Sip some tequila this Father’s Day
This time of year, whisky comes at you pretty fast.
Between advertisements, instore promos and social media, every whisky company wants to sell you the perfect bottle to gift dear old Dad on Father’s Day.
But does it always have to be whisky? This gifting tradition has been around so long it’s practically cliché.
What’s more, summer isn’t exactly brown liquor season, since, in the warmer months, most people turn to fresh cocktails made with white spirits, like, for example, the enduring classic Margarita.
This year, then, we’re going to suggest changing up the routine and, instead, breaking out the tequila for Father’s Day.
That said, tequila can be a complicated category to navigate. Some of us are old enough to remember when there were only a few options available in Canada and even fewer were worth buying at all. These were often “mixto” tequila — unaged, tinted gold with artificial colour and made with up to 49 per cent cane sugar distillate, as opposed to pure agave.
The introduction, about 15 years ago, of several premium blanco tequila brands (notably Patron) changed all of that and, now, we’re faced with a range of new and potentially confusing classifications, such as blanco, reposado, anejo and extra-anejo. And that’s not even getting into mezcal. To this end, here are some guidelines for upping your Father’s Day tequila game. Age is only a state of mind When choosing a whisky, people put a lot of stock in age statements, since they erroneously believe older is automatically better.
It isn’t always the case with whisky and, when it comes to tequila, age is even less important. Many hardcore fans only drink blanco tequila, in fact, since this unaged expression is considered the best way to appreciate the subtle, sweet and sometimes esoteric flavours of tequila, which fall along a wide spectrum, from crisp and sharp to soft, smoky and sweet. There are even “terroir” tequilas, that reflect the characteristics of the regional soil.
To taste the contrast, head to a good tequila bar like Toronto’s Reposado and order a Don Julio Blanco (LCBO 173542; $79.15) and a Siempre Tequila Plata (LCBO 492777; $68.30) and taste them side by each. Siempre Plata is relatively new — the brainchild of a Toronto couple who fell in love with agave, quit their day jobs and invested every last penny in a venture in Jalisco, Mexico — and it tastes oily, earthy and vegetal, with a touch of wintergreen. On the other hand, Don Julio, a classic expression, is citrusy, sharp and exceptionally crisp. Sip, don’t shoot Both those expressions are perfectly suitable for straight sipping, a concept Canadians still sometimes have trouble getting their heads around, probably because many first experiences with tequila is in shot-form, with salt and lime being a part of the ritual.
In many regions of Mexico, it’s far more likely to see tequila served with a “chaser” shot of ancho-infused orange juice called sangrita (“little blood”).
It’s customary to take a small sip of a good blanco (both the Don Julio and the Siempre are suitable) then follow it up with a sip of sangrita, a perfectly civilized (and delicious) tequila ritual.
Reposado is one of a handful of bars in all of Toronto that offers sangrita, probably because, with no commercially available options available, it has to be made from scratch. It’s well worth it though (even if it does take a little advance planning), since it’s one of the tastiest drinks in the history of drinks.
Sangrita Star Tested
1/4 cup minced onion 2 whole jalapeno pepper, cut lengthwise in half 3 fresh poblano chilis, chopped roughly 8 oz fresh pomegranate juice 8 oz fresh lime juice 16 oz fresh-squeezed orange juice 1 teaspoon sea salt Dash of Worcestershire sauce Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for 24 hours, allowing the juice to be infused by the spice. Strain through cheesecloth, bottle and refrigerate. Lasts a week.
Ancho Margarita Star Tested
1-1/2 oz Espolon Tequila 3/4 oz Ancho Reyes 1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice 1/2 oz agave syrup (can be cut back if you don’t like sweet) This drink can be served straight up in a chilled coupe glass or on the rocks in a larger vessel. Rim the glass with salt, making sure to wipe out the inside, so not salt gets into the drink. Shake all ingredients in ice-filled cocktail shaker rigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime twist or wheel. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em Dads who like to be ahead of the curve will surely want to opt for mezcal instead, since it’s a little more esoteric and intense-tasting. There are several options available at the LCBO, including the recently-arrived Montelobos Joven Mezcal (LCBO 548883; $59.30), an organic agave spirit that’s peppery and fiercely smoky.
Montelobos would work well in cocktails, but most people will want to drink it straight, either with a sangrita chaser or a pinch of Sal de Gusano— worm salt (available at BYOB’s Cocktail Emporium), a popular pairing in Oaxaca, where much of the best mezcal is made.
Sure, worm salt and smoky mezcal are a far cry from the usual whisky traditions, but our tastes are changing, along with the times.
And, let’s face it, a pitcher of spicy margaritas pairs better with a Father’s Day barbecue than a serious whisky.
Plenty of time for that after the fall leaves start to turn their pretty colours.
For now, it’s tequila’s turn.