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Happy National Tequila Day! There are a small number of National Fill-in-the-Blank Days I notice, but Tequila Day is one worth toasting to. Last night I celebrated with Blue Nectar Tequila at Meso Maya in Dallas. I had the opportunity to enjoy a couple tequila cocktails, experience my first guided tequila tasting and meet Nikhil Bahadur, co-founder and COO of Blue Nectar.
It all started when Nikhil and his father, BN, would gift each other bottles of tequilas as a birthday tradition. They realized the market was full of many cheap tequilas and many expensive ones, but a gap in the middle. So the father and son duo were inspired to produce a premium tequila that is still accessible.
What they created is a unique and creative brand in which every aspect of the tequila-making process is family owned. Blue Nectar tequilas are all hand-crafted with 100 percent blue agave grown on a single estate in the tequila lowlands. Last night I learned that agave from the lowland has a dry and spicy characteristic.
I was welcomed to the tasting event with a glass of Bee’s Knees, typically a gin cocktail with honey syrup and lemon juice. However, this one featured Blue Nectar Silver. Both sweet and sour, it was a tasty introduction to the evening.
After learning about Blue Nectar’s history and processes, we tasted the three current expressions with the brand ambassador: Silver, Reposado and Special Reserve.
Silver is clean, crisp and dry with the agave taste that makes tequila what it is. Blue Nectar Silver can be sipped with a squeeze of lime or used as a cocktail base – margaritas, anyone?
I personally prefer aged tequila versus silver, and Blue Nectar delivered. The Reposado (rested) has notes of smokey oak and vanilla with a warm finish. Blue Nectar’s take on it is unique because it’s blended with Extra Añejo (ultra aged) tequila, which is aged in oak barrels for at least three years. Sip this one on the rocks, or get creative and use it as a base for a dark liquor cocktail.
Then we tasted what proved to be the star of the show – Special Reserve. It’s aged in charred oak barrels, infused with essential oils and spices and is perfectly acceptable just for sipping neat. Special Reserve has the tiniest hint of sweetness from the natural ingredients and is very smooth with flavors of orange peel, nutmeg and vanilla.
We finished the tasting by making our own Paloma cocktail with Blue Nectar Silver, plenty of ice, a pinch of salt, squeeze of lime, fresh grapefruit juice, simple syrup and a splash of club soda. The Paloma was refreshing with a strong grapefruit taste and just the right amount of tequila.
I had such a fun time trying Blue Nectar tequila for the first time and was very pleased with the products. Now that you’ve read all about it, I’m sure you’re ready to have your own #NationalTequilaDay celebration!
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