George Clooney is many things, a man of many talents and now, to add to his long list of successes, a purveyor of Mexico’s finest export, Tequila. Along with Rande Gerber, former model and American Businessman, and Discovery Land Company CEO & founder Michael Meldman, the three amigos set out on a mission to create ‘the best-tasting, smoothest tequila around…’ which they did. Initially, it’s hard to see the allure of tequila when even the mention of it evokes horror into the heart of anyone unfortunate enough to be standing by the bar but we no longer have to associate tequila with the last shot we ever remember taking and the ethos behind Casamigos is to enjoy a premium tequila “for friends by friends.”
Much like many premium spirits, it’s always the quality that counts. The gang recount that the brand was bourne out of their love for tequila… “On the rocks, by the shot, at times straight from the bottle.” The glamour of tequila is very much that it has the magical effect of turning you into a superhuman or giving you the most incredible amnesia but if you have the most quality agave it produces a mind-blowing, smooth and silky Casamigos Tequila. The product is made from the finest, hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agaves which are grown in the rich red clay soil of Jalisco Mexico. The tequila is then distilled in traditional pot stills and the water used is naturally filtered to ensure that the flavour is not changed. The process of making Casamigos is really an indicator into how quality their tequila’s are. The agave piñas are slow cooked for 72 hours unlike the average of 30, and are then been fermented for 80 hours compared with 48. Another winning aspect to Casamigos is that absolutely no glycerin is added which makes it free from additives and completely gluten-free and if that’s not enough, each batch is tested and approved by master distillers Clooney and Gerber.
We were lucky enough to try out the Reposado expression which is aged for 7 months, with hints of caramel and cocoa. First impressions, the bottle is elegant, sophisticated and neat, an indicator into the contents itself. There is no fuss here but something that looks incredible classy and chic on a drinks counter. Sealed with a cork, there is something reminiscent of a bottle swept up from sea vibe here which is really satisfying. When you pop the cork the first smell really does offer up the salty sea and maybe it’s because of the idea of having tequila with a pinch of salt has become so embedded into my mind but the whole feel of the bottle with the smell offers up something i’d love to run away to the beach with and enjoy straight out the bottle á la George. But I digress, first comes the salt, then comes the barrel then comes the sweet nectar of the agave. This offering is filled with intense and sweet aromas unlike a regular tequila. The first taste I try neat. What we get is smooth, delicious, without the accompaniments of salt and lime then comes the sweet caramel and the finish is fresh, botanical and almost pine like. The fire is not too overbearing at all and again more flavour, this time black pepper. So Casamigos Reposado neat is a hit, in a cocktail, we tried the Strawberry Casamigas Basil Margarita, the tequila really is the star of the show. The absence of glycerine illuminates any stickiness. The taste is silky smooth, and with the other ingredients tastes incredibly balanced and fresh.
So judge for yourself, try award winning Casamigos with friends and feel safe in the knowledge that Casamigos is brought to you by those who drink it. Just to give you an idea of how to enjoy your tequila, we’ve included some Casamigos approved cocktail recipes for you to try…
CASAMIGOS STRAWBERRY BASIL MARGARITA
1 ½ Parts Casamigos Reposado Tequila
¾ Part Fresh Lime Juice
½ Part Simple Syrup (or a bar spoon of super fine sugar)
3 to 4 Strawberries
2 to 3 Sweet Basil Leaves
Balsamic Vinegar
Shake, double strain, new ice collins glass. Top with club soda, garnish with basil
sprig and a dash of balsamic.
CASA SMASH
1 ½ Parts Casamigos Reposado Tequila
3 Lemon Wedges
4-6 Mint Leaves
¾ Part Simple Syrup
Shake, double strain over fresh ice. Garnish with mint sprig.
Casamigos Tequila is available to purchase at Selfridges and Harvey Nichols as well as online
Learn more at www.casamigostequila.com
