Hola! Señor! We are the Ultimo in affordable tequila!
One Andrew Jackson! A pair of Hamiltons! That's all it takes to get a bottle of decent 100% gave tequila any more. No reason to settle for a mixto, or worse, pay Patrón prices for a 750 of the good stuff. Tequila prices are coming down faster than Lindsay Lohan's pants. This is due to a combination of factors: New production tecniques, a worldwide glut, competition from too many brands, AND, apparently, TOO MUCH AGAVE*. There is a surplus of agave, dropping prices to new lows, and leading some farmers to plow under their blue-green pencas in favor of corn for making ethanol.
Rough for Mexican tequila producers; muy bueno for tequila consumers.
Here are some tasty $20 tequilas:
Espolón blanco and reposado
Camarena blanco and reposado
El Último Agave blanco and reposado
Milagro Silver
El Jímador
El Charro
Azúl
Cién Años 100% agave reposado
Agavales
D'los Altos blanco
Most of these we mihgt consider good mixers and not sippers, but for twenty bucks what's not to like?
There are a lot more out there. Have fun finding them!
*"There's lots of agave that cannot be consumed. Additionally, there are 130 million liters in inventory within the distilleries," explained González Figueroa
The El Charro Reposado is most excellent, indeed!
ReplyDeleteEl Jimador- the most "bite" of all the above I've tasted IMO (especially the Blanco), but good as a mixer. The Anjeo is the best.
Milagro is also excellent but maybe a bit "processed" tasting, but usually in the $30 range at most shops I've been in. I've tried the Silver and Reposado- both great as straight-up shots.
El Ultimo *was* great, especially the Reposado, but it seems like the processing has changed over the past few months..I have almost tasted (and smelled) a slight mildew in the product...maybe from inferior corking.