Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/661678
1 10 / the tasting panel / april 2016 Tequila REPORT The first sniff, sip and swallow will quickly reveal why 100% agave tequilas are so tremendously popular. Ounce for ounce, these ultra-premium tequilas are comparable in quality and allure to vintage malts and well-aged Cognacs. Their extraordinary characters are so remarkably rich and vibrant that you're left with the unmistakable conclusion that this is how tequila is meant to taste. Crafting great tequila is a labor- and time-intensive process. Agaves mature at their own pace, irrespective of demand. It takes the plant between eight to 12 years to reach maturity and optimally is harvested when the plant's natural sugar content has peaked at about 21–25 Brix. The agave thrives in rich volcanic soil, and a warm and dry climate. The differences between brands of 100% agave tequilas are years in the making, and taking shortcuts during the production process consigns a brand to mediocrity. From harvesting agaves to the un-barreling of an añejo, the production cycle can exceed 15 years. Like Champagne and Cognac, tequila has its own appellation, or Denominación de Origen, which delineates growing regions and specifies ingredient content. Since 1993, the production of tequila has been strictly regulated by the CRT (Consejo Regulador del Tequila), whose symbol appears on every compliant label of tequila. me-Tested TEQUILA FAVORITES A LOOK AT THE BEST OF THE BEST IN AGAVE SPIRITS by Robert Plotkin