AVB
Jesus of Cool, I'm bad, I'm nationwide
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- Nov 14, 2003
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Herradura Anejo Tequila Natural, short square bottle, 80 proof, 750ml about $45, available nationwide.
My Secret Santa Fatken, filled my wish of trying a good tequila and although I was only looking for a sample he sent me a whole bottle to try and convert me with.
Herradura Anejo Tequila is 100% blue Agave and aged for a full two years in white oak barrels, twice as long as required to be called "Anejo" by the Mexican Government. It is an all-natural spirit bottled on the Herradura estate without additives such as caramel and cane sugar. This earns Herradura the BATF approval to use the terms "natural" and "estate bottled" on its U.S. labels. Rated a "90" in the March 2000 Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and one of the top 2 white spirits of the '90's by the Spirit Journal and a double gold medal winner at the 2007 World Spirits Competition in San Francisco make this one of the highest rated tequilas easily available. Santa did good.
Owned by Brown-Forman (the same folks who own Jack Danial's, Canadian Mist and Korbel among others) Herradura still maintains the oldest ovens for the manufacture of tequila in Mexico.
This stuff has to fight an uphill battle with me since tequila or mescal has never treated me well and I've never really liked the taste to start with. However, Herradura gives it its best shot.
Herradura tequila is a yellowish golden brown color in the bottle reflecting the 25 months spent in wood. The nose has some floral notes along with an earthiness, mild fruit, spices and vanilla scents. Tasting revels a fairly mild smooth taste on the tip of the tongue with a sweetness along the sides. Flavors of oak are noticeable along with a slight tannic aspect. Herradura Anejo finishes with a short-to-medium duration of flavor and a slight bit of alcohol feeling.
While this will never replace bourbon in my collection it is much better then I expected and it made a killer shrimp dinner which I can easily reccomend.
Grilled Shrimp Herradura Anejo
3 lbs. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Marinate them overnight (4 hours minimum) in:
4 fl. oz. of Herradura Anejo tequila
Juice of 4 large limes
Small bunch of chopped cilantro (or parsley)
1 fl. oz. of olive oil
Zest from two oranges or tangerines
1-2 crushed dried habaneros chilis
Heaping spoonful of brown sugar or honey
2 oranges pealed and sectioned
2 limes cut into 8ths
1 Grapefruit pealed sectioned and each section cut in half.
I use long steel skewers and put 5 shrimp on each so this makes about 16 skewers total.
After marinating the shrimp, skewer with onions and cloves of garlic, chunks of oranges, limes, grapefruit and other citrus if you want.
Barbecue quickly on hot grill (until shrimp turn pink and curl slightly) or if you are inside broil on high for 3 minutes, turn and do 3 more minutes.
My Secret Santa Fatken, filled my wish of trying a good tequila and although I was only looking for a sample he sent me a whole bottle to try and convert me with.
Herradura Anejo Tequila is 100% blue Agave and aged for a full two years in white oak barrels, twice as long as required to be called "Anejo" by the Mexican Government. It is an all-natural spirit bottled on the Herradura estate without additives such as caramel and cane sugar. This earns Herradura the BATF approval to use the terms "natural" and "estate bottled" on its U.S. labels. Rated a "90" in the March 2000 Wine Enthusiast Magazine, and one of the top 2 white spirits of the '90's by the Spirit Journal and a double gold medal winner at the 2007 World Spirits Competition in San Francisco make this one of the highest rated tequilas easily available. Santa did good.
Owned by Brown-Forman (the same folks who own Jack Danial's, Canadian Mist and Korbel among others) Herradura still maintains the oldest ovens for the manufacture of tequila in Mexico.
This stuff has to fight an uphill battle with me since tequila or mescal has never treated me well and I've never really liked the taste to start with. However, Herradura gives it its best shot.
Herradura tequila is a yellowish golden brown color in the bottle reflecting the 25 months spent in wood. The nose has some floral notes along with an earthiness, mild fruit, spices and vanilla scents. Tasting revels a fairly mild smooth taste on the tip of the tongue with a sweetness along the sides. Flavors of oak are noticeable along with a slight tannic aspect. Herradura Anejo finishes with a short-to-medium duration of flavor and a slight bit of alcohol feeling.
While this will never replace bourbon in my collection it is much better then I expected and it made a killer shrimp dinner which I can easily reccomend.
Grilled Shrimp Herradura Anejo
3 lbs. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Marinate them overnight (4 hours minimum) in:
4 fl. oz. of Herradura Anejo tequila
Juice of 4 large limes
Small bunch of chopped cilantro (or parsley)
1 fl. oz. of olive oil
Zest from two oranges or tangerines
1-2 crushed dried habaneros chilis
Heaping spoonful of brown sugar or honey
2 oranges pealed and sectioned
2 limes cut into 8ths
1 Grapefruit pealed sectioned and each section cut in half.
I use long steel skewers and put 5 shrimp on each so this makes about 16 skewers total.
After marinating the shrimp, skewer with onions and cloves of garlic, chunks of oranges, limes, grapefruit and other citrus if you want.
Barbecue quickly on hot grill (until shrimp turn pink and curl slightly) or if you are inside broil on high for 3 minutes, turn and do 3 more minutes.