El Jimador, Tequila is as healthy as wine, and How to drink your Tequila

[Guest guest]

El Jimador is the best-selling brand of Tequila in Mexico.

Herradura: El Jimador

Tequila Herradura was founded in 1861 by Feliciano Romo in Amatitan, a

small hillside town about six miles south of the town of Tequila.

According to the family history, while Feliciano was looking for a

building site for his distillery, he caught a glint of light flashing in

the ground. Closer inspection revealed an old horseshoe, and thus the

site was selected. The brand name, Herradura, means horseshoe in Spanish.

The original distillery has been transformed into a museum through the

efforts of the Romo family. Both the original distillery and the current

ultra-modern one are situated on the family estate, San José del

Refugio, in Amatitan. Guillermo " Bill " Romo is the current general

manager.

Modeled after a small European estate, Herradura grows all of its own

agave on 10 thousand acres containing some eight million agave plants.

Current production is four million liters annually, and about 75% is

sold in Mexico. Herradura projects 10–12% annual growth for the next ten

years to reach an annual production of nine million liters.

All Herradura tequilas are made from 100% blue agave. Herradura

ferments, distills, ages, and bottles its tequilas on the premises

without additives, sugars, or colorings. Herradura has earned the right

to use the legal terms " natural " and " estate bottled " on its U.S. labels.

Herradura successfully combines traditional and state-of-the-art tequila

making methods. They have pioneered research into yeast types to carry

on the initial fermentation of the aguamiel. Their attention to

cleanliness and sterility in the production process has set the standard

for the industry. They continue to experiment and test for new

techniques in their quest to make some of Mexico’s finest tequilas.

Herradura's new El Jimador brand (previously available only in Mexico

but released in the United States in 1997), is Reposado tequila aged two

to three months in oak barrels.

El Jimador Reposado: Strong attack and slightly pungent, this tequila is

a pretty yellow color. Macho intensity and suave complexity lead to high

levels of earthy agave with moderate pepper, fruit, chamomile, and

caramel aromas. The mouth feel is medium with a low level of sweetness.

Flavors are balanced between agave, caramel, and pepper with hints of

fruit and smoke. The aftertaste is moderately sweet and moderately

bitter. Duration of flavor is medium with a long, hot finish.

Rated 94 Best Buy by Wine Enthusiast. This is 100% barrel aged for 3

months in white oak casks imported from Kentucky. The wood gives a

delightfully smooth finish when sipped straight and brings out the

flavor of Mexico when mixed in a cocktail. Online price: $32.50.

El Jimador tequila—because in Mexico, “Nosotros lo hacemos (we make it);

Nosotros lo bebemos (we drink it). ”

Tequila is as healthy as wine

http://www.TequilaAficionado.com/

Tequila Aficionado Magazine Editor-In-Chief

Tuesday, July 4, 2000

Tequila is considered healthy if used in moderation. Like wine it

increases the good cholesterol levels in our blood while decreasing the

bad cholesterols. 

In recent studies conducted by The University of Guadalajara, tequila

has shown to have therapeutic properties. For starters, tequila can be

used as a relaxant. A small glass can be consumed before going to sleep

so the person can feel relaxed and at ease. With moderation, it is a

proven fact that it reduces the levels of cholesterol in the blood since

it helps dissolve the fats.

According to Rodolfo of Tequila Mayor, tequila optimizes our

cardiac functions, it is a good digestive aid and it combats against

stress. He did warn that this is not an excuse to over drink.

recommends a small glass per day before, during or after a meal, but if

you end up drinking half the bottle, the effects will not be favorable.

Many tequila producers are convinced of the health benefits. Sauza, for

example, reports that tequila made with Weber blue agave is low in

carbohydrates therefore not fattening and it will not clog your

arteries. Nevertheless, it is emphasized that one must exercise

moderation and drink responsibly in order to achieve the therapeutic

benefits.

Even the Koreans believe in the benefits of tequila. They consider the

agave to be a close cousin to the Sábila, where ginseng is extracted,

which has demonstrated great therapeutic qualities.

I'll drink to that.

Taste your tequila the RIGHT way

by lirubis | Feb 20 '02

The Bottom Line Trash those shot glasses. Learn the RIGHT way to sample

an enjoy your tequila. You will be doing yourself a big favor!

You want to learn how to REALLY appreciate the differences and virtues

betwen all those tequila brands? Then, you must understand that the true

secret is all about COMPARISON. But first you must have the knowledge on

the basic steps of REAL tequila tasting techniques.

Since smell and taste are basically CHEMICAL senses, you must understand

that an adaptation process must take place every time you try a new

tequila. 80% of what we precieve as " taste " is actually a " scent " (thats

why nothing seems to have flavor when you have a cold or sinus

congestion...), so understanding this is crucial in teaching your senses

to catch the differences among alcoholic beverages, specially complex

ones like tequila, cognac or wine.

Since tequila is a distilled spirit, and has greater alcohol levels per

volume, you cannot apply the same techiques for wine tasting, since

tequila packs a much more powerful punch in the mouth and palate. Follow

these simple steps to achieve a correct tequila tasting technique, and

PRACTICE often to polish up your organoleptic abilities...you will begin

enjoying your tequilas a lot more...trust me.

1.- Always use a snifter, or better yet: THE NEW TEQUILA GLASS by

RIEDEL. Please stop using those ugly and riduculous " shot " glasses.The

shape of the first two tipes of glass is made to concentrate the bouquet

towards your nose, and remember that there are 3 different " sniffing

areas " in the glass when it is correctly tilted towards your nose:

a) The " lower rim " (where you pick the basic elements of the spirit).

The midsection or transition, where you are supposed to identify the

dominant notes of its bouquet.

c) The upper rim, where you will have to concentrate to identify and

unveil the secondary elements such as floral, herbal, wood and spice

accents.

Pour just enough tequila to reach the point where the glass begins to

straighen (about 1.5 oz.), just below the curve where the tequila is

contained. NEVER FILL THE GLASS!

2.- Stirr and move the tequila around, as vigorously and circular a

motion you can perfor, and place your nose about one inch away from the

rim, inhaling in a paused and relaxed way. Let your nose pick the agave

notes, and learn to uncover the secrets behind most tequilas bouquet.

3.- Let the tip of your tongue get in contact with the tequila, and

savor it inside your mouth. This will adapt your tongue for the

following events, and your senses will awaken for the experience. Repeat

after the sting feels less aggresive in your tongue.

4.- Take a SMALL sip, enough to fully moisten your tongue, keep it there

for 3 seconds, and swallow. Feel the warmth in your throat and your

retronasal passage tingle with the aroma, as you exhale SLOWLY with your

mouth open.

5.- Now you are ready for the real experience. Smell the snifter, inhale

and take a good sip, and swallow slowly. Now its time for exhalation,

slow and deep. This will enable you to analize the character of your

tequila: do you sense the sweetness of agave, the elegant tones from the

oak barrels? Your tongue must feel moist and delicately numb, not harsh

or bitter.

6.- PLEASE NOTE THAT flavors and sensations will feel different if you

perform repeated, slow and deep inhale-exhale routines with your mouth

open or shut. Concentrate on the sensations that show in your lower

throat, retronasal passages (just below your upper palate), and enjoy

every signal your receptors send upstairs.

If you taste more than just one tequila, use plain water, about half

glass to wash the previous traces. Never try more than 3 different

brands or types at once, cause you will simply lose the ability to

diferentiate correctly after 8 or 9 oz. tequila.

ENJOY

The specifications for the new Riedel Tequila glass may be found here:

http://www.riedelcrystal.com/library/assets/Ouverture/408-18.pdf . It

just came out this last December, so it is still a little hard to find.

If you have any more Tequila-related questions, feel free to drop me a

line.

Cheers (This begins to take on a whole new meaning for you guys.),

On Wednesday, April 10, 2002, at 07:40 PM, Kate wrote:

> Upon my daughter's graduation from high school last year, I was

> given a bottle of el Jimador (doble destilacion and reposado).

> It was from the father of one of her friends, he couldn't legally

> give it to her.  So there it sits in my cupboard, waiting for her

> to come home for a visit.  Do you know this one?  Any suggestions

> on the 'best' way to partake of this tequila (in your humble

> opinion) would be appreciated.  My drink of choice used to be

> scotch, so I am not a tequila connoisseur.

>

> Thanks for your input ,

> Kate

[Guest guest]

Wow, thanks . I guess I am not surprised that el Jimador is the best

selling brand in Mexico, this bottle was probably purchased in Mexico - the

label is in Spanish. The family is also originally from Mexico.

Kate, in sunny So. CA

Darius Partovi wrote:

> El Jimador is the best-selling brand of Tequila in Mexico.