<\/span>As we walked in to La Hacienda to be seated we were handed a “welcome” Horchata Margarita.<\/p>\n <\/span>I’ve had this drink before at La Cava del Tequila inside the Mexico pavilion pyramid.\u00a0 It’s a little too sweet for me to drink a lot of, but this small welcome size was perfect.\u00a0 It’s a sweet, creamy, cinnamon flavored margarita made with tequila, rumchata, and fireball whiskey.\u00a0 It would make an excellent drink for the upcoming holidays.<\/p>\n <\/span>While sipping on our welcome margaritas we were lead to our seats, which had already been prepared for us.<\/p>\n \n <\/span>The San Angel Inn Tequila Ambassador, Hilda, guided us through the tequila making and (more importantly) tequila drinking process.\u00a0 Each tequila we sampled was paired with an expertly prepared Mexican dish.<\/p>\n <\/span>This lunch began, as most great afternoons do, with a shot of vodka to “cleans the palate” after the horchata margarita.\u00a0 Then it was time to get serious with the tequila.<\/p>\n <\/span>We started from the left with Jose Cuervo Reserva Blanco “white” tequila.\u00a0 Hilda told us about the tequila making process and what makes a blanco tequila different from a reposado or anejo.\u00a0 The blanco tequila is the youngest and has been aged a maximum of 2 months.\u00a0 The color is derived from the barrel the tequila is aged in, which is why the more aged a tequila is, the more dark golden color it has.<\/p>\n <\/span>The tequila samples were served in special tequila tasting glasses that allow the drinker to smell the different parts of the tequila.\u00a0 We started by smelling the top of the glass while holding it up right, then again while tilting the glass slightly, and finally while holding the glass almost horizontal (very dangerous after the first couple samples).<\/p>\n Finally time to drink!\u00a0 Hilda had us pick up a lemon peel from the table to smell before tasting the blanco tequila, then she taught us the proper way to drink tequila.\u00a0 Turns out my former method was incorrect, but still effective.\u00a0 For the blanco tequila, first you smell the lemon, then take a sip of tequila and hold it in your mouth for 4 seconds before swallowing.\u00a0 Watching everyone wince as they tasted tequila made me feel like a true alcoholic.<\/p>\n <\/span>The blanco tequila was paired with “Pulpo en Escabeche”, a dish of marinated octopus with vinegar, carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, cactus and hearts of palm.<\/p>\n This dish was my first experience with octopus and I actually quite liked it.\u00a0 It tasted very fresh and paired nicely with the tequila.<\/p>\n <\/span>Next we moved on to the 2nd tequila, the Milagro Select Reposado or “rested” tequila.\u00a0 The term “reposado” refers to a tequila that has been ages between 2 months and one year.\u00a0 With this tequila we were given a cinnamon stick to smell and help bring out the flavors.<\/p>\n This tequila was actually my favorite.\u00a0 If there is anything I have learned about flights, it’s that I love the middle one!<\/p>\n <\/span>This tequila was paired with “Crema de Cilantro”, Cilantro and serrano peppers cream, served with toasted pine nuts.<\/p>\n This was a delicious soup with just the right amount of spice.<\/p>\n <\/span>Next we tried the oldest of the 3 tequilas, the Gran Centenario Anejo, or “aged” tequila.\u00a0 This type of tequila has been aged for at least one year, though anything over 3 years is classes as an “extra anejo” (and the price tag reflects that).\u00a0 This tequila was paired with coffee beans to smell and bring out the flavors.<\/p>\n The flavor of this one was definitely a little different.\u00a0 It has a much richer flavor and texture than the blanco.<\/p>\n <\/span>With the anejo tequila we tried “Mar y Tierra”, Grilled filet mignon over roasted tomatoes, dry peppers, almonds, and sesame seeds sauces and Marinated shrimp with guajillo peppers accompanied with a cactus leaf vinaigrette.<\/p>\n![\"Horchata](\"https:\/\/magsonthemove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/image4.jpg\")
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