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Good Buy: Straight Up

by edited by Rachel Morgan

No longer are tequilas relegated to hiding behind margaritas or other cocktails. These days, tequila houses are perfecting spirits meant to be enjoyed in their purest form—sans lime, salt and the like. Naturally, we at South Jersey Magazine were intrigued and set out in search of the best of these locally available tequilas. Some are new on the spirits scene and some have firmly established themselves as classics, but all seem to have one thing in common—they have no problem standing alone.

Purist
An unaged, pure expression of tequila featuring strong agave flavors, Casa Noble Crystal is one for the books. Its hand-blown glass decanter only complements the spirit itself, while adding a certain purist aesthetic. $39.99 at Roger Wilco, 700 Haddonfield-Berlin Road, Voorhees, (856) 627-2667

Limited Edition
The limited edition Milagro Select Barrel Reserve Añejo is made from 100 percent blue agave tequila grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, and harvested at its peak, then slow roasted in clay ovens, triple distilled, and aged three years in French white oak barrels. The spirit boasts a full-bodied, sweet, oaky flavor, and its crystal bottle is hand-blown and individually numbered by Mexican glass artisans. $98.99 at Traino’s Wine & Spirits, 100 Church Road, Marlton, (856) 983-0056

Ditch the Lime
Sauza 901 Tequila is the brainchild of Justin Timberlake, former boy band front man turned A-lister and self-proclaimed tequila lover. Timberlake collaborated with well-known tequila house Casa Sauza to create the triple distilled and exceedingly smooth spirit that is Sauza 901. $29.99 at Mount Laurel Wine and Spirits, 3747 Church Road, Mount Laurel, (856) 234-1151

White Knight
Another star-studded spirit is Casamigos Tequila Blanco, the product of lifelong friends George Clooney, Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman. Their tequila, aged two months and featuring notes of vanilla, citrus and sweet agave, is fully able to be enjoyed on its own. $43.99 at Joe Canal's, 1075 Mantua Pike, West Deptford, (856) 464-8787

Young Pup
This unaged tequila has a smooth, clean taste with fresh agave aromas, notes of grapefruit, pineapple, and black pepper. Avión Silver Tequila is a balanced, smooth taste, making for a memorable experience. $41 at Rastelli Market Fresh, 710 Route 73 S., Marlton, (856) 334-8074

Tequila by Any Other Name
The Patrón brand has long been a stalwart in the tequila industry, and don’t expect that to change anytime soon. Gran Patrón Platinum is made from hand-selected, high-quality Weber blue agave plants grown in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, selected for their high sugar content, then triple distilled and aged in oak tanks. The process makes for a full-bodied, smooth citrus and oak finish—and is yet another example of what the brand does best. $189.99 at Martin’s Liquors, 3601 Route 38, Mount Laurel, (856) 235-2273

Published (and copyrighted) in South Jersey Magazine, Volume 12, Issue 5 (August, 2015).
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