Baboon Pirates

Scribbles and Scrawls from an unrepentant swashbuckling primate.

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Location: Texas, United States

Thursday, November 18, 2004

Booze Reviews - #4

OK, it's been a while since I broke out the bottle, so it's time for #4 in the Booze Reviews series.

Hmmm... what tipple goes best with a Jack In The Box Ultimate Cheeseburger and Beethoven's 9th on iTunes? What could complete the experience? Better peruse the stockpile for a bit.

(BTW, the rest of the liquid contributors to this example of poor judgement will be reviewed later, after the memory of the evening fades a bit more. Don't worry about accuracy, I have tasting notes!)

Back from the booze stash! Our special guest tonight comes all the way from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. It followed me home, I swear!

Yes, friends & neighbors, we're gonna fight the tequila monster tonight. Do it wrong, and you end up pressing your face against the cool of the porcelain throne, praying the alcohol will somehow be pulled from your pores by the osmotic action of the floor tiles. However, I'm an experienced To-Kill-Ya warrior, so fear not!

This brand is Gran Centenario, the Reposado version. Here's the pic.


This brand used to only be available south of the border, which meant I only got a bottle every other year or so. There was a similar brand that used the same picture on the label, and it was called "Dos Reales". Don't be fooled! That was the distillery's import for many years, but it's a 'mixto', which means the agave juice has been cut with some other form of alcohol. Gran Centenario is 100% blue agave, and IMHO, worth every peso.

A reposado-style tequila differs from the blanco (white) and the anejo (gold) styles in that it has rested for a length of time in oak barrels. In this case, it's 10 years in the oak. That tends to impart a heavy oaky flavor to the tequila. Some people say it overpowers the agave, but I like the result.

Pouring a snort into my trusty tasting glass, the first thing you notice is the color. It's a watery, straw-yellow color that looks like... well, it looks like a urine sample, to be honest. The aroma is fairly complex, with hints of baked fruit, wet hay, and honey.

The first sip goes over the tongue smooth and easy. This stuff is 80 proof (40% alcohol), but there's no burn at all. Even swishing it around in the mouth is pleasant. You get an immediate sweet taste, followed by the vegetable of the agave, and finally, the oaky taste as it goes down. Damn, this stuff it good. Better pour another.

Mmmmm. Second verse, same as the first. It would be criminal to use this in a margarita or tequila sunrise. Even ice cubes would dilute it too much. No, this one's just right in a highball glass or a small snifter.

I still have to go to work tomorrow, so I'm gonna shut this tasting down before the tequila monster whispers in my ear to have another glass or four.

Remember the name! Gran Centenario Reposado! I prefer it to Patron, Cuervo 1800, Cazadores and Don Julio. It makes that Cabo Wabo swill taste like cat pee.

This is a prime example of a 100% agave reposado. One of my favorites, and makes a 5 hour run to the border worthwhile.

8 pulltabs for this bebida de los Dioses.