www.ranchotequila.net

A Tequila Blog by Drew "Pale Rider" Townson

"There's nothing better than good tequila, and there's nothing worse than bad tequila," Drew Townson

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Finally, it's T1 Time!



T1, Tequila Uno, the ultra-premium crafted by master-distiller Germán Gonzales, has finally been released in the USA. Here's the letter from Germán himself:

Dear friends and family of T1- Tequila Uno,

It is after a very long year that I can now say the T1- Tequila Uno is in the United States and ready for sale. I am very excited about bringing T1- Tequila Uno into the United States. This brand has been a passion of mine for many years and I have worked hard to create something of which my family and I are very proud.

We (the T1- Tequila Uno team) first introduced the brand at Dori Bryant’s SPIRITS OF MEXICO event in September 2009, as it is one of the pre-eminent tequila events in the United States. The brand did very well, winning awards for each item tasted.

As is normal, trials and tribulations come with any new product. And we did have our fair share of issues! The issues were not major, but, they had to be overcome nonetheless. The original plan was to introduce T1 – Tequila Uno into the United States in early 2010. After several months, we re-introduced our brand at the 2010 Spirits of Mexico event in September, and we are now ready to bring the brand to you. The brand is available in the United States and is already hitting market for this holiday.

The brand, (all types in 100% Blue Agave) is available in:
• Ultra Fino - a double distilled crystal clear Blanco: with hints of fruit and perfect for your favorite margarita or other cocktail.
• Excepcional – a Reposado: rested for just under a year for a light golden color and aroma of spiced citrus, apple, and agave flavor. It is best served neat, on the rocks or in your favorite mixed cocktail.
• Estelar – An Anejo: aged approximately 18 months in oak barrels for a deep golden color and contains the aroma of chocolate, for a velvety smoothness and flavor of the wood.

For you true tequila aficionados, T1 – Tequila Uno can be bought by the barrel. You will work closely with me, to determine the type of barrel – new v old, the type of char and with which product you want to start the process. You also get to pick the date to uncork the product. T1- Tequila Uno will then be packaged and personalized. A barrel contains approximately 37 cases of 750ml bottles packed 6 per case – the final number will depend on how much tequila ‘went to the angels”, (otherwise known as evaporation).

For more information, check out our website – www.t1tequila.com or our facebook page. We would love to hear from you. Please contact us with questions, comments or the name of your favorite retailer and we will get the brand to you. You can also call Kay Olsen at 860-404-1776 for more information. She is on the T1- Tequila Uno team. “From Friends to Friends”

Con un Fuerte Abraso
Germán


People know I am always searching for the absolute Holy Grail of blancos, and T1 might be it! Here's my review from last March:

http://ranchotequila.blogspot.com/2010/03/taste-test-t1-ultra-fino-el-blanco-mas.html

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Oh No! The Tequila Bubble is About to Pop!

Bubble piece from CNBC.com (Thank you Lippy!)

Original Tequila Aficionado article by Christopher Zarus, AKA "Dr. Doom"

Y'know, I think the guy who wrote this is probably one of those people that is in on a "trend" early, or before the mass popularity happens. Once the thing starts to take off and Joe Blow on Main Street USA starts to talk about the thing, Mr. "I'm always ahead of the curve" is going to say, "I'm outta here!" It's a first-in, first-out" mentality. I wonder where dude was in 1992 when I had my first taste of 100% agave tequila? He was probably about to jump ship on Green Day.


Sailing off the edge! It's over!

I can confidently say that here in my neck of the woods, tequila is still on the runway, slowly ramping to popularity as knowledge improves. Around here, it's still about Cuervo and Patron. The more savvy drinker may have tried Don Julio, Milagro or Herradura. A lot of people I talk to think Sauza Tres Gen is the best of the best. And I actually played a bar the other night, Precinct in Somerville, that had El Tesoro. That's a first (for a non-tequila bar).

I agree, however, that there are too many brands, and surely some of the newer, smaller names are not going to survive. Would I invest in a start-up Tequila brand now? No. Would I have paid $80 million for Cabo Wabo? Hell no!