Our Tequila Story

Picture of JAMES MAUK

JAMES MAUK

Professional amateur chocolate chip cookie Judge, off hour fermentation enthusiast, and co-founder of Golden Rule Spirits.

I was fortunate to grow up around parents who recognized and appreciated quality. This was never more apparent than in the food and drinks around our house. While we were not the wealthiest in town, we always had delicious homemade meals and a litany of curated drinks.

Thanks to my dad’s profession in the restaurant industry, well before I was of drinking age, we would have the latest juices, sodas, and teas. At the time, I didn’t realize this would translate into a lifelong passion for constantly searching for and appreciating “better” options.

For our tequila, we knew it had to be, bare minimum, 100% agave. Due to regulations around procuring 100% agave in the states, I would assume we are one of the only canned cocktail brands to use 100% agave tequila for our Margarita and Paloma. We landed on a family-owned distillery producing excellent quality tequila in the town of Amatitan Jalisco.

Let’s dive into our choice of tequila for the Margarita Original and Tequila Paloma.

Starting with a few tequila basics.

All agave that is used in the production of tequila is from one type of agave known as the Blue Weber.

Tequila is broken into 4 categories:

  • Blanco (unaged)
  • Reposado (rested 1-12 months)
  • Anejo (1-3 years)  
  • XA or Extra Anejo (3 plus years).

One interesting aspect to note is not all “tequila” is made solely from the Blue Weber Agave. There is a category known as mixto (you don’t need to denote this on a label) which can include up to 49% of spirit from a different base source. Sugar for example.

However, only tequila which receives all its fermentable sugars from the agave will read “100% agave tequila.” This was our choice of tequila.

The reason we chose to go with a blanco tequila is due to the fact it is the most raw form of tequila. This, theoretically, will profile the greatest amount of agave characteristics and flavor profile.

The profile of our blanco contains a flavor which I refer to as “green”. Yes, I know it’s a color but this flavor profile is more often referenced as vegetal. A mix of sweetness and vegetal characteristics are essential for our tequila and play into our margaritas final flavor profile.

Other characteristics are two-fold: Citrus and “Earthiness”

Citrus: Our blanco has a bright and zesty citrus flavor. This citrus note is especially prominent in quality tequilas that are made with 100% blue agave.

Earthiness: There is an earthy and mineral-like flavor profile that comes from the region where the agave was grown and the water used in the distillation process. Our tequila is from the town of Amatitan in the lowland region of Jalisco.

We find when blended, these flavors work well for our margarita because they complement the other ingredients in the cocktail. The sweetness and fruitiness of the agave pair well with the tartness of the lime juice, while the earthy and mineral notes add depth and complexity to the cocktail. The citrus notes in the tequila also help to balance the sweetness of the triple sec. Overall, the flavor profile of our blanco tequila is an essential part of what makes our Margarita Original a classic.