You could always trek out to Tommy’s and ask Julio. If anything is up with the brand, he’d know!

Second, I have several interesting tequila books including The Tequila Book: A Complete Guide, by Bob Emmons, The Tequila Lover’s Guide to Mexico, by Lance Cutler and Tequila!: A Natural and Cultural History by Ana Guadalupe Valenzuela Zapata. I really recomment the Zapata book because its a from a very different perspective and you’ll learn things that you won’t hear from tequila industry people. If you want to borrow them, let me know and I can either pop them in the mail to you or leave them at Tommy’s for you to pick up next time you’re in town.

(My own margarita recipe of the moment tends to be 1.5 oz. tequila, 1 oz. Gran Gala orange liqueur, 1/4 oz. simple syrup and 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice. I’m using Don Julio Blanco at the moment — but it’s running low, so your tequila recommendations are timely!)

I know you said in the previous post that Patron tequila is average, despite its marketed reputation. What are your thoughts on Cabo Wabo or Tres Generaciones? I’m curious because, when I was in college, I’d see bottles of Patron or Tres Generaciones (or whatever was commonly in liquor stores and cost around $40) and figured that, if I ever splurge on tequila, those would be the brands. I’m glad I went with the Herradura, though.

Again, thanks for the great and informative posts.

Actually, there are numerous studies about hangovers and you can find many good ones online. The purity of the alcohol has a lot to do with it - the fusils are bad, but so are additives and congeners. All contribute to a hangover (sadly because they may also contribute to the flavour, for example red wine), particularly bad are sugars. But add to that list dehydration and excessive consumption. They all make the morning after worse.

The Tequila Book: A Complete Guide, by Bob Emmons is out of print. However, there are some new titles available that are very good and recommended reading. I have a list of books and magazines about tequila here: http://www.ianchadwick.com/tequila/sources.htm

“For 25 years I’ve been under the impression tequila is the one liquor that continues to age once bottled, as wine does. Have I been misled? …As long as the seal is good — the cork doesn’t go bad — a bottled tequila will remain stable in flavor and color. Light, air flow and temperature changes can quickly destroy a tequila, though”

Once opened, tequila is subject to oxidation, which will gradually but irrevocably make it lose much of its agave aroma and flavour. While no spirit or alcohol ages in the bottle, it can undergo changes due to the interaction of chemicals. I’ve had five-year-old mezcal that was left sealed in the bottle and it was remarkably smoother than its freshly bottled version. This April, our forum tour members had the honour of tasting a bottle of blanco that had been stored 35 years. It was simply a stunningly good blanco. Niether of these “aged” but they did undergo subtle changes in the bottle. The key however, is a sealed bottle.

Cheers
Ian