TEQUILA Nectar of the Gods

With Elayne Duke

The Grapefruit Rosita

1.5 oz Don Julio Anejo

¾ Carpana Antica Vermouth

3/4 Aperol

½ Americano Cochino

Dash of grapefruit bitters

Garnish with a long grapefruit twist

Served over ice in a rocks glass

TequilaTEQUILA’S HISTORY

• Legend of Mayahuela• Pulque- the original agave drink

Creation of Tequila• How tequila is made

History of Tequila• Tequila’s Journey to establish itself

Tequila vs Mezcal

Tasting:• Don Julio Blanco• Excellia Reposado ( I am bringing it with me)• Arretta Anejo• Lajita Mezcal

Gift from the Gods

• STORY OF MAYAHUEL

Tzintzimitl

Gift from the Gods

Quetzalcoatl

Gift from the Gods

Mayahuel

Mayahuel Bar

Mayahuel 304 E, 6TH Street (between 2nd Ave & 1st Ave) NEW YORK, NY 10003(212) 253-5888 www.mayahuelny.com

Agave

All a man or woman ever needs–Needle and Thread– A roof–Timber–Nutrients

…………………………–Tequila–Sex

Pulque

Pulque

HISTORY OF TEQUILA

The Spanish Have Arivved

• 1515 The Spaniards arrive in Mexico

• 1523 they introduce the pot still to natives

• Vino De Mezcal is created

Arrival of the Spaniards• 1532 Spaniards go north to Jalisco here

they discover the Tiquili Indians

• Blue agave plant is discovered

• 1500’s Mezcal starts to gain popularity

• 1636 the Gov imposed taxes and rules and regulations on the manufacturing of the mezcal

Jose Cuervo

• 1758 the government grants the Cuervo family a parcel of land in Jalisco

• 1795 King Ferdinand grants the first license to the Cuervo family to distill Mezcal

The Tequila Journey• 1800- Tequila is aged in wood for the first time-

• 1873 Tequila is first shipped to El PaseoTexas

• 1880- Rapid growth of the No.American railroad system helps spread Tequila to other cities

• 1900 Mexican President Porfirio Diaz helped the tequila business by pushing for modernization in the country.

• Upgrades were made to the industry and better tequila was made

• 1902 –Blue agave name was changed to Agave tequilana Weber azul to honor the German Botanist Dr. Franz Weber

The Tequila Journey

• In 1910, El Centennario was established- the first distillery in the highlands

• 1910 Mexican revolution-

• 1918: The spanish flu epidemic spreads across the world

Prohibition

• Another good reason not to piss off a woman

The Tequila Journey

– 1930-1960 Agave Shortage• Mixtos were born to help keep up the supply

– 1940: WW2 shortage of European goods

– 1968: Olympic Games in Mexico bring international exposure to Tequila

– 1978: Appellation of Origin for Tequila was registered

Chinaco

1983 The first ultra premium on the shelves

The market for upscale tequila in North American is established

Agave Shortage1989 Patron tequila is launched in the USA

1993 The first tequila bars are opened

1994- Cheap knock offs are eliminated from the marketplace. Brands return to making 100% blue agave.

1996: Tequila is recognized by the world as the official spirit of Mexico

1999 Agave shortage: Agave price jumped from $50 a ton in 1999 to $1,500 a ton in 2001

2001: Tequila prices hit an all time high

2006: Agave excess- price $25 per ton

Today they are 110 producers of Tequila and over 1,000 brands

•

The Making of Tequila

Tequila Territory

Lowlands vs HighlandsLowland Territory: southwest of Guadalajara, it includes Jalisco, Guanajuato, Nayarit, Michoacan

Lowlands- Volcanic rich soil produces more traditional tasting agave plants that are more herbaceous and spicer

Brands: Cabo Wabo,Casa Noble, Don Eguardo,El Jimado, Herradura, Jose Cuervo, Partida, Suaza, Tezon

Guanajuato: Corralejo

Lowlands vs Highlands

Highland Territory: Arandes- Los Altos the highlands of Jalisco

Agave: The red soil is rich in iron producing sweeter, juicer agaves.

Brands: Cazadores, Corazon, Corzo, Don Julio, Gran Centenario, Milagro, Oro Azul, El Tesoro, Patron, Ocho

Costal Region: TamalipasBrand: Chinaco

Agave-Step One Harvesting

Jimadors: Agave Harvesters

Mature Agave:

Cutting the leaves vs non cutting of the leaves

Trimming the Agave

•The removal of the penca’s are done with a tool called a Coa.

•A Jimador will trim up to 100 agaves a day

Harvesting the Agave

•Pinas- Spanish for pineapple

•Trimmed agaves weigh from 60-120lbs

•Trimmed agaves are loaded on to a donkey who transfers them to a truck

STEP 2 ROASTING– Quality Control Check

• Good distilleries identify 5-10 agaves at random, distill them and test them to make sure they hold up their standards.

• Once approved Pinas are cut and then packed in ovens which are heated to 140 degrees to steam the pina’s-

• Traditionalist used masonry ovens to slowly cook the agaves takes 24-48hrs.

• New technology- Autoclave take 7hrs.

• The steam causes the pina to release it’s honey water which is collected

AGAVE STEP 3-MILLING

• Milling: The remaining fibers are then placed in a mill where the remaining juice is squeeze out of them.

STEP 4-FERMENTATION

• Fermentation: Converting the sugar into alcohol– 100 blue agave tequila-

yeast is added toAgua Miel

– Mixto- Other sugars are added and then yeast

STEP 5-DISTILLATION

Distillation:– copper pot stills

– 2x

– Head, Heart and Tails

STEP 6-AGING

• Blanco: By law must be bottled within 59 days

• Reposado: By law must be aged a minimum of 2mos to a year

• Anejo: By law must be aged a minimum of 12mos to 3years

• Extra old Anejo: By law must be aged a minimum of 3yrs and above

Let’s Start Drinking

Tequila Breakdown

• Tequila Styles:

– Mixto- minimum of 51% blue agave plus other sugars

– 2nd Joven Tequila: Young tequila blended with older or sweetend with Caramel for taste

– 3rd 100% Blue Agave Tequila - Aged Tequilas

Don JulioDon Julio distillery

• Established in 1942• Considered the Ultra Premium

tequila of Mexico• Prize gift at weddings• Don Julio quality control

– Private Distillery– Estate grown agave –pick

only when fully mature– Quality control check- distill

a small batch– Removal of the male and

female organ

Don Julio

– Agaves slowly roasted in adobe over for 24hrs

– Fermentation-cultivated agave yeast strain

– Long fermentation of up to 72hrs

– Double Distillation in copper stills

Don Julio Blanco

Nose:• Wood-none• Spice- slight black pepper• Fruits-hints of citrus, lemon and lime• Agave character- clean and bright agave notes,

consistent with a well distilled highland agave

Taste:• Spice- touch of black pepper• Fruits- Lemon/lime in the finish• Finish – medium to short• Mouth feel – Clean and dry

Don Julio VarietalsBlanco• Must be bottled within 59 days• Taste: lightly sweet with hints of citrus, with a

touch of black pepper

Reposado “rested”• Aged 8months• The No. 1 Ultra Premium Reposado in Mexico• Taste: Smooth and light with hints of wood and

dark chocolate

Anejo• Aged 18 months• Taste: clean and dry with citrus, honey, spice • Best served neat or in a rocks glass

1942• Anejo – aged between 2 ½ years to 3yrs• Distilled in small batches- only 3 barrels a day• Aging process monitored exclusively by the

master distiller• Taste: beautiful, long sweet agave with hints of

vanillaReal• Extra-Anejo Tequila, aged 3.5-5yrs• Taste: Notes of Carmel, chocolate and coffee

The Dylan

1.5 oz Reposado Tequila

¾ oz Lemon Juice

.75 oz Agave nectar

1/4 Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

¾ Pink Grapefruit Juice

Dash of fee orange bitters

Garnish with a grapefruit twist

Served over ice

EXCELLIA

• Distillery is located in La Altena distillery in Arandas

• They used 100% 12 year old agaves

• Roasted in adobe ovens• Traditional Tahonas • Fermented in wooden vats

for 7 to 10 days• Double distilled

EXCELLIA

• The tequila is aged in Grand Cru Sauternes wine cask from France, as well as those that formerly held cognac.

• Blanco: Only aged for a few weeks in Cognac and Sauternes cask

• Reposado: is a blend of both these cask, aged 8 months

• Anejo: aged for 16 months

ARETTA TEQUILA

• El Llano distillery established in 1900 by Orendain family.

• located in the center of Tequila

• The brand of Arette was created in 1986 and it is named after an Olympic Horse

•

Arrette

Extensive line of 8 different styles of Tequila

Arette Gran: extra old Anejo aged 36 months

Tequila El Grand Viego extra Anejo: Age over 6 years

Tequila Unique: 3 variants Hand selected agave hearts, considered there super premium

Arette Artesenal: 3 variants

Tequila Agave de Oro Reposado: Aged 11months

Tequila Express: 2 variants

Arette Anejo

•

Aged 14-18months in New American Oak barrels

Mezcal

Smoke and Ginger

Smoke and Ginger

1.5 OZ Blanco Tequila

.5 OZ Mezcal

.75 oz Honey and ginger syrup

.75 OZ Fresh lime juice

Served over ice in a rocks glass

Oaxaca

Mezcal vs Tequila

The Gusano

Lajita Mezcal

• Lajita mezcal• Made from 100% Agave

• Awarded the best mezcal in the USA market in 1997

• ‘• Lajita is matured for 5 years

• Founded by Mr Don Jose Villanueva, a Mexican of Spanish origin who established his distillery in 1950 to dedicate his life in making the smoothest Mezcal.