Tequila Partida Blanco

Tequila Partida Blanco

100% Blue Agave

40% Alcohol (80 Proof)

There are some beverages that many people think are meant to be taken as shots.  That is, at least until they've had someone give them some good stuff, insisting that they drink it on the rocks or neat.  After having a few tries of some decent quality stuff, people realize there's more to drinking than getting drunk.  Namely, flavor.  Sure, many alcoholic beverages may be an acquired taste, some more than others.  But once you get it, you get it.  Tequila... is one such drink.  

For many, tequila is a drink to be taken as a shooter, perhaps with some lime and salt, which is a shame.  Okay, maybe that works for the rotgut, but not the good stuff.  With the good stuff, you have to sip it and savor the flavor.  This doesn't meant they can never be mixed.  Certainly there's a time and place for that, but I'm talking about drinks that are good enough to shine on their own.  Enter, Tequila Partida.

Tequila Partida is an estate-bottled tequila made from 100% blue agave.  If you know anything about tequila, you know that means it's high-quality stuff.  Tequila Partida lets their agave plants grow longer than the bigger name brands (7-10 years), which reportedly gives them a richer, fuller flavor.  They are then slow roasted for 20-24 hours before being fermented, twice distilled, and bottled by hand.  Tequila Partida makes four tequilas: Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, and Elegante Extra Anejo.

Tequila Partida Blanco is their unaged version.  Blanco, of course, translating as "white," although other brands will call theirs "Silver."  Partida Blanco is crystal clear, with an almost blue tinge to it, although it could just be my imagination.  It smells of agave, limes, some light florals, and white pepper.  The taste is that of crisp, refreshing blue agave, lemon, with a decent sweetness and pleasantly oily mouthfeel.  You can tell this is high quality tequila.  

If you are so inclined to drink it in a cocktail, here's one provided by Partida.  Here you go:

Partida Margarita with 100% Organic Agave Nectar
- 1 ½ oz Partida Blanco Tequila
- 1 oz Fresh squeezed lime juice
- ¾ oz Agave Nectar
- ¾ oz Water
Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker. Strain over fresh ice into a Margarita glass or Old-Fashioned glass. 
 Note: This is the Margarita recipe made World famous by Julio Bermejo at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco.

Drink This: if you want a clean-tasting, refreshing high quality Tequila blanco.  Personally, I find this good enough to drink neat, but if you want it as a shooter, go right ahead.

Don't Drink This: if you don't care for tequila.  But hey, if you just had one bad night on a cheap tequila bender back in the day and haven't had it since, this could be your chance to try it again and perhaps love it.

Cheers!