Feature Article: Trago Tequila

     There is a new player in the game of tequila production, and he goes by Trago.  Although Trago tequilas are among the newest entries in the ultra-premium tequila market, all of Trago (pronounced trah-go, meaning “sip” in Spanish) tequila is produced and distilled at Los Alambiques by Felipe Camarena, who is the son of the famous Don Felipe, who some consider the “Father of Tequila.”  The pure blue agave used in the production of their tequila is grown in the high-altitude region of Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico.  The high-altitude and superior soil found there allow for Trago tequilas to accumulate more sugars for a richer taste.  All of their tequila offerings also go through a double distillation process using both stainless steel and copper to allow the tequilas to retain more of their natural acidic properties.

     That’s all fine and dandy, but how do these “ultra-premium” tequilas taste?   Enter BoozeBasher with the answer.  The folks at Trago were kind enough to send us samples of each, and even though there wasn’t enough tequila in the samples to follow our reviewing process to produce full reviews, we got more than enough to share some tasting notes:

     After cracking open the care package from Trago, we decided to taste the products in order of price point.  With a 750ml bottle retailing for $55, the Trago Silver is the cheapest and therefore got the nod as the first tequila to be tasted.  Trago Silver is crystal-clear, actually it is so clear you might mistake it for vodka.  Its aroma is slightly peppery with deep notes of mineral, but none of the scents are overly-harsh or obtrusive.  The Trago Silver was smooth and warming as it went down.  The warming sensation was very pleasant and less harsh than you might expect from a tequila.  The taste was slightly sweet, almost buttery-sweet.  The finish is rather sharp and then dry at the same time.  The aftertaste is very light and gives you a hint of that wonderful earthy tequila taste.  It won a double gold medal at the 2007 San Fransisco World Spirits Competition in the category of “Tequila Silver,” beating out the Patron Platinum that retails for four times that of the Trago Silver.  It even compares favorably with decent reposados such as Cabo Wabo’s offering. 

      Coming in at $65 for a 750ml bottle, we tried the Trago Reposado next.  The Trago Reposado is darker than the Silver and has a gray tint with a yellowish hue.  It has a spicy, buttery smell, and you can even make out the aroma of the American oak barrel used in its aging.  The Reposado is smooth, extremely smooth going down.  There is absolutely no bite, which makes it good for tequila drinkers and non-tequila drinkers alike.  It warms the esophagus on the way down, but that warming sensation is not as strong as the Silver.  The taste is slightly woody and spicy.  It has a sweet and more complex, almost honey-like taste that is much more pleasant than any other reposado tequila we have tasted.  The finish is very dry and clean and does not linger too much on the tongue.  The experience is very refined, yet it retains a sense of the unruly nature that you would expect from tequila.  This is truly magnificent tequila that needs to be tasted by everyone, at least once.

    The final Trago to be sampled was the Añejo, which will run you a substantial $75 for a 750ml bottle.  Trago Añejo is unique in that it is aged 18 months in used American oak bourbon barrels.  The Añejo has a darker appearance than the other two, but it is substantially lighter than a traditional añejo tequila.  It’s a rich gold in color with superb clarity.  The aroma of Añejo is very intricate and simply too complicated to adequately describe.  It’s a very complex bouquet with a definite spiciness.  With the spiciness also comes a sugary, oaky bourbon scent.  All of the character and spicy aroma seem to combine in subsequent sniffs to give off a scent that actually reminds us of the cheap pink bubblegum from childhood.  It’s rather strange, but not in a negative way.  The taste of Añejo is bold and spicy yet very smooth.  Where you might expect a tequila burn, this stuff gives you a cinnamon-like tingle in your throat and then warms the esophagus as it goes down.  It has a truly amazing taste that is again nearly indescribable.  The finish is very clean and dry, but the spiciness lingers as it would with a fine bourbon.  We found the aftertaste to be fantastic, but it might be a little too bold for tequila drinkers who do not also enjoy bourbon.  We were blown away by the smoothness and complexity of this spirit.  It seems they took all the good qualities from tequila and added the woody complexities of a good bourbon.  The Añejo should be consumed neat because even ice might disturb the truly incredible flavor.  This is one of the best-tasting liquors any of us have ever consumed.  I was informed that it took home the double gold medal this year (2008) at the San Fransisco World Spirits Competition in the “Tequila Añejo” category, and I can certainly understand why.  Trago Añejo is a unique sipping experience, one that every drinker deserves to enjoy.

     All in all, the three tequilas from Trago are very impressive and can go toe-to-toe with any other tequila you will find in your local liquor store.  We should be able to do a complete review of the Trago Silver sometime next month, but we’ll have to wait awhile to get our hands on the others.  I look forward to picking up a few bottles as soon as Trago products are widely available, and I would advise you do the same! 

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