Cocktail of the Month: Tequilas

Tequilas now constitute a broad but relatively small category. But they’re showing signs of growth of late on the Irish market.

In the last four years tequila consumption has grown volume 10.5% here and in the year to 2016 it grew by 1.6% according to IWSR figures.

Consumers appear to be moving away from regarding tequilas as something to be slammed with lime and a pinch of salt and moving towards perceiving them as part of the cocktail culture. But in a way, tequila has always been part of the cocktail culture, seeing as how the Margarita is the world’s most popular cocktail.

It takes seven years for an Agave plant to reach maturity – and these are often hand-harvested by teams of jimadors.

Oh and it has to come from Mexico….

 

 

Tres Sombreros

(Tequila Cocktail/Dalcassian/ Tres Sombreros Gold)

Distributed by Dalcassian Wines & Spirits, Tres Sombreros is an authentic tequila distilled from the purest blue agave, made in the Jalisco region in Mexico, in two varieties: Tres Sombreros Silver, smooth and refreshing with a crystalline colour or Tres Sombreros Gold, produced by ageing in Oak casks and ideal for preparing the world-famous Tommy’s Margarita.

 

Ingredients:

60ml Tres Sombreros Tequila Gold

30ml fresh lime juice

15ml agave spirit

Smaller sub-head: Method

Shake with ice, strain into rocks glass with ice and garnish with a lime wedge.

 

 

Jose Cuervo

The rich history of the Jose Cuervo brand began in 1758 when Jose Antonio de Cuervo obtained a small parcel of land and harvested the Blue Weber Agave plant to make today’s top-selling tequila which has become one of the fastest-growing spirits globally. Tequila lovers can find a vast range of Jose Cuervo products on the market including Especial – Silver and Gold, Tradicional – Silver and Reposado and the very special Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia.

Jose Cuervo, a perfectly smooth shot, is also a great mixing tequila. More commonly known as the key ingredient in Margaritas, the Jose Cuervo Squeeze is a refreshing alternative to a Margarita or Tequila Sunrise.

 

Cuervo Squeeze

Ingredients:

35.5ml Jose Cuervo Especial Silver

Sparkling Lemon

Freshly-squeezed Lime Juice

Lime wedge for garnish

Method:

1. In a Collins glass, squeeze in some lime juice
2. Add 35.5ml Jose Cuervo Especial Silver
3. Fill the glass with ice
4. Top with sparkling lemon
5. Garnish with another lime wedge.