By
George Brozowski
AT
the end of the 17th century the Swedish naturalist, Carl Van
Linneo, began the scientific investigation of the agave plant.
At that time it was named agave which means "magnificent"
or "admirable" in Latin, and "Noble" in
Greek. In Jalisco, around 1898, a botanist named Weber was
the first to identify the "agave tequilero" or blue
agave. In 1902 the name Agave Tequilana Weber was proposed.
The "blue" was later added to the name since it
was the color that the plants would present when they were
healthy. This is what makes Tequila.
There
are 1.2 million acres of Mexico planted with Blue Agave that
are tended by over 200,000 agave farmers. There are 142 registered
tequila distilleries in Mexico producing 1,155 certified brands
with over 2,000 brand names.
Now,
I must admit to having tried plenty of Tequila during my life
but I can guarantee you that I have not even come close to
trying 2,000 brands although there were many a Monday morning
I felt like I had tried several hundred over just that weekend.
Most
tequila starts with agave bought on the open market from multiple
sources and then distilled at one of the many distilleries.
However Partida Tequila stands out among
this gaggle of agave because it all comes from one source,
the Partida family fields near Jalisco and
is distilled at their own distillery giving them unique and
total control over the Tequila production from start to finish.
This
attention to detail, along with a little help from Jack Daniels
and his bourbon barrels, has garnered this Tequila accolades
year after year accumulating Gold and Silver awards at numerous
competitions and high compliments from the likes of The New
York Times, Time Magazine, The Robb Report and way many more.
Wine Enthusiast hails it as the world's top rated tequila.
That's all good and well but George's
Rants and Raves has yet to weigh in and as
we all know, my opinion is the only one that really matters,
especially to me!
Partida
Blanco: $50.00
Warm and welcoming nose of muted vanilla and agave with subdued
citrus notes, a surprisingly laid back nose especially for
an un-aged tequila. It is thick and clings to the glass. It
is not sharp like other blanco's or silver's I have tried.
Bright and pleasantly peppery on the tongue it reminds me
of a sweet and delicious lime flavored cheese cake I once
tried. It is thick and syrupy and dare I say sweet. The finish
is very, very smooth and leaves a lingering tingle on the
tongue. I am beginning to see what the others saw.
Partida
Reposado: $55.00
Rested six months and pale yellow in color, it has a sweeter
and more developed nose than the Blanco but that's certainly
not to take away from the Blanco. It has elegant agave and
floral highlights at the front and a creamy buttery butterscotch
back. Toffee smells very similar to this when it first comes
out of the oven. I can even perceive a hint of lime and I
must say that this Tequila does not need the traditional slice
as it would just get in the way. Now this is true sipping
tequila! It is warm and gentle on the tongue with tropical
notes and agave flavor but quite laid back like a great scotch,
not overpowering but powerfully convincing like an "I
love you" whispered in your ear. The finish is restrained
and even delicate leaving a warmth in the mouth. Maybe, just
maybe all those other guys were on to something here.
Partida
Anejo: $60.00
Aged 18 months and honey golden in color, a strong nose of
agave and oak up front and pepper in the back. This is a definite
statement whereas the Reposado was more of a whisper yet there
is no shouting, it is very convincing. It is peppery with
agave and floral highlights and hints of vanilla and bourbon
and bolder than the Reposado yet just as smooth. The finish
is firmer than the Reposado yet quite pleasant. I have to
agree with my peers that this hooch ROCKS! Definitely among
the very best on the market and really quite reasonably priced.
I would have of course loved to have tried and rated their
Elegante Tequila that they age for 40 months and sell for
$350.00 per bottle but the cheap bastards didn't send me a
sample.
Other
Related Links:
Spice
Up Thanksgiving with Partida Tequila Cocktails
Partida
Southern Heat
For
more Rants & Raves click
here.
www.partidatequila.com