I’ve stayed at several all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and I have drank their tequila.
In fact until this week, any mention of the high-octane booze brought back unfortunate memories of a game of tequila Jenga played poolside at a Mayan Riviera resort several years ago. (What happens in Mexico...)
But that perception changed Tuesday when I was invited to a preview of the Vancouver International Tequila Expo on the rooftop deck of Joe Fortes Restaurant on Thurlow Street. The expo runs from May 26 to 31 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Vancouver and features Agave Week.
The fact the sun came out in its full glory just as the party got underway sure didn’t hurt and seemed to lighten the mood of the tequila drinkers — as if they needed another reason to feel good.
But, believe it nor not, the afternoon turned out to be an educational one and my understanding of tequila and mezcal is considerably greater than it was. One thing I now know for sure is that not all tequilas have a worm floating around in the bottle — and that you don’t necessarily have to drink it even if there does happen to be one.
It also turns out that tequila is not the same as 100 per cent agave tequila. In order to be considered tequila, a liquor only needs to contain 51 per cent agave. If you’re looking for something pure, check the label to ensure it contains 100 per cent agave.
According to Tequila Expo organizers, tequila is a highly regulated, exclusively Mexican spirit with an official “Denomination of Origin” like those of Cognac, Armagnac and Champagne. Tequila is also in the midst of a renaissance and is no longer considered a cheap way to get drunk or as the headache/hangover/party drink that causes you to swear off it forever after that one significant event of which you and your friends are sworn to secrecy.
That said, one sip of 100 per cent Blue Agave tequila from a Cognac snifter or Riedel flute promises to connect you with the jimadores (farmers) who harvest the agave at eight to 12 years of age and remove the long, spiny blue-green pencas from the piña (heart) of the plant.
And just as I did Tuesday afternoon, you become one with the tequileros who have created the national spirit of Mexico by slow-roasting the agaves in brick ovens, the crushing of the agave pulp to extract the sweet, baked caramel goodness of the agave “honey water” for fermentation and later double, or triple, distilled into a vegetal, peppery and citrus-noted Blanco Tequila.
Something else I discovered Tuesday is that not all tequilas must be accompanied by salt and lime and some in fact are quite lovely to sip on in their purest form.
Which is why the Vancouver International Tequila Expo should be considered a form of higher education. Just some of the events being offered during the expo include Master Mezcalier Level 1, East Van Taco Safari on World Tequila Day, Tequila 101 and the Mezcal Pairing Dinner. The expo is sponsored by Tourism Mexico, the BC Hospitality Foundation, Legacy Liquor Store, the BMW Store, First Majestic Silver Corp. and Mezcal from Oaxaca, For a complete schedule visit vantequilaexpo.com.
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