Tucson Mexican Restaurant Is The Place For Tequila Lovers
Posted on Mon, May 10, 2010
The next time you are looking for some of the best Mexican food in Tucson, and also want to increase your knowledge of tequila, swing by the Guadalajara Grill. We currently have around 50 different brands of tequila and we are adding more all the time. If we don't already, we will soon have the largest and best selection of tequila of any of the Tucson top restaurants.
That might sound like a lot of different brands, but it is nowhere near the number of tequilas that are available on the market today. The reality is, no matter how many brands we may add it would be almost impossible to ever stock every brand out there. That's because there are currently over 900 brands of tequila and soon to be more.
How is that possible, you might ask? The simple answer is: marketing. Not more than 10-20 years ago, that number would have been at most a few hundred brands. In fact, there are only around 100 licensed Tequila distilleries in the State of Jalisco making those nine hundred brands of tequila in Mexico, and over 2,000 brand names have been registered (2009 Statistics). Due to this, each bottle of tequila contains a serial number (NOM) depicting which distillery the tequila was produced in. Because there are only so many distilleries, multiple brands of tequila come from the same location.
What has been happening in the spirits industry overall is a trend toward "premiumization," basically meaning the explosive growth of high priced brands (think Grey Goose Vodka, for example). This trend has also been accompanied by an explosion in the cocktail culture, and consumer's appreciation for sophisticated beverages created by "mixologists" (highly skilled and trained bar tenders). While everyone in Tucson knows that Guadalajara Grill has some of Tucson's best margaritas, our skilled bartenders are also ready for the challenge of preparing a tequila-based specialty cocktail just for you on your next visit. To emphasize this point, since 2002 sales of high priced tequilas, called "ultra-premium" and "super-premium" by marketeers, have increased 28 percent. That is an average growth rate of 8.6 percent per year, as reported by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
With so many brands and types of Tequila out there, such as the new official category of ultra- anejo (aged at least 3 years) it is important to find a top Tucson Mexican restaurant or bar with a large selection of tequilas, and a commitment to educating their customers in the finer nuances of tequila. Learning to appreciate tequila is not much different from learning to drink wine; it requires a time commitment and access to many different types of tequila in order to develop one's nose and palette. If you take the time to explore the different taste profiles of tequila, soon you will develop an understanding of what you like best and an ability to see beyond brand names. Guadalajara Grill is committed to being the Tucson Mexican restaurant that provides you that opportunity to learn about tequila and explore your tequila preferences.
Keep reading our blog and visit our tequila menu including extensive selections of Anejos, Reposados and Silver tequilas as we continue to add more brands and flavor profiles, and vote for your favorite. And let us know what YOU like in a tequila. Finally, stay tuned for more news about our upcoming Tequila tasting events.
And of course, whenever you sample Tequila or any other distilled spirit, do so responsibly, with care and moderation. We've got your back on that one too! Nada en exceso, todo con medida. Cuidate!