Casa Herradura's Retro Label.
The last year has seen the appearance of a few 100% agave tequilas in the $19 to $29 range. I've always liked a good value, which I define as getting a little more for the dollar. I've also always been willing to pay top dollar for something that is well worth it, while abhorring and avoiding things that are over-priced, like Patrón Tequila. But I'm happiest of all when I can get a big bang for the buck.
That's why I'm liking what I'm seeing on the shelves of my local package stores these days. As some of my favorite ultra-preems have disappeared, some very affordable non-mixtos have popped up. We're talkin' $20-ish. I like this trend. I think it's a good thing, for my wallet and yours, and good for the market in-general.
One might ask, how are the manufacturers doing this? How are 100% agave tequilas suddenly available at half of what they typically have been? One way they are doing this is using less-fancy, more mass-produced bottles. Makes you realize how much you pay for those beautiful hand-blown vessels.
Then there is distillation in a column still, as opposed to a pot-still, which decreases production costs.
I think the other thing, possibly the biggest thing, is marketing. Factors like competition, price-sensitivity, a growing interest in tequila in-general, increasing tequila knowledge and savvy-ness by the buyer, and more American and European ownership of the brands have led to better taste for less money. And there's money to be made in the growing tequila market, so brands are rushing to the table at all different price-points.
I think people are beginning to want something that's a step up from the Cuervo and Sauza junk, but it's a big jump from there to Patrón. Maybe it's too big a jump for some people, especially in today's market. Even Cabo Wabo, probably the other "familiar" brand name, is pricey. So the marketers are using cool, grabby-looking labels for shelf-appeal, making sure that the "100% de agave" is visible, and slapping on a price that says, "You can buy TWO of me for the price of that Patrón over there!"
One might ask, of these new down-priced labels, which is best? Are they all just good cocktail-mixers, or are any of them a good sipper, and a therefore real super-value?
My biggie of course has been the re-appearance of Espolón at $20 for both the blanco and repo. Mixable? You bet! Sippable? Indeed! I like the blanco a little better than the repo, and I take the blanco on the rocks.
Now there are more! Antiguo de Herradura is another. The local store that carries it has the blanco mis-priced at $29.95, so I didn't buy that, but the repo was $24, so I grabbed one. This one is a great mixer and I have made some nice cocktails with it. It stands up nicely. As a sipper, well, it was ok but was not as smooth as the Espo. The Antiguo has a bit of a burn. And that's ok if you're making 'ritas or Palomas!
Last year, one of the first one of these $20 bottles hit the shelves -- Tenampa Azúl by Centennario (a Cuervo product). This so far has been available as a repo only. Some people like Azúl as a sipper, but not me. Again it's a little hot and edgy for my pallette. But hey, with Azúl being $20, I'll never buy Tradicionál again, which has gone up, ridiculously, to $29. That's one of those overpriced things I'm talking about that just curdles my blood.
Notice the Plain Bottle...
Before that, El Jímador (by Herradura) was my mixer of choice, being among the first really affordable 100% agaves on the market. But then that became a mixto for a while, before returning to 100% again last year. El Jímador is still a pretty good deal at $30 for a big 2 liter jug of the reposado. I noticed when I was in Mexico back in February, Jímador blanco was the default standard for margaritas if you didn't specify the tequila.
I just noticed my local store has begun carrying Agavales, another 100% that I saw a lot of in Mexican stores. Price here locally? $11. I shall have to try it.
So far, however, nothing beats the Espo for quality and price. I mean, I was happy to pay $40 and up for it back when it was on US shelves between 2002 and 2008. So now, are you kidding me? I'm in agave heaven here!
And perhaps -- one can hope -- that the mixto itself may one day be a thing of the past!
Herradura brings Antiguo to US
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