Like all spirits, there’s a right way and a wrong way to taste tequila. It’s best enjoyed in a specific type of glass. It should be swirled and observed, then nosed and sipped. And, most of all, it should be savored and enjoyed!
In this beginner’s guide to tasting tequila, we provide expert techniques and tips to make your next tequila-sipping experience an amazing one.
Choose Additive-Free Tequila
There are more than 2,000 tequila brands in the world that produce their own blanco, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo expressions. That’s A LOT of variety to choose from, and that variety is one of the reasons why so many people love tequila and so many do not.
Drinking a low-quality, mass-produced brand may turn you off, while drinking a high-quality, artisanal brand may make it your favorite spirit on earth.
If you’re looking for the best possible tequila-tasting experience (and we assume you are), opt for an additive-free brand.
Most tequila brands include allowable additives like caramel coloring, oak extract, glycerin, and sugar-based syrups; additive-free brands do not. When made additive-free, the result is a cleaner, smoother, more authentic and better tasting tequila, no matter which expression you choose.
Learn more about additive-free tequila from Cierto, the additive-free brand that holds more awards and accolades than any other brand in history.
Use the Right Glassware
Tequila is best when sipped from a tequila flute. Similar to a champagne flute, the tall and slender shape of the glass allows you to better see the tequila and forces the aromas up towards the nose so you can enjoy all of its complex and distinctive aromatics.
If you want to look like and enjoy your tequila like a tequila connoisseur, opt for the Reidel Bar Tequila glass. This glass has been designated as the Official Tequila Glass by the Consejo Regulador del Tequila, the Mexican governmental body that regulates the production of all tequila in Mexico.
Observe the Color
After pouring a high-quality additive-free tequila into the proper glass, the next step is to observe the color. The color of the tequila is an indication of the amount of time it was aged. Blanco tequila, which does not get aged, is clear. Reposado, añejo, and extra añejo expressions range in color from pale yellow to brown, with darker colors indicating longer aging times.
Swirl the Tequila
No matter how good it looks or how amazing it smells, don’t drink your tequila just yet. Instead, swirl it around in the glass and take notice of its “legs.” The legs refer to how the swirled spirit slides back down the sides of the glass.
The longer tequila sits in an aging barrel, the more wood flavors it absorbs. This makes for a luscious, thicker spirit with slower-moving legs than blancos or reposados.
Nose the Tequila
Like its color and legs, the scent of the tequila can give you an indication as to how it may taste. By tilting the glass to your nose and holding the glass in a few different, angled positions, you’ll start to pick up all the various aromatics. With blanco, you may notice bright citrus notes. With extra añejo, your nose might detect hints of cherries or dark chocolate.
Sip the Tequila Neat
No matter what glass you choose, or how observant you are of its color, legs, or aromas, the key to enjoying tequila the right way is to sip it neat. Neat simply means straight out of the bottle at room temperature. If you don’t enjoy room temperature spirits, it’s perfectly fine to add a bit of ice and enjoy it “on the rocks.”
Note that we said to sip — not to down it in shots or take giant straw slurps of tequila masked by margarita mixes.
Tequila, especially high-quality additive-free varieties made by master distillers, should be savored and sipped slowly. Allow the flavor to coat your tongue and mouth and you can develop an appreciation for its complex flavors and distinctive mouthfeel. With great tequila, there’s no reason to conceal its flavor with fruit or sugary mixers.
In Conclusion
To enjoy tequila like an expert, sip it neat from the proper glass. Take note of its color, swirl it to see its legs, and nose it to get the full effect of its aroma before drinking.
If you want to take your experience to the next level, do like the experts do and taste test an entire flight of different expressions, starting with blanco and ending with extra añejo.
Sipping a flight of expressions is the best way to discover which one is your favorite — and if you don’t want to get tipsy while doing so, you don’t have to. Just like with wine tastings, it’s perfectly acceptable to have a spit bucket on hand.
