Best tequilas for Cinco de Mayo

May 4, 1:02 PMPhoenix Drinks ExaminerMark Nothaft

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    The best tequilas are 100 percent pure agave.

Few spirits have been as misunderstood as tequila. It’s not just the fuel of hedonistic weekends in Rocky Point or a sidekick to Cinco de Mayo parties. Besides, you’ve outgrown slaps of salt, lime and Cuervo Gold. 

Good tequila deserves a place alongside other fine spirits like boutique bourbons, single-malt scotches and top brandies and cognac. Top-shelf varieties may be sipped and appreciated just like these other fine spirits, neat or on the rocks.

But first some housekeeping; all tequila comes from an area around the town of Tequila in Jalisco, Mexico, about an hour from Guadalajara. Much like Bordeaux or Napa Valley, tequila has its own growing area and “terroir,” a French term meaning “regional essence,” which comes from weather and soil that become part of a wine or spirit. Tequila, as a region, is ideal for growing a specific species of agave called Tequilana Weber.

By law, tequila only needs to be made from 51 percent these agave distillates and the rest from cheaper filler spirits. But the best tequilas are made from 100 percent agave or blue agave. The percentage will be printed on the label. This is the stuff you want. The real expression of tequila only comes through in 100 percent varieties. Clean, beautiful pine, pepper and agave flavors immediately hit the palate, not the hot and rough impressions that come from cheaper tequila blends.

Those who like their spirits clear (yes, I’m talking to you vodka worshippers out there) want silver tequila, while those seeking more nuance need to look for reposado (rested) tequila, or añejo (aged), for more oak aging and the resulting darker color. For margaritas, silver tequila is fine, especially if you’re going to whip them with ice and mixers. I’ll sip a good reposado such as Sauza Hornitos on the rocks with a wedge of lime much like others will nurse a scotch or other whiskey on ice. For top-shelf margaritas on the rocks, I’ll use a reposado, Cointreau orange liqueur and fresh lime juice. So simple, so delicious.

And because of our passion for all things Sonoran and our proximity to Mexico, we have access to lots of great 100 percent agave tequila. Most major grocery stores, AJ’s Fine Foods and BevMo have outstanding selections of good tequila. Brands to look for include Chinaco, Don Julio, Herradura, Cazadores, Patron, Jose Cuervo’s premium brand, Reserva de la Familia, Sauza Hornitos and Tres Generations, and Gran Centenario, a personal fave. Expect to pay upwards of $35 for each of these, or up to $100 for the Reserva de la Familia. Trust me, anything on this list is worth the extra money. Just as a point of reference, the stuff of your youth, Jose Cuervo Gold, costs about $15. “Pay now or pay later” is an adage you’ll clearly revisit the day after Cinco de Mayo.

So this Cinco, after your neighbors have downed several bowls of guacamole, steak fajitas and a couple of pitchers of top-shelf margaritas, they’ll be raising their glasses to toast your hospitality. But the real star of the evening is what’s in the glass.