All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
"Tequila is the voyage, the glass is the vehicle,” says Gilles le Capitaine, a friend who happens to be a whisky specialist in France. Gilles has told me that there are three tangible elements that will affect the tasting of a spirit: the glass, the temperature, and the aeration. The glass cannot be underestimated in its importance for Tequila appreciation. I have compared many times the same Tequila sampled from different glasses, and the contrast is marked. Try for yourself and see what the result is.
Very often Tequila will be served in a shot glass or a rocks glass, typically a straight-up cylinder fully open at the top. This does not concentrate the aromas and flavour the way that a proper-tasting glass can. Most people are accustomed to the idea of a brandy snifter, which gathers the aromas of the brandy into a focal point. Over the years, the conventional snifter seems to be no longer considered the best vehicle for the fullest appreciation. Specially designed tasting glasses have since taken their place in serious tastings.
.jpg)
In my bars, I have found the choice of glass in which tequila is served is important in two ways. Firstly, the aroma and flavour of the spirit can only be fully appreciated when served in the appropriate vessel. The second reason is the psychological effect upon the drinker. A shot glass traditionally says, “Throw that Tequila back as quickly as possible and slam the glass back on the bar.” It robs the liquid of all its complexity and nuance and believe me, I’ve seen a lot of this in my forty-plus years as a bartender and bar owner. If a customer is offered a portion of Tequila in a proper glass the effect is to appreciate and reevaluate the experience—to perceive the spirit within in a new, fresh light.
Said Brillat-Savarin in The Physiology of Taste:
At my bars, we serve Tequila in tasting glasses (unless a customer specifically asks for a shot glass). A tasting glass subtly suggests to the guest that they reconsider the liquid within and helps restructure their approach subliminally. As Tequila continues its journey from lowly escape drink to something more prestigious, it certainly benefits from being presented in this upgraded medium.
As well as changing the type of glass in which we serve our Tequila, we no longer give salt and lemon with the serving. Traditionally, salt was taken first to stimulate the thirst, followed by the Tequila, and finally, a bite of lemon or lime was taken to cut the roughness of the spirit. As the quality of Tequila on offer has improved so radically, it is no longer necessary to drink Tequila in this way—at least with the selection we serve in my establishments. If someone wants lime and salt, then they are of course served both cordially with a smile.
.jpg)
Now, I will get off my soapbox, but a mention must also be made here of the Caballito, a shot glass used commonly in Mexico for generations in which to drink Tequila, which is still in widespread use today. The Caballito is a cylindrical glass of varying sizes, originally made of cow horn, and used by mounted horsemen from which to drink Tequila. While this may not be the best vehicle for fully appreciating your Tequila’s flavours, it is certainly a traditional and therefore fun way to enjoy your Tequila.
This is an extract from The Tequila Ambassador V.O. (Wonk Press), written from a series of interviews leading up to Tomas’ death in 2021, paying homage to his unique philosophy on life. It was inspired by the original book of the same name, but is almost double in length at 408 pages and comes from agave ambassador Phil Bayly, Black Tot Rum Ambassador Mitch Wilson, and Tomas’ son, Jesse Estes.
