Paloma.”
Añejo Tequila:
Añejo tequilas are aged for a minimum of one year up to three years (IZKALI Añejo Tequila is aged 18 months) and are therefore very robust with a milder agave flavor and stronger oak taste. The aging process also introduces soft complex flavors, especially hints of vanilla or spices like nutmeg or ginger. F. Paul Pacult has this to say about IZKALI Añejo: “The seductive fragrance is filled with baking spices, like vanilla, almond and nutmeg. The flavor is long, piquant and mildly oaky. Serve alone in a wine glass for maximum enjoyment.” Many Añejo lovers enjoy this tequila in snifters to better appreciate its spicy aroma.
No one expression is better than the other; it all depends on your personal palate. A good way to help you narrow down what you may prefer to drink is to think about what other spirits you typically drink. Vodka and Gin drinkers tend to prefer Silver tequila. Lightly aged Whiskey and Rum drinkers tend to enjoy Reposados while Bourbon and Scotch drinkers lean more towards Anejos. Also, while there is a tequila for everyone keep in mind that one tequila is not right for every situation. Try a variety of tequilas to hone in on which types you prefer to drink solo or to use in mixed drinks.
Your Tequila cheat sheet:
Silver/Blanco Tequila
color: clear
aroma: slightly peppery, zesty
finish: silky textured; tangy, dry and keenly herbal
Reposado Tequila
color: soft golden hue
aroma: slightly cocoa-like nose, vanilla
finish: smooth and pleasant
Añejo Tequila
color: amber
aroma: vanilla, filled with baking spices like almond and nutmeg
finish: long, piquant and mildly oaky
