As if we needed an excuse to drink… But hey, we’ll take it! July 24th marks National Tequila Day, so break out a bottle and let the celebration begin. Tequila is often consumed in margarita form. In fact, more than 185,000 margaritas were consumed per hour by Americans in 2008, says booze powerhouse Brown-Forman. That makes the margarita the most popular cocktail in the United States. Of course, many of these are the frozen or flavored variety, which in our humble opinion ruins the original, delicious concoction. So in honor of this holiday, take Monday off work for preventative measures, and mix up...

Senor Rio is a relatively new tequila that’s slowly expanding across the U.S. Each expression – blanco, reposado and anejo – is distilled from 100% blue weber agave cultivated in the lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Senor Rio Blanco Tequila Senor Rio Blanco is crystal clear with an intense, vegetal nose of agave. Flavors range from sweet vanilla to peppermint and spice. The mouthfeel is a bit watery, and the peppery finish is quick and clean. $45 Senor Rio Reposado Tequila Six months in white oak gives this tequila some color, plus an oaky aroma mingling with the upfront agave. Take a sip to taste...

Texas-based Republic Tequila makes a range of 100% agave, certified organic tequilas. Distilled in small batches at La Quedmada, one of Mexico’s only organic distilleries, Republic is the boozy offspring of Texan Tom Nall and a Scottish gent named Ken MacKenzie. The Republic Anejo Tequila is aged in used Jack Daniel’s barrels for 20 months, which imparts lots of color and flavor into this spirit. On the nose, the tequila is full of pepper, agave, oak and fruit. The taste is milder than the aroma, with notes of sweet vanilla blending nicely with dry oak, plus more agave and hints of...

Cinco de Mayo and tequila go together like holidays and drinking. If shooting straight tequila’s your thing, there are plenty of good ones. But if your tastes lean toward cocktails, and you want to branch out from the tried-and-true margarita, these Cinco de Mayo cocktails should do the trick. Blood Orange Margarita 1½ ounce Tequila Avión Silver ¾ ounce Cointreau Orange Liqueur 1 ounce blood orange juice ½ ounce fresh sour mix Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist. Pico de Plata 1 part jalapeno-infused Hornitos Plata Tequila* ½ part fresh pineapple juice ¼ part red pepper puree** ¼...

Espolon Blanco Tequila is a 100% blue agave tequila that’s crafted at the San Nicolas Distillery in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. The Espolon Blanco bottle is very distinctive, highlighted by Day of the Dead style graphics, complete with a skeleton riding a rooster. Espolon Blanco claims a longer agave roasting period (18-20 hours vs 12 hours) and distilling process (5 1/2 hours vs 3 1/2 hours) than the industry standard. This should result in richer, more intense flavors. Let’s taste it and find out. On the nose, Espolon Blanco Tequila is very warm, with lots of alcohol up front, plus more...

Looking for a new tequila cocktail? The Rosita is a classic, easy-to-make cocktail that combines the tried-and-true formula of spirit, fortified wine and bitters. In this case, it’s tequila, two vermouths and two bitters. The Rosita is a complex drink that goes beyond the oft-used sour or daisy template. Instead, it marries the vegetal bite of silver tequila with the aromatics of vermouth and the deep bitter notes of Campari. It’s bright, well-balanced and tasty. And since the ingredients can be found in any bar or liquor store, it’s an easy drink to try for yourself. The Rosita 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila 1/2...

Sauza Tequila just announced the introduction of Sauza Blue to the market, a tequila made from 100% blue agave. This is a big step up from Sauza’s current mixto offerings, which blend other sugars with agave plant sugars to produce the final product. Sauza Blue is made with fresh-pressed agave at its Jalisco, Mexico distillery, and it will be available in Silver and Reposado expressions. Sauza is joining other big tequila brands in bolstering their lineups, like Jose Cuervo, which recently introduced the 100% agave Cuervo Tradicional Silver to the market. With so many affordable 100% agave tequilas these days, there’s really...

Avion Anejo Tequila is the oldest expression in the Avion lineup. The Anejo is distilled in the Jalisco highlands from 100% blue agave, and then it’s aged for two years – twice the minimum age requirement for an anejo. Avion Anejo Tequila has a clear, yellowish-gold appearance that’s fairly light for an old tequila. On the nose it bursts with fresh agave, fruit and spice. Take a sip and there’s more vegetal agave, plus some mild pepper and cinnamon. Oak accents come through from the barrels, including vanilla and maple. It is exceptionally smooth on the palate, starting out sweet and finishing...

1921 Reposado Tequila is part of the lineup that also includes a Blanco, Anejo and cream liqueur. Each product is distilled in the highlands region of Jalisco, and apart from the cream liqueur, each tequila is 100% agave. The 1921 Reposado Tequila gets its light straw coloring from spending a few months aging in American oak. On the nose, its intensely floral with hints of agave and fruit. A buttery sweetness lies subtly in the background. Take a sip and taste oaky vanilla, sweet fruit and some peppery spice. Aside from the pepper notes, its very smooth on the palate with a...

Let’s kick off the weekend with some tequila cocktails. These come courtesy of Tequila Partida, a 100% agave spirit from Mexico’s Tequila Valley Region. Southern Heat 1 ½ ounces Partida Blanco ¾ ounce Cointreau 1 ounce fresh lime juice 6 slices skinned cucumber 2-3 slices jalapeno ¼ ounce simple syrup Muddle cucumber, jalapeno, lime juice and simple syrup. Add ice, tequila and Cointreau. Shake and strain over fresh ice into an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with cucumber slices. Ruby Partida 1 ½...