Liquor Review: Patrón Silver

     Patrón is one of the most widely known and recognized tequila brands out there.  Today we’re looking at Patrón Silver, which is produced by the Patrón Spirits Company, high in the mountains of the Jalisco region of Mexico.  The distillery is actually a hacienda that was hand-built from the materials of the region by the artisans.  The hacienda is both elegant and functional and has expanded over the years to meet the demands of the world.  Patrón is the number one exporter of 100% pure agave tequila, yet it’s still produced in small batches to maintain quality.  Like all tequilas, Patrón Silver is produced by cooking the agave “pineapple” to perfection.  Then it is macerated before fermentation.  Silver is then double distilled and fine filtered before being hand-bottled in a handmade bottle.  Every bottle passes through about 60 pairs of hands before it is packaged for distribution.  That’s a lot of hands.  I hope they were all washed too; that’s a scary thought.  Anyway, every bottle of Patrón is labeled with a unique number which makes it truly “one of a kind.”  The bottle I got was No. 28411813.  That’s a lot of bottles of tequila!  Let’s see how mine turned out, shall we?

      Uncorking this one-of-a-kind bottle unleashes a very distinct tequila aroma that is very plain and simple.  It’s pure, unadulterated tequila; nothing more, nothing less.  Patrón Silver spends no time in a barrel, so it retains its crystal clear color.  Taking that first shot, you can tell that this is a smooth tequila.  It goes down easy.  Then comes the not-so-attractive expression on your face.  The aftertaste bites and bites hard!  I also noticed a tingling, burning sensation that lingered on my tongue along with the harsh flavor.  It was a surprisingly rough and dirty tequila aftertaste.  Just to clarify, the BoozeBasher crew takes their shots at room temperature with no training wheels (no salt or lime).  Whoever came up with that rule should be shot when it comes to Silver.  When doing the drunkability of Silver I decided to use the tried-and-true “lick it, slam it, suck it” method of taking shots.  This made the whole experience significantly better.  Shooting Patrón with training wheels seriously cut back on the aftertaste and left me with a nice warming sensation all the way down.  Mixing Patrón Silver with Sprite© also turned out to be an equally good experience.  The sweetness of the Sprite© really compliments the liquor well and eases it down your throat.  Drinking Patrón this way adds some sweetness and really cuts down on that lingering burn.

    After doing my required four shots of Silver, you can bet I was fired up and ready to go.  It got me nice and drunk in no time.  I felt energetic and a little mischeivious.  I’m sure it would have had me dancing wildly on the table if I had kept going.  Luckily for those present, I was aware of what tequila could do and avoided this horrible spectacle altogether.  We’ve all heard the stories, and they are most definitely true.  I’ve spent my fair share of time dancing like a complete fool while out-of-my-mind drunk from tequila.  Luckily for me, the morning after drinking Patrón Silver was not horrible.  I suffered the usual mild headache, upset stomach, and dry mouth.  Some water and a light meal got rid of all that unpleasantness.  Going back to the upset stomach for a moment, I found my stomach quite upset after taking four shots.  I think it was something to do with that burn on my tongue, the acidity.  I’m sure the lime didn’t help either.  It wasn’t a big deal, but it’s definitely something you should take into consideration.

     Purchasing Silver will set you back about $56 for a 750ml bottle.  That seems a bit much for what you get, but it is a pretty standard price for a premium tequila.  If you’re a huge Patrón fan, it will seem well worth it for the smoothness and drunkeness it provides.  For my money, it’s Cabo Wabo all the way.  That stuff is delicious!

Shootability - 4.5

Mixability - 6.5

Drunkability - 8.0

Hangover-ability - 7.5

Bang for the Buck - 3.5

Overall - 6.5 

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