Spirits · Red Meat & Cigar Club editorial

Tequila, Mezcal & Don Julio 1942

Blue agave, designated regions, and the añejo in the tall bottle.

21+ only. Please drink responsibly. Spirits content is intended for adults of legal drinking age (21 and over in the U.S.). Never drink and drive. Red Meat & Cigar Club does not sell alcohol, and nothing here is a paid endorsement.

Forget the college shots. Good tequila and mezcal are among the most terroir-driven spirits in the world, made from plants that take years to mature.

Tequila

Tequila must be made from the Blue Weber agave (Agave tequilana), which usually takes several years to mature. It must be grown and distilled within the designated territory: all of Jalisco plus specified municipalities in Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. The agave hearts (piñas) are cooked in ovens or autoclaves, crushed, fermented and usually distilled twice. Look for "100% agave" on the label. Bottles without it are "mixto" and may include up to 49% other sugars.

Blanco: unaged or rested briefly; bright, peppery, cooked agave.
Reposado: at least two months in oak.
Añejo: at least one year in oak containers of no more than 600 liters.
Extra añejo: at least three years.

Mezcal

"Mezcal" is the broader family. It can be made from many agave species, including espadín and wild agaves like tobalá, within its own designated states, led by Oaxaca. Traditionally the piñas are roasted in earthen pits over wood and stones, which gives mezcal its trademark smoke. Small, artisanal production is common.

Don Julio 1942

Don Julio 1942 is an añejo tequila made from 100% blue agave and aged in American white oak barrels for at least two and a half years, according to the brand. It's named for the year Don Julio González began making tequila in Jalisco, and comes in a tall, slender bottle that is easy to spot behind any bar.

In the glass: caramel, vanilla and chocolate from the oak over a backbone of roasted agave, with a warm, smooth finish. Sip it neat, like a good bourbon. It pairs surprisingly well with a medium cigar.

Photo note: no freely licensed photo of the Don Julio 1942 bottle was available, so this article shows blue agave instead.

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