Putting childish things aside

[jimmy1412]

For awhile now I have been shooting tequila and I am ready to put childish tyhings aside and actually learn how to enjoy tequila and what it has to offer. The only set back is that I live in North Carolina, a state where liqour sale are highly regulated and the selection a tequila is low.That being said I would like some advice on where to begin, should I begin with the typical brands like Jose and patron? If not where is the best place to find other brands? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[jimmy1412]

I bought Sauza Tres Generaciones Tequila Anejo today and, I have to say it is different than I had expected. I am not an experienced taster but I found it to be pretty smokey, I guess that's from the oak barrels. I liked it but, I will definitely want to try a different anejo before I figure out whether I like anejo's or not.

[1tequila2]

Hello and welcome! If you do some searching on this forum you will find quite a bit on tequila recommendations. For me I would say to try the ones that appeal to you, just stick with 100% agave. Buy some from each age group and take notes about what you liked or didn't like about them. Next do some research and try a few more from the same distilleries or use the reviews of others as a guide. Keep an eye out for the 3rd Annual East Coast Tequila Fest this summer and make plans to attend. More information on this will be posted soon.

[jdjohn84]

Scour local liquor stores in your area and see what they carry. As mentioned, only 100% agave tequila should be considered; inspect the labels carefully. For example, Jose Cuervo Gold and Silver labels say "made with agave"; that is not the same as 100% agave. However, Jose Cuervo Tradicional is 100% agave, so again, read the labels carefully. Write down interesting brands that you see, then look through the tequila.net database for reviews.

You can also sample tequilas at local Mexican restaurants. Once you start becoming familiar with the brands via shopping and reading reviews, you can then make educated selections at the restaurants. There have been times when I sampled a tequila at a restaurant, and liked it so much that I immediately went to a liquor store and purchased a bottle.

Enjoy!

[cjs27410]

Herradura Anejo is on price break in NC $39.95 for March.

That is a nice sipper.

[Piña]

Originally Posted by cjs27410

Herradura Anejo is on price break in NC $39.95 for March.

That is a nice sipper.

Good call!

[Duaber]

I find Herradurra Anejo to be "too" woody/smokey at times especially for a beginner. If you want a tasty anejo I would try Don Julio or Casa Noble, they both got more of a spicy taste to them instead of burnt wood taste.

[Johnnyboots]

if you've made it here be prepared to start taking roadtrips out to some POS liquor store in the middle of nowhere just to track down a bottle of something that hasn't been made in 10 years.

I'm in Ga, and while the selection isn't great its not bad either. Be willing to cross state lines if its convenient too. Do all the ABC's carry the exact same inventory? I've found the liquor stores that are medium size but in an area with a larger Mexican population tend to have pretty nice selections.

[1tequila2]

"Do all the ABC's carry the exact same inventory?"

I'm not sure about NC but in VA this is true. Stores will special order for you from a slightly larger selection but it's very limited probably to liquors that they make the most profit on through some sort of buying/limited selling agreement.

[jimmy1412]

You know that is a good question, I have never really noticed if they do or don't. But, I will be sure to shop around and find out.