December 13, 2007
Tequila culture is growing, and El Paso Company Dos Lunas is putting itself in the middle of that world.
The company recently released the only commercially available tequila that’s been aged for over 10 years. Dos Lunas Grand Reserve , which has been maturing in sherry oak casks for the last decade, is harvested from 100 percent Blue Agave plants, which themselves take eight to 10 years to reach full growth. The tequila is classified as an extra Añejo due to the long aging process tastes similar to a cognac, says company spokeswoman Emily Thompson.
Here's the kicker: It is a limited release of a 1,000, with the spirit bottled in hand-blown and individually numbered crystal Baccarat decanters, then housed in what the company's promotional material calls a "luxurious ebonized box" that comes with a crystal stopper and its own sterling silver lock and key.
“There’s no particular clientele for the tequila, it’s marketed to people that enjoy premium tequila whether they sip it or mix it or add it to margaritas,” said Thompson.
“We set out to create the world’s best tequila and that goal informed every decision that was made, from growth through production to packaging,” said Dos Lunas founder Richard C. Poe II in a statement.
Tequila Culture
“Tequila is a spirit made primarily in the area surrounding Tequila, a town in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, 65 km northwest of Guadalajara and in the highlands of Jalisco, 65 km east of Guadalajara. It is made from the blue agave (also known as Agave tequilana azul, Weber's blue agave, and also called Maguey by the local people), part of the lily and amaryllis families, which is native to Mexico,” according to a posting from Wikipedia.com
Quality tequila comes from perfectly ripe agaves, which take anywhere from eight to 12 years to mature. Knowing when to harvest the heart of the Blue Agave is a special skill of the jimador, or harvester.
Tequila is classified according to how long it’s aged, According to Wikipedia.com, Oro is an un-aged tequila which is also referred to as joven y abocado (young and adulterated), blanco ("white") or plata ("silver") is an un-aged white spirit, reposado ("rested") is aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels, añejo ("aged" or "vintage") is aged a minimum of one year, but less than 3 years in oak barrels and maduro ("extra anejo", "extra aged" or "ultra aged"), which is aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels. This last category was established in March 2006.
According to ianchadwick.com America owes its love of Tequila to Robert Denton. The site says that “Tequila's popularity is also part of a subtle shift from the Old to the New World.”
Tequila was first imported into the United States in 1873, when the first load was transported to El Paso. In 1973 tequila sales in the U.S. topped one million cases.
According to the site, 25- to 45-year olds pick 100 percent agave tequila as their tequila of choice over mixto, which typically is what consumers get from most popular brands. Check the bottle -- it has to say 100 percent agave.
Dos Lunas’ other choices
And now the price tag for the aforementioned Grand Reserve – $2,500 for that premium experience. But the company also offers other alternatives: Dos Lunas Silver priced at ($44.99) and Dos Lunas Reposado ($49.99) have been around on the market since 2006; the latter won the gold medal in the International Review of Spirits competition in Chicago that year. A fourth member of the portfolio, Dos Lunas Añejo, will be released in 2008.
The product is available through retailers and online at totalbeverage.net, shoppersvineyard.com, and argonautliquor.com.
A Recipe
If you’re looking for a way to drink the spirit this holiday season, the company provides the following recipe for a Moon City Cocktail
1 ¼ oz. Dos Lunas Silver
1 oz. passion fruit juice, ½ oz cointreau
splash of pineapple juice, splash of 7up
Salud