Features and classification of silver tequila. What is tequila - varieties

Tequila Silver is one of the most popular tequila in the mass market. Firstly, because visually it fully corresponds to the perceptions of tequila among consumers: at least now pour it into shots, sprinkle salt and drag a lemon. Secondly, because it is the most inexpensive tequila. Is it possible to wish for better?

But be careful

Yet Silver Tequila is a very simple drink. It, in principle, can be used for cocktails, but in its pure form it is of little use. However, if you are not such a tequila gourmet, then why not. True, it is better to take some precautions, that is, not to drink too much. And be careful when choosing this type of tequila.

I should warn you that by choosing silver tequila, you will get the simplest drink, not burdened with excessive aromas or soft tastes.

Do not confuse this tequila with Blanco tequila, which is also clear, but the quality of Blanco tequila is much higher than silver tequila. Of course, in ordinary bars, they usually pour the latter, so if you like it, then why not - you may well buy it. If you want a better quality drink, then we advise you to pay attention to more aged drinks.

Of course, not all silver tequila is bad. There are also very good options, however, we advise you to look for them not among the most popular brands. But expect this tequila to be quite harsh, both in flavor and aroma. And the same advice we give before choosing any tequila, especially one that you intend to use in its pure form: look on the label for an indication that it is made from 100% agave. This will definitely save you from unpleasant consequences, sensations and everything else unpleasant.

In the case of cocktails, you can be not so vigilant, but still it is worth remembering that tequila is not the cheapest alcohol, so you should not trust drinks with a suspicious manufacturer. And you can always buy high quality tequila in the WineStreet store.

Along with tacos, sombreros and mariachis, this strong drink has become a real symbol of Mexico. Among the variety of popular types of this alcohol, the "ancestor of the genre" - silver tequila - stands apart.

It was her who was the first to be driven from the agave - this is already a legend that every connoisseur should get to know better. So let's see what taste features it has, how to choose and serve it, what to eat. We invite you to join the South American drinking culture!

You need to evaluate immediately on three parameters - taste, color and aroma. Only an integrated approach to tasting will allow you to get the most complete impression.

Taste

Pronounced and even sharp, with the following features:

• alcohol motives are felt - they will appeal to those who love rough purity in alcohol;
• the aftertaste gives a spicy bitterness - this astringency enriches the sensations;
• there is a note of blue agave - light, almost imperceptible, but so invigorating and guaranteeing the originality of impressions from the first sip.

Color

Absolutely transparent, and this is the obvious difference between Gold and Silver tequila- silver is “clean as a tear”, as the Mexicans themselves say. Crystal clearness is explained by the complete absence of not only artificial dyes, but even natural additives and impurities.

Smell

The drink is not specially flavored, but light citrus notes can be caught. All thanks to the agave, it is her echoes that give a specific and weak, but quite pleasant smell - something between a lime and a pear.

At the same time, a sharp alcohol spirit, despite the roughness of taste, is practically inaudible. There are no woody shades familiar to many in the aroma: this is due to the fact that the drink is not insisted in oak barrels, but is bottled almost immediately after distillation. By the way, the process of making real Mexican alcohol is very interesting and also deserves attention.

Production technology

Let's consider it step by step:

Did you know? Using this technology, Blanco is produced, that is, young. The silver tequila obtained in this way can be aged for a couple of months in wooden barrels from under “whiskey”, making it out of it. Or go further and insist the distillate in an oak container from under for two to four years, then it will be possible to savor Añejo.

How to choose the right Silver and distinguish it from a fake

Those who are just getting acquainted with the Mexican drink and have not yet managed to form a list of their own preferences should pay attention to well-known brands. You need to start your choice with the best brands of the Campo Azul or Olmeca level in order to find out all the advantages of quality alcohol and understand whether you like it or not.

In the issue of fake, everything is somewhat more complicated. If we consider tequila in this sense, both white and gold, the difference between a good manufacturer and an ordinary one is that the first one tries in every possible way to protect its products from copying. For example, he puts an original engraving or corrugation on the bottle, an individual number or signature of the master, and so on. But these are the nuances that you need to clearly know when choosing.

Those who are not familiar with manufacturers can distinguish the original from a fake by:

• price - a bottle of really good Silver tequila costs from $ 30;
• labels - original alcohol is sold labeled NOM (made in Mexico), CRT (released under the control of the local regulator) or DO (approved by the government of the country of origin of the drink).

Important! The sediment at the bottom of the bottle is not yet evidence of a fake. There are manufacturers who do not specifically filter their products, trying to highlight it visually.

How to properly serve silver tequila and use it

Traditionally, it is poured into tall, thick-bottomed, narrow-necked shot glasses called cabalito ("horses" in Spanish), perhaps sprinkled with salt on the sides. In Europe, serving in regular shot glasses is common, although this is not according to the canon. It is not necessary to preheat or cool the drink.

There are two ways to consume this alcohol in its pure form: popular but inauthentic, and iconic but lesser known. Let's explain how the first one appeared - with lime and salt.

What distinguishes Silver tequila from Gold is the astringency of its taste. Visiting Americans, who did not like such saturation, came up with something to set it off, for example, lime acid. A whole ritual grew out of improvised products: you need to moisten your hand, sprinkle this place with salt, and then lick it off and knock over the stack in one gulp, biting into a slice of citrus. The method allows you to drown out the taste of bad alcohol well and make a show of friendly gatherings.

But real Mexicans prefer to enjoy the play of agave notes and savor white tequila in small sips, washing each down with sangrita. This is a mixture of tomato, lime, orange juice, pepper. - Sangrita recipes are very diverse, there are dozens of types, so this drink can enrich the experience of drinking alcohol no worse than citrus fruits.

What products are combined with

Suitable snacks can be divided into three types:

• Light - pineapples sprinkled with grated cinnamon, oranges, grapefruits, as well as canned fruits, olives, soft cheeses, nachos with salsa sauce will still be appropriate.
• Cold - cold cuts, smoked meats, sausages, burritos, fried seafood, traditional salads with shrimp and mushrooms.
• Hot - stewed pork, beef, veal, steamed fish, chicken (wings, fillet, nuggets), with all kinds of vegetable side dishes.

Other Uses for Silver Tequila

The most youthful way is to drink it, diluting it with juice, for example, orange, apple or pineapple. Sweet soda is also acceptable (the same ubiquitous cola), an interesting combination will turn out with a tonic. There are lovers of adding a few drops of Mexican spirits to tea or coffee. Well, this alcohol is a key ingredient in dozens of cocktails.

What is the difference between gold tequila and silver tequila

The difference is very serious - immediately in three important parameters:

• Color- if in Silver-brands it is crystal-clear, then in Gold-grades it is yellowish-amber, warm.
• Taste- in silver it is tart, with hints of blue agave, in gold it is soft, with a spicy and sweet plume.
• Ingredients- Silver is produced without additives, Gold is supplemented with burnt sugar and caramel, they insist on herbs and oak bark with shavings.

There is another indicator - the price, which is due to production costs. Gold on average is more expensive than silver precisely because it had to be aged and enriched with natural flavors.

Did you know? There is no connection with precious metals - both categories of alcohol got their names because of the color.

Which tequila is better, silver or gold?

There is no single answer, it all depends on individual preferences. Fans of coarse astringency are more likely to choose Silver, connoisseurs of a soft spicy bouquet are more likely to like Gold. In terms of quality, there is complete parity, especially if you compare alcohol of the same brand. Silver is as natural as gold, if you do not abuse it, you can not be afraid of a hangover, and a very special taste experience is guaranteed.

So discover the world of Mexican alcohol. Drink a couple of glasses on a summer Saturday evening, but slowly, in small sips, alternating with cooked sangrita. Savor, enjoying the notes of exotic agave, feel the heat of the desert and the sensuality of passions - taste it, and the drink will become one of your favorites.

If you are tired of living and you do not take care of your health, then quickly buy a liter or two of Silver tequila and drink it all. An excellent, endlessly long evening "in an embrace" with a toilet bowl in the toilet is guaranteed to you! Let my words seem too harsh to you, but in this way you will remember the rule once and for all: Silver tequila is not an alcohol that you can enjoy. I'll explain why.

Tequila Silver is a type of unaged tequila that, after distillation and a few minor manufacturing processes, is sent to bottles and then to the stores waiting for a simpleton buyer who will “fall” on a low price and buy this low-grade alcohol-containing liquid. By the way, about alcohol. Tequila Silver has a strong fortress - about 40%, so "in the balls" can go down quite well. Just listen, what a beautiful name she has - "Silver"! But, as practice shows, it doesn’t even “smell” of silver, except maybe alcohol. And the noble name Silver tequila received only because of its transparent color. Well, moonshine can also be transparent...

Those readers who always thought that tequila was Mexican moonshine turned out to be right about Silver tequila. I'm not talking about all varieties of the traditional Mexican drink, just this particular variation. Gourmets who are familiar with the classification of tequila know that according to the method of production, it can be of two types: “100% de agave” and “mixta”. The first variety is prepared from 100% blue agave juice, which grows only in Mexico. And the second variety, to which Silver tequila belongs, is tequila, consisting of several alcohols. In other words, in order to prepare his silver “treasure”, the producer, who did not have enough agave, also poured alcohol into the vat, brewed from other sugar-containing products, such as corn or cane. "What's wrong with that - the law doesn't forbid it?" - the manufacturer will say, spreading his arms and making an innocent face. So it is: the Mexican authorities do not prohibit the dilution of agave alcohol with other components. And so that the tequilero masters would not become impudent, the authorities decided to mix agave spirits with “leftist” spirits only in a ratio of 51% to 49%. But, as you yourself understand, this does not make the tasters feel better, and this nuclear mixture makes the head ache, especially in the morning. The advantage of tequila among the rest of the mass of strong alcohol has always been the unique ability to “intoxicate” in an original way, that is, intoxication from a natural agave product is very different from the effect that any other distillate has on the body. Connoisseurs say that tequila is not so much intoxicating as it amuses and invigorates. If you drink Silver tequila all evening, you can say goodbye to good mood and morning vivacity.

So, the "pseudonym" for silver tequila is "unnatural". In other words, rubbish is rare. Silver tequila is often compared to Blanco tequila, as they are both colorless and lightly aged. Some argue that "Silver" and "Blanco" are synonymous, that they are drinks "from the same opera." However, unlike the “nasty drink” called Silver Tequila, a good Blanco is characterized by 100 percent agave alcohol. According to statistics, 99% of all silver tequila, which is presented in a large assortment on store shelves and which is dragged in bags from Duty Free by the poor, who decided to save a couple of hundred rubles, is a mixture of agave alcohol with alcohol of unknown origin, that is, tequila "mixto" . However, if you are very lucky, you can find a very good version of Silver tequila, however, this is only 1%. For example, the “black sheep” of the flock of silver varieties of tequila is the Milagro brand. Tequila Legenda del Milagro Silver is a 100% agave distillate, which has twice received a gold medal at the international competition World Spirits Competition during its existence. In general, there are exceptions to any rule, but “out of harm's way” I advise you to bypass silver tequila, unless it is such a proven brand as Milagro.

What advice do you have for tasters who decide to risk their health and buy Silver tequila? Firstly, prepare more snacks, since only a burnt alcoholic can drink this tequila in its pure form without grimacing. And secondly, stock up on juices, mineral water and other "drinks" that you will definitely need. On kraynyak you can mix cocktails! Bouquet... What the hell is a bouquet! Let's be direct: the smell is sharp, tart, hitting the nose. The taste is the same. I can’t say that natural agave tones dominate in this tequila, since agave is often reliably hidden by high alcohol content and other extraneous “notes”.

Be careful and choose only the right tequila! Moreover, even a fool can choose the right drink. Just remember one single phrase - "100% de agave", which you need to look for on the label of a tequila bottle before buying.

The right Sauza Silver tequila is Mexican, like normal vodka is only Russian, and it will help a beginner to get acquainted with this brand of drinks better than other varieties. Strong Mexican alcohol is shrouded in a veil of exoticism, romance - heat, thorny cactus thickets, riders in wide-brimmed hats and colorful costumes ...

Cacti are not related to the production of tequila in any way, the raw material is a thick-skinned, armed with thorns of desert survival lily - the blue agave.

Tequila Sauza Silver and its producers

The Mexican government at the legislative level controls the technology for the production of tequila with special laws, regulating the quality of the product. The bottle label must have an inscription confirming the government's permission for production and a digital code for compliance with the guarantee.

Manufacturer

The history of the brand founded by Senobio South dates back more than a century. Mexico owes him the standard of 100% blue agave content, excluding other lilies from production. He also made a technological breakthrough, being the first to use a steam autoclave instead of an underground oven in the processing of raw materials, which eliminated the sharp and specific earthy smell of finished products. The company managed to make tequila a national symbol of the folk traditions of revolutionary Mexico by organizing the export of the product to Europe and the USA.

Now the brand and enterprises are owned by the American company Fortune Brands, but the quality of the drink has not suffered from this.

Place of growth of raw materials

Tequila Sauza is made from the only permitted type of agave - blue, growing only in five Mexican states. The merit of Don Senobio is the successful choice of a plantation site in the state of Jalisco, on red volcanic soils with a high content of zinc oxide, which stimulates the increased production of sugar and starch by the plant.

Production process

The lily is grown on plantations, reaching commercial maturity after at least 8 years, requiring constant care and care. This affects the cost of the final product, inflating it relative to other alcohol produced from crops or fruits with annual harvests.

An alcoholic drink is created by sublimation, distillation of the wort, step by step looks like this:

1. Collectors extract tubers of the plant, the weight of which reaches 90 kilograms, giving up to 13 liters of final products. Chopped for convenient transportation, the crop is sent for heat treatment.
2. Autoclave steaming, followed by languishing oven roasting for 72 hours, breaks down complex starches into simple, fermentable sugars.
3. Manual or mechanical grinding makes it easier to extract the agave juice for subsequent fermentation. The raw material, diluted with water, forms a wort.
4. Fermentation in the vat lasts 12 days, turning sugar into alcohol, the content of which in the mash reaches 18 percent, creating up to 7 degrees of strength.
5. Sublimation in a copper distillation cube to extract the light alcohol fraction by steam with condensation by a cooler lasts several hours in two passes. For two hours of the first distillation, the fortress increases to 20, and the second, lasting four hours, raises it to 55 degrees.
6. The finished product is diluted with water to the norm and sent for processing, aging or packaging.

Further processing is determined by the requirements of a particular type of drink.

Test for smokers

Description of the drink

Mexican tequila legally comes in two varieties:

• Made with 100% lily sugar.
• Allowing the content of 51% agave with the addition of corn or cane molasses sugar, but the Mexicans themselves do not consume such varieties.

Sauza is made only from blue agave, without using any additives. Not every variety can boast of this due to an elementary lack of raw materials.

Fortress

For export, the manufacturer Sauza breeds transparent tequila up to 40 degrees of strength of the main product line. Some drink modifications use 38.

Excerpt

Sauza Silver tequila immediately, or after a short aging in metal tanks, is bottled for sale without participating in further processing. This preserves the original taste, agave aroma and clarity of the drink.

The additional content of tequila in oak barrels changes the taste in a few years, making it possible to compete with the best varieties of cognac or whiskey, but the cost of such a drink increases rapidly with each year of aging.

Flavor shades

Sauza Silver contains shades of green apple, jasmine, almond, subtly emphasizing the original scent. The pronounced taste of blue agave is well perceived with a barely noticeable presence of tones of white pepper and citrus fruits.

Tart and sweetish, with a slight bitterness, a short aftertaste of a pure drink is enhanced by salt, lime or in cocktails.

Tequila is a drink based on the South American agave. Historically, it belongs to the Mexican people, but the Spanish conquistadors were the first to receive it in the 1530s: they used a European invention - the distillation apparatus - to increase the strength of the agave drink of the local Indians. Two centuries later, the Mexicans brought the production of tequila to an industrial level, but for a long time it remained popular only on the American continent.

Take the smoking test

Use in the world and in the Russian Federation

In world consumption of alcoholic beverages, tequila accounted for about 230 million liters in 2012, while vodka accounted for 44.4 billion liters. This speaks to the popularity of the Mexican drink. In subsequent years, the amount of tequila consumed increased; in 2017 - by 5.2%. The United States of America leads by country, where tequila occupies more than 7% of the entire alcohol market (in 2016, it was sold in the states in the amount of 146.3 million liters)

In Russia, the amount of tequila consumed is increasing (in 2016, about 1.1 million liters of this alcoholic beverage were imported). Cocktails based on it filled domestic bars and clubs.

typical consumer

After fluctuations in the exchange rate, the price of it increased. Therefore, a drink originally from Mexico is considered expensive.

In surveys, 37% of the entire statistical sample have tried it; more than half of them did it in a bar, at a party or at a party. It turns out that tequila is a drink for companies and drinking events. In the same surveys, the average age of those who drink it ranged from 20 to 25 years. That is, students - frequenters of high-profile establishments where alcohol flows in rivers, become the main lovers of the blue agave drink.

In everyday life, tequila is called a female drink. The statistics at first glance show a different picture, but this is explained by the fact that men in general consume more alcohol than women. Based on survey results, women love tequila, but prefer to drink it in cocktails or in a “lick, drink, bite” pattern - this is the popular ritual of drinking tequila.

Adults and old people (over 65) rarely use tequila. Therefore, male and female students from families with above average incomes remain a typical consumer.

In what form and how they drink

In Mexico, where the history of the drink began, it is customary to drink it in its pure form, in one gulp. In this sense, it is closer to Russians than rum, whiskey or absinthe. Western tradition has brought diversity to the culture of drinking.

The most common way to drink tequila has already been mentioned - the famous "lick, drink, bite." A slice of citrus is passed along the outer side of the palm and salt is poured onto the wet trail. They lick it off, drink tequila in one gulp and bite it with lemon. Women and Germans prefer a milder version with ground cinnamon and orange.

Connoisseurs of real tequila, who do not spare money and drink the drink exclusively pure, have their own preferences. They take the following types of tequila:

• Anejo - golden in color, aged in oak barrels for at least one year, its use is a matter of a privileged class, and its production is a delicate matter, it has strict rules. The cost of individual brands in bottles of precious metals inlaid with gems reaches millions of rubles.
• Reposado - also aged in oak barrels, but less time - from 2 months to 1 year. It has a mild flavor and a pleasant color with golden hues, and is not as harsh and rough as the younger varieties.

But even more tequila is famous among cocktail lovers. Below are some common cocktails that use Silver, Blanco, or Gold tequila:

• Margarita is the most drunk tequila cocktail in the world. It also includes lemon and orange liqueur. Served in a special glass, the edges of which are sprinkled with salt.
• "Sangrita" - "hot" long cocktail of red color. Peeled vegetables (tomatoes and onions) are ground in a blender, orange and lemon juice, a little pepper, salt and sugar and tequila are added. Serve in a deep glass with ice.
• Tequila Boom is a popular shot cocktail. The base is a sweet carbonated drink (most often schweppes or sprite), silver tequila or tequila blanco, that is, “clean”, and lemon. The ingredients are mixed, then the glass hits the table (bar counter) to make the cocktail foam, and the contents are drunk in one gulp. There are special feeds for him.
• "Sunrise" - the rising sun. A simple cocktail based on orange juice, tequila, ice and grenadine syrup. The syrup is poured last; it settles to the bottom, creating a gradation of colors - it is reminiscent of the sunrise.
• Brave bull is another cocktail from the category of shots, for which only blanco or silver tequila is used; Kalua liqueur and ice are added to it.

Harm

Excessive consumption threatens with cirrhosis and necrosis of the liver, disruption of the brain, diseases of the cardiovascular system, and oncological diseases. Specifically for tequila, a strong effect on the pancreas and stomach.

Doctors also note that it has a stronger effect on the fetus of a pregnant woman than other alcoholic beverages.

To answer the question of how gold tequila differs from silver tequila, you need to have a clear idea of ​​​​this unique drink that has a long history that began in ancient Mexico. There are three different versions of the origin of a strong alcoholic drink called tequila, but they all boil down to one irrefutable fact - tequila is the daughter of sunny Mexico.

Tequila is a drink that is unique in its composition and is not produced in any other country in the world. Its taste and drinking rituals are distinguished by their originality and are purely Mexican in nature. All those who think that tequila is vodka (moonshine) from cacti will have to part with their beliefs.

It should be noted that not a single cactus has ever been harmed in the production of tequila. And the thing is that they produce it from a completely different plant, which is called blue agave. The noble agave grows only on a unique composition of red calcareous soil under the scorching rays of the Mexican sun. The fact is that nowhere else on the planet exists such soil!

The life span of a plant is up to 12 years, and weight about 70 kg. The fruits of the blue agave are in the ground, and at the top it is decorated with beautiful saber-shaped leaves that have a blue color. It is this ripe and luxurious agave that goes into the hands of the himador to turn into a cheerful and strong, beloved tequila.

On the shelves of modern alcohol stores you can see various types of tequila. They differ from each other not only in price and name, but also in color. It is difficult for an unprepared person to understand this issue.

What do gold and silver tequila have in common?

The most budgetary, affordable options are gold and silver tequila. On the bottle label it looks like this:

• Silver or Bianco(silver).
• Gold or Joven (gold).

Both drinks are made in Mexico from the juice of ripe, blue agave, and to guarantee quality, each of them must have the appropriate inscription on the label and back label " Hecho in Mexico».

The foundation and basis of all items, including golden tequila, is white and transparent, like a tear, silver tequila. It is ready to drink immediately after distillation and is not subjected to oak aging. She is only allowed to rest in metal vats.

Golden tequila, otherwise known as Joven or Gold, is the sister of silver tequila, with a difference in color and taste, since its contents are pale yellow, golden in color and mild in taste. However, such a sunny shade of the drink, as a rule, has nothing to do with oak aging.

Golden tequila is saturated with caramel, flavors and natural colors and its taste is softer and the aftertaste is sweetish. Tequila Gold is preferred by women and is less commonly used in cocktails.

Due to the combination of price and quality, Gold and Silver tequilas are the best-selling in the world, unlike their older counterparts such as Anejo and Reposado. Which, after distillation, are sent for aging in oak barrels. Accordingly, their price increases several times.

Any clean tequila is poured into tall glasses with a thick bottom, the so-called " mexican horses". Tequila does not require pre-cooling. You can use gold and silver tequila, both in pure form and as part of various cocktails.

The traditional ritual of drinking is referred to as "Lick-Drink-Eat". It is the presence of salt on the outside of the hand, between the thumb and forefinger and slices of fragrant lime (please do not confuse with lemon) is drunk in one gulp.

Gold and silver tequila share many characteristics:

• Country of origin Mexico.
• The initial product of production is the fruits of the blue agave.
• distillation method.
• There is no oak aging.
• A single ritual of use.
• Affordable price.
• The alcohol content is 40-43%.

What is the difference between gold tequila and silver tequila

The main difference between gold and silver tequila is their color, which determines the taste sensations.

Tequila labeled Silver is bottled almost immediately after the distillation process. It is completely transparent (colorless) and is not colored with additional colors. Its taste is quite sharp, even slightly rough, but it is she who is able to convey the original charm of a unique Mexican drink. Only the silver category contains the natural flavor of blue agave!

When holding a bottle of golden tequila in your hands, remember that its color has acquired a yellowish tint due to the addition of burnt sugar, caramel, vanilla, oak essence, herbal tinctures and other ingredients that manufacturers have every right to keep secret. Its taste is softer, vanilla and caramel than that of the Silver category tequila. It is rarely used in cocktails. Sometimes golden tequila is labeled as dorado. In this case, it is aged in an oak barrel for three months.

The main differences between silver and gold tequila are the following characteristics:

• Color difference. Silver tequila has a clear color, while Gold tequila has a yellowish golden color.
• Difference in taste sensations. Silver has a brighter taste and aroma of blue agave, while Gold tequila is drunk softer and has a slightly sweet, pleasant aftertaste.
• Differences in Ingredients. It lies in the fact that for the manufacture of tequila of the “gold” category, additional flavors are used, such as: burnt sugar, caramel, vanilla, oak chips, herbs.

Accordingly, neither gold nor silver tequila are directly related to precious metals and they got their name due to the color and content of the drink!