(這一篇是我之前在Vintage雜誌發表過的文章)
記得大學時期的週末，同學宿舍裡，大夥圍在桌子旁舔鹽喝Tequila、含咬檸檬一直嘻鬧到夜深？還是晴朗的午後，與親密友人或三兩好友喝著Tequila Sunrise談聊閒話？或是獨自點上一杯Margarita品嚐酸甜苦鹹的人生百態？
這些都是Tequila龍舌蘭酒的不同風貌！
取自生長八年以上的Blue Agave藍龍舌蘭，將有刺的葉子割開後，取出20-50公斤含有大量澱粉的樹心，經過兩天左右的蒸煮將澱粉轉換成糖份，取出糖水再加入蔗糖與酵母菌進行發酵，經過兩次蒸餾生產出來的便是Blanco白龍舌蘭酒。Reposado級的龍舌蘭酒會存放在橡木桶2-12個月，更高級的Anejo龍舌蘭酒會存放在橡木桶裡1-5年之久。
至於量少罕見的頂級龍舌蘭酒則使用100%的藍龍舌蘭樹心，不加任何蔗糖，經過蒸煮、發酵與蒸餾，然後在橡木桶裡陳年2-5年，甚至7年才裝瓶出售。頂級龍舌蘭酒有著多層次的香氣與口感，濃郁的柑橘油、香料與藍龍舌蘭原有細緻的香氣，再加上來自橡木桶的焦糖與乳糖香，偶爾還有一點草本植物的氣味，柔順的口感、悠長的尾韻很容易讓人聯想正品酌的是頂級的Cognac(干邑)。
頂級龍舌蘭酒產量甚少，因之價格不斐。像Chinaco酒廠與Jim Beam Brand 合作生產出一款30年紀念酒，酒液在橡木桶陳年7年，每瓶$325美元。Don Julio酒廠也與Diageo集團合製一款在美國橡木桶陳年3年的Don Julio Real ($375美元)。其他，在美國比較知名的酒廠如Herradura釀製出的高檔龍舌蘭酒Seleccion Suprema市價為$350美元。此外，近來亞洲市場也出了一款非常物超所值的頂級限量款，Jose Cuervo酒廠的Reserva de la Familia ($150美元)，它曾獲英國Wine Enthusiast雜誌評為Highly Recommended (評分90-95分)，數量稀少，不易獲得。
在頂級龍舌蘭酒裡，少不經事的狂野放縱以昨，暗香浮現的則是練達與睿智。
This was how Carlos Camarena, the owner of Tequila distiller El Tesoro, described his three varieties of Tequila:
Blanco (white) or “platinum”: “woman without clothes, the way she really is”
Reposado: “the woman with dress that adds to her complexity, revealing a casual beauty not overwhelmed by enhancements”
Anejo: “the woman who wears a little black dress that carries an evening to its end”
Tequila represents wild youth (as Tequila Shots)、romance (as Tequila Sunrise) and sophistication (as Margarita), but unknown to most people it can also be a symbol of luxury.
Tequila is made from blue agave which grew in Mexico. Cutting off its long, spiking leaves of blue agave, the heart (pina) which weights about 20-50kg is cooked in steam or pressure oven for two days in order to convert starch into fermentable sugars. For mixto tequila up to 49% of sugar can be added to the sugar juice extracted for fermentation. After fermentation two distillations follows which produces white tequila (Blanco). Reposado is aged in oak barrel for 2-12 months. Anejo is aged in oak barrels for at least one year, sometimes up to five or even seven years.
However there is the “ultrapremium” tequila which rarely appears in the market. Such tequila is made with 100% blue agave with no cane sugar additive and aged in oak barrel for an extensive period.With flavors ranging from citrus oil, spice, oak and butterscotch to herbal and elegant blue agave, it is often compared to fine cognac.
Due to its complex taste and rarety the price of “ultrapremium” also demands a premium.The distiller Chinaco, teamed up with Jim Bearn Brand, produces 900 bottles of aged for seven years 30th Anniversary edition (US$325). Don Julio, teamed up with Diageo group, produces Don Julio Real, aged for 3 years in American oak (US$375), others such as Herradura’s Seleccion Suprema (US$350) and Cuervo 1800 Colleccion (US $1200) are other high profile examples of ultra-premium tequilas. Appearing on the shelves of selected liquor stores in Asia is Jose Cuervo limited edition Reserve de la Familia (US$150), this ultra-premium tequila was rated by UK Wine Enthusiast magazine as “highly recommended” (90-95 points) and priced competitively amongst other ultrapremium tequilas.
Salud!
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