One of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world is tequila. The drink with a great history and unique taste, which is more than 500 years old, is of high quality, a taste palette and minimal exposure.
History of Mexican Tequila
The history of tequila dates back to about 1500, when, according to legend, a blue agave caught fire from a lightning strike, which the ancient people - the Olmecs - called the gift of the gods. Over time, the Olmec tribes learned to extract fermented juice from perennial agave plants. The foamy drink had a milky color, but its strength did not reach 6%. It was allowed to be used only in religious celebrations. Aliens were forbidden to drink blue agave juice because of its sacred power. For a long time, it was the only alcoholic beverage made in Mexico. Local residents called him octley.
Since 1521, the Spanish conquerors brought to Mexico European alcohol sublimation technologies. The official ancestor of tequila is considered to be don José Antonio de Cuervo. The king of Spain distributed the territory to the Don, which was located near the village of Tequila. Jose Antonio began cultivating agave in the area since 1758. Subsequently, the first tequila factory was founded here.
Due to the high prevalence of the alcoholic beverage, the Mexican government introduced a trade tax in 1608.
The drink gained worldwide popularity after the Olympic Games in Mexico City.
Another product of the distillation of blue agave juice - mezcal, was equal to tequila until the 20th century. After 1900, the right to be called tequila was assigned only to mezcal made by special technologies in the area of the city of Tequila.
Beverage Production Basics
To produce a high-quality product, blue agave is used at least eight years old. Only at this age, a high-quality drink with a rich taste is made from the plant. Subsequently, the plant is processed, and only pinya remains from the agave - the core, which contains the juice. Such piny can reach a weight of 70 kg. The core is ground and heat treated. The resulting juice is poured into large stainless barrels and made tequila. Extract of the finished alcoholic beverage in barrels should not exceed three years. After this period, tequila begins to bitter. However, the shelf life of a tequila bottle with proper storage is unlimited.
Tequila Olmeca
The most common tequila and mezcal production company in the world is Olmeca Tequila. The drink of this company is divided into three branches:
- Olmeca - simple tequila, with the addition of 50% blue agave juice;
- Olmeca Altos - alcoholic drink with 100% agave content;
- Olmeca Tezon - premium quality tequila, a drink and a container for it are made by hand, each bottle is numbered.
Also, "Olmeka" is divided by exposure, taste and cost. The most common types: silver and gold tequila "Olmeka". The strength of the alcoholic beverage is 38-40%.
Olmeca blanco
Silver Tequila "Olmeca" (Blanco) is produced without aging, immediately after the distillation process. It is common in recipes for alcoholic beverages, as it has a light honey flavor. Silver Olmeka does not have a pronounced taste, since it is the purest variety of tequila, to which no impurities are added. Because of this, the price of a drink in a 0.7 liter bottle does not reach 2000 rubles. Given the quality of the product, such tequila is an ideal option.
Olmeca gold
Gold "Olmeka" (Gold) is called so because of its golden hue. Excerpt from such a drink is not more than a year. It is distinguished by its tropical aftertaste, citrus aroma and a deeper taste. Gold gets its “Olmec” shade due to caramelization. The price of golden tequila depends on the nominal capacity, the approximate cost of one liter bottle is from 2200 to 2500 rubles.
What is the difference between golden tequila and silver? The differences are in exposure and addition of impurities. But the price of gold tequila from silver is practically no different.
It’s not difficult to distinguish golden tequila from Olmeka. The main sign of quality will be excise stamps and evenly glued labels on the bottle. Next, you should pay attention to the cost of the drink. The original golden tequila "Olmeka" has a price of 2000 rubles. It is also necessary to check the edges of the bottle and the cap. On the original bottle there are parallel faces, the lid does not have a ribbed surface, ancient letters are located throughout the container. A distinctive feature of this drink will also be the price. You should buy golden tequila "Olmeka" only in trusted stores and outlets.
Tequila rules
It's no secret to anyone how to drink tequila. The method is very popular and creates some zest in the process of drinking this alcoholic drink. Olmeka will require shot, lime and salt for the original serving of an unstable Olmeka. The edges of the shot should be grated with lime and dipped in salt, so the edge is made of salt. Pour the drink after creating the edge. After this process, tequila is drunk and eaten with a slice of lime. You can not make a rim of salt at the edges of the shot, but salt the lime. Aged golden tequila should be drunk in its pure form without the addition of citrus fruits and salt.
There are also many tequila-based cocktails. Most often they use “Olmeka” silver tequila, but gold tequila is also excellent for serving as an ingredient in cocktails. It is able to complement the taste of the drink with tropical and citrus notes.
Refined soft taste and high quality are the hallmarks of Golden Olmec Tequila. Today, this alcoholic beverage has worldwide popularity. A variety of tastes and types of tequila "Olmeka" will appeal to any connoisseur of sophisticated alcoholic beverages.