Tequila is misunderstood.

Probably because most have never tasted a really good tequila.

The gap — that separates a truly exceptional tequila from the iterations you’ve probably stared at down the barrel of a dive-bar shot glass — is not just discernible.

You could build a bridge across it.

Which is essentially what Don Julio González did, in 1942, when he set about creating the world’s first ultra-premium tequila.

Unlike your favorite bourbon or gin maker, Don Julio built his tequila on the principle of terroir.

Wine-speak for the idea that the flavor profile of an alcohol owes as much to the growing conditions of its raw material as it does the aging process.

He began with the source:

The highlands of Jalisco, where the rich, red soil bears towering, meaty agaves.

And he planted those agaves farther apart than was typical, allowing them to fully mature (read: 5-7 years) before harvesting.

And he harvested (as his jimadores continue to do, to this day) only by hand, before slow-roasting the meaty piñas in meticulous 72-hour cycles.

Don Julio’s final flourish: eschewing the tall, obtrusive bottles then associated with tequila for a compact, elegant bottle one could use as a centerpiece without disturbing conversation at his dinner table.

The result is a mellow, complex spirit that needs no complement — not lime, not soda, not even ice — to be enjoyed in any setting.

There are six iterations, which you can learn all about right here (we recommend starting with the flagship Don Julio® Blanco Tequila and branching out from there).

Of course, we can only tell you so much.

The only way to really understand how good this stuff tastes is to stare at it from the other side of your favorite drinking glass.

You won’t be staring long.

Make the right move™. Enjoy Responsibly. ©2015 Imported by Diageo Americas, Norwalk, CT.

Source: InsideHook

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