Does Tequila go bad over time ?

[RonBoyd]

I know some of the new "hard stuff" is being packaged in plastic (or non breakable) bottles and I can taste the "plastic" even when it's fresh. No plastic packaged booze for me.

So how do you feel about non-organic corks?

 

[Koolau]

Cuervo Gold was something I drank when I was poor. Cuervo does make some good stuff, but that ain't one of them.

Look for stuff that's 100% agave and costs at least $30/750 ml

Or just buy some decent Scotch for half that, heh heh. Sip responsibly as YMMV.

 

[RobbieB]

For me that would be Macallan 12, $50/fifth -

 

[RonBoyd]

For me that would be Macallan 12, $50/fifth -

That would be my choice also. (I have, however, developed a taste for Anejo tequila -- I will have to get back to Denver to give examples.)

Anyway, being a Scot:

 

[Happyras]

I would think it would not be a very good mixer. Cuervo Gold is not all Tequilla, it is a mix of corn sugar syrup, brown coloring and cheap tequilla. I could see the sugars breaking down into some nasty tasting juice, like bad high sugar wine with age. Prove me wrong and take a shot!

 

[2017ish]

1800 isn't a Cuervo product. Hasn't been for a while.

Wow, that took me down the internet rabbit hole! (I hate researching privately held companies on nonproprietary databases....) Do you mean just the technical, legal distinction arising from the corporate structure chosen by the Beckmanns? Looks to be about the same as Blue Moon beer, which as a technical, legal matter isn't brewed by Coors. See Gallo’s non-infringement of trade dress for 1800 Tequila a Or, maybe I'm missing something (wouldn't be the first time today). ...

Here is a trade report from March 16, 2016, regarding a possible IPO for Cuervo, which includes 1800 in its portfolio:

Cuervo’s revenue jumped by more than 40% in the first three quarters of 2015 to roughly $575 million, according to Bloomberg. The Mexico City-based company sells well more than 10 million cases annually, according to Impact Databank, with a portfolio led by the Jose Cuervo Tequila range (around 8 million cases sold globally in 2015, including the core brand, 1800, Gran Centenario and the Authentic Margaritas premix cocktail line), Three Olives vodka (1.6 million cases) and Bushmills Irish whiskey (800,000 cases). The vast majority of the company’s business occurs in the U.S., where Casa Cuervo subsidiary Proximo Spirits markets the portfolio.

Shanken News Daily: Exclusive news and research on the wine, spirits and beer business

This is consistent with other sources that refer to it as a brand within the Cuervo Group.

Interesting stuff--and an all-too-enjoyable diversion from the task list I have for today.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Now this brings me to a follow up question: Any publicly held distillers a good stock pick ?

 

[RustyShackleford]

Came across a full, sealed, bottle of Cuervo Gold.

Cuervo Gold isn't tequila - it's flavored alcohol. If you use it, use it only for margaritas.

Sounds elitist, but you can get decent 100% agave for a decent price; El Jimador is $35 for a 1.5-liter bottle here (cheaper than Cuervo Gold), and I'll sip it sometimes and it's just fine for margaritas.

 

[imoldernu]

Similar question

 

[Bestwifeever]

I don't drink tequila neat anymore after an unfortunate run-in about 40 years ago, but margaritas are my go-to drink. I used an opened bottle I had rescued from my in-laws' bar a few years ago to make one, and I can no longer say I've never had a bad margarita. No idea old or how long the bottle had been opened, but I would just ditch the old bottle the OP found.

 

[NW-Bound]

Cuervo Gold isn't tequila - it's flavored alcohol. If you use it, use it only for margaritas.

Sounds elitist, but you can get decent 100% agave for a decent price; El Jimador is $35 for a 1.5-liter bottle here (cheaper than Cuervo Gold), and I'll sip it sometimes and it's just fine for margaritas.

I only learned to drink tequila recently, and am no expert, but have seen 100% agave tequila going for very good prices. So, what makes some supposedly not-so-good tequila more expensive? Just marketing as it usually is?

 

[RobbieB]

Not all 100% de agave tequilas are good. I've had a few that were not. Espolon is one that I didn't like. Tres Agaves is good and only ~$30/fifth

You might try some of George Clooney's new stuff Casamigos, about $40/fifth and very good.

Heradura is also good and about $30.

 

[MRG]

I don't drink tequila neat anymore after an unfortunate run-in about 40 years ago, but margaritas are my go-to drink. I used an opened bottle I had rescued from my in-laws' bar a few years ago to make one, and I can no longer say I've never had a bad margarita. No idea old or how long the bottle had been opened, but I would just ditch the old bottle the OP found.

There's a few really, really bad tequilas.

Many years ago I drank some with my buddy at a party. Absolutely evil! The stuff had a strong hint of kerosene! We thought perhaps we'd been slightly intoxicated when we tried it as surely it couldn't be that bad. Tried the stuff cold sober, still tasted like kerosene. I used to wash my hands with kerosene before supper at the mill and I remember that taste. YUCK! While kerosene tastes terrible it's far more palatable then diesel or gasoline.

 

[NW-Bound]

OK, I will try to remember some brands mentioned above, like Heradura and Espolon. On the Web, they get very high ratings.

I only had had margaritas up until a few years ago, when I decided to try sipping tequila. I even started a thread on it. Not knowing what to look for, I researched the Internet, and was told to not buy the common brands because even if some are good they are overpriced. So, I try to get some that are reasonably rated, and do not cost too much.

Anyway, I am still learning to like it, but am getting more interested. I finished off a bottle of Gran Centerario Reposado (must have because I went out looking for it and did not see it). Knowing that I am expanding my drinking horizon, people gifted me some more, like a bottle of Avion, and Cazul 100 Anejo. I have not opened them. Am still working on a bottle of Legado, which is inexpensive but very well liked on the Web.

I think I need to open them all and taste them side by side. My palate is getting dull, and my memory is no longer that good to remember what a past bottle is like. I used to tell with just one sip the difference between the regular Bombay and the Bombay Sapphire that I like, but I am not sure I can do that anymore.

Hey, when you get old and your senses are dull, you are easier to please (or may not even care) even though you have more money. How ironic.

 

[RobbieB]

Remember the old "salt & lime" ritual?

The salt made your mouth water so the shot would slide down and then you bit the lime to "kill the burn"

That was for bad tequila -

 

[NW-Bound]

No, I knew but never have done that. I always drink my spirits the same way I do Cognac: sipping it and tasting it.

 

[ejman]

On a recent trip to Mexico I tried the Antiguo Reposado - Very nice as a sipping tequila.

 

[NW-Bound]

Again, I am not knowledgeable about tequila, but have seen so many brands. Perhaps there are not as many as wineries, but it seems so.

Pardon me for being ignorant, but what's the secret sauce in making tequila? Agave plants do not have good or bad years like grapes, do they?

PS. Never mind. The growing of the agave, the fermentation and distilling processes are quite complex according to Wikipedia. And it can produce "fusel oil, methanol, aldehydes, organic acids and esters, isoamyl and isobutyl alcohols".

Methanol or wood alcohol? Arghhh!

 

[RobbieB]

I have no idea. Generally the more expensive the better, but you can get good stuff for $30.

 

[RonBoyd]

Okay, I am back (at the stick) home for a couple days, before going to the Black Hills.

(FWIW, Tequila.net is great website for Tequila education. It has been my go-to for many years.)

These are three of the top ten "Best Inexpensive Tequilas" (Best Cheap Tequila | Cheapism) that I have tried and can recommend highly:

AÑEJO TEQUILA

Añejo (aged) tequila spends 12 to 35 months in wood casks. These spirits take on more color and flavor from the wood, resulting in a deep amber color. Soft flavors and aromas of tobacco and baking spices contribute significantly to the overall flavor profile. Añejos are often enjoyed as sipping spirits but can also be used in premium cocktails.

EL JIMADOR AÑEJO

The most popular aged tequila in Mexico scores 92 on Tequila.net and 94 from UBC. Its rich flavor profile offers ripe fruit, dark earthy moss, and sweet baking spices, with a touch of vanilla on the finish. It stands up against some of the most expensive alternatives, with a price of about $28.

LUNAZUL AÑEJO

Professionals love this smoky aged tequila, awarding it a whopping 93 points and a "great value" accolade from UBC. The flavor can be polarizing, with lots of leathery and spicy elements, leaning toward rustic and woodsy rather than cinnamon and caramel. It offers a lot of flavor for about $25.

HORNITOS BLACK BARREL AÑEJO

This añejo gets special treatment, spending its last 12 months in charred barrels. This gives it a flavor that bourbon lovers will appreciate. With 87 points from UBC, it stands up nicely in the añejo category. The flavors are intense, with elements of cigar tobacco, bourbon-like charred grain, and orangy citrus. The price is about $30 a bottle.

 

[ERD50]

Okay, I am back (at the stick) home for a couple days, before going to the Black Hills.

(FWIW, Tequila.net is great website for Tequila education. It has been my go-to for many years.)

These are three of the top ten "Best Inexpensive Tequilas" (Best Cheap Tequila | Cheapism) that I have tried and can recommend ...

Thanks, those first 2 have very good scores at just $25-$28 a bottle. A luxury I could afford!

The bottles I got from friend's trips back from Mexico are about gone.

-ERD50

 

[brewer12345]

Bang for the buck to me is Olmeca. I am not terribly fond of anejos, much preferring silver and reposado tequilas.