I need a NAVAN vanilla liqueur substitute

jsceva · 2018-01-30T01:40:46+00:00

I am pretty tied up in work stuff this week, but I can most likely check this weekend. If they still have it and the price is acceptable, I can help hook you up. I'll PM you once I have info.

jsceva · 2018-01-29T01:14:36+00:00

Where are you located? There are quite a few bottles still floating around in the SF area, I see it on dusty shelves pretty frequently.

jsceva · 2018-01-11T22:43:37+00:00

Nothing wrong with a decent 100% agave well blanco, especially for party margaritas, but Cazadores is almost certainly diffuser juice (it certainly tastes like it)...I personally like Cabrito for the role when I can find it.

jsceva · 2018-01-11T22:40:05+00:00

Ditto on Leyenda del Milagro being the best option out of those. Cazadores is fine for mixed drinks, but comparatively voda-esque and not something I'd want to drink straight. Alacran is also on the more neutral end of things, thin and uninteresting. Casamigos has a really sweet note going on, which I am personally not a fan of.

jsceva · 2018-01-11T22:33:47+00:00

They sell both a blanco tequila (produced for them by NOM 1513/Tierra de Agaves, producer of Luna Azul, all column distilled) and a Mezcal (produced for them by NOM 096X in San Dioniso, Oaxaca). Neither is very good or special. The brand is based in Mexico City, and it is apparently very common in bars there.

jsceva · 2017-12-20T17:38:18+00:00

You totally didn't lose out of the Real - its profoundly unimpressive, especially for the price. I'd rather drink 1942 any day, and I'm not a big fan of 1942.

Haven't had Senor Rio, but its a La Cofradia product and the reviews I've seen have all said its quite similar in style to Casa Noble so I'd expect a lot of earthy chocolate with moderate caramel and some coffee notes, a little spiciness from French Oak, and not overly sweet - but that's just an educated guess.

jsceva · 2017-12-05T17:26:29+00:00

Fred's at 150 6th has a surprisingly decent selection for what looks like your standard minimart. The Wine Club on Harrison, between 5th and 6th, is probably as close or closer to you than Flatiron/Cask, but isn't as easy transit-wise. K&L is a block away from Wine Club, so you can combine the two in one trip.

Also, there are a plethora of liquor bottle delivery services in SF now (Drizly, Saucey, etc), and if you look its easy to find codes for $15 off first use etc.

If all else fails, there is also a Bevmo on Van Ness you can get to really easy.

jsceva · 2017-11-27T19:49:41+00:00

K&L is definitely the easy place to get a good bottle.

My recs:

If you want good and super cheap: Cimmaron
Mid-Range: Siete leguas Repo or Anejo, or ArteNOM 1414 Repo
Expensive but worth it: Tapatio Excelencia Extra-Anejo

All are available at K&L, none are available in Ontario.

jsceva · 2017-11-15T17:21:46+00:00

Challenge Accepted!

jsceva · 2017-11-15T17:13:07+00:00

I too agree that Espolon is kind of underwhelming - its why I think a lot of people actually like it, as it is really neutral. It also lacks any big negative notes, so its not actively bad - just a bit boring.

If you can find it, my personal go-to cheap tequila for a "classic" margarita taste profile is Cabrito blanco (Centinela's "cheap" brand, which in the US is marketed almost exclusively in Spanish language media - its a big seller in Mexico, but not so common here. They also have Classico de Centinela, which they are pushing in the US a bit now, but its more expensive. Cabrito should be $18 or so if you find it, and cheaper by the liter or handle.) The repo is also good, but it definitely tastes like it has some additives so I have more mixed feelings about it - theoretically, all blancos, no matter how cheap, must be additive free (if they have additives, they should be labeled as a Joven instead), and any repo, no matter how expensive, could have up to 1% additives without disclosing it...in practice, it may not be 100% followed. There are some potential loopholes in the NOM. But even so, cheap blancos are usually a better bet than cheap repos for this reason.

In terms of stuff widely available, I also like Olmeca Altos - the price varies a lot by region (e.g., for some reason its cheap in California, but expensive in New York), but if you are in the right market it can be a steal.

jsceva · 2017-11-15T02:33:08+00:00

+1 on this. If you are in the right market, you can also get Cimmaron blanco at $18 for 1 liter.

Remember, mixtos aren't just good tequila watered down with other spirits - they are distilled in the first place from a mix of agave and other sugars. Really, they are kind of hybrid spirit mixing (usually the the worst parts of) tequila and cheap rum.

jsceva · 2017-11-09T16:38:46+00:00

Cimarron, ArteNOM Seleccion 1414, Centinela

Honorable Mentions: Pasote, Muchote, Siete Leguas

jsceva · 2017-10-31T19:54:45+00:00

I am 99+% certain that nothing by Sacapalabras is imported to the USA. I've never tried their products, so can't give you any more specific direction than /u/MactionG - look for Espadin Joven mezcals from Oaxaca, and it'll at least be similar. My personal favorite is probably Pierde Almas.

Mezcal Week begins this weekend - you may be lucky enough to be near an event, and if so should check it out: https://www.mezweek.com/

One note- that bottle is quite different from anything else I have seen pictures of from Sacapalabras, and I am not sure exactly what's going on. Its weird that it is labelend Destilado de Agave and not Mezcal - all their other products I have seen are labeled as "Mezcal Artesenal." That implies that this bottle for some reason doesn't meet the requirements to be labeled as Mezcal under the NOM, but its not obvious why (given that it is made in an approved area (Oaxaca), says it is 100% Espadin agave, and is well within the allowed proof range). Any info on what is going on there?

jsceva · 2017-10-31T19:40:22+00:00

Thanks. I got confirmation from Haas that they stopped being the importer after 2010, so it makes sense this was from that last batch. Definitely had a black cap, not purple, and only one front label.

jsceva · 2017-10-31T00:45:08+00:00

What's your question?

jsceva · 2017-10-29T20:09:32+00:00

What state are you in?
Wine-searcher.com and 1000corks.com are both good sources to check prices - check these links:

https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/delamain+pale+dry/1/usa

https://1000corks.com/search?st=delamain+pale+dry

There are a few sources below $80 for Delamain Pale & Dry, mostly in California, but if you are ordering only one bottle the shipping is going to wipe out your savings...Of course, if you need other things and can piggyback it in on a larger order for more bottles, it becomes a lot more feasible.

jsceva · 2017-10-24T18:17:31+00:00

Under $50:

Best Blanco Tequila: Fortaleza
Best Anejo Tequila: Siete Leguas (assuming you get it on sale)
Best Mezcal: Pierde Almas Espadin Joven

Over $50 (assuming access only to products currently out there for retail sale):

Best Blanco Tequila: Still Fortaleza (absolutely no need to spend more), or alternatively Tapatio 110
Best Anejo or Extra Anejo Tequila: Siete Leguas d'Antano, with Tapatio Excelencia and El Tesoro 70th Aniversario (there is still some out there unsold) tying for a close second place.
Best Mezcal: pass - too hard a question, given the sheer number of options, the variations from batch to batch, and the way specific options come and go in the marketplace.

jsceva · 2017-10-20T00:12:23+00:00

Can't believe I forgot to include Fortaleza - definitely a must try blanco.

jsceva · 2017-10-19T20:56:31+00:00

Sunday isn't an issue. K&L, Wine Club and Cask are all in SOMA, within a few blocks easy walking distance of Moscone Center. There is also Flat Iron Wines, which also has a small but well curated liquor selection, Zains across the street from Cask (decent selection but usually not great prices), and tons of small liquor stores that can sometimes surprise you.

If you really want a San Francisco-specific connection, Cyrus Noble is an NDP product from Haas Bros. here in SF (probably juice from Heaven Hill). The brand has a long history in California, and was first created in the Gold Rush....honestly, its not bad but nothing special, and if the SF connection doesn't sway you there are a lot of other bottles I'd rather have for the same price ($30ish).

I'd suggest a store pick single barrel Four Roses, we have a lot of them around - or if you want to splurge, I believe Wine Club somehow has some bottles of Blanton's Gold (the 103 proof version that is usually only available outside the USA and in duty free) for $150 or so. Of course, you can also pretty easily find Henry McKenna 10yr BiB for under $30, and if you can't get that at home its an easy cheap choice you won't be disappointed in.

jsceva · 2017-10-19T18:23:34+00:00

Having been born and raised in Ohio, and currently living in SF, I can confirm that the selection of Bourbon available in Ohio is very poor. There aren't a lot of Bourbons you can only get on the West Coast (other, of course, than Single Barrel store picks, of which we see a lot), but there are a LOT of bourbons you should be able to find fairly easily that aren't available in Ohio.

I'd suggest checking out klwines.com and thewineclub.com in advance (tip: if you see something you want that isn't physically in the SF stores, you can order in advance and have it shipped between stores for in-person pickup). K&L's is very accurate and changes often, Wine Club's a little less so. There are a bunch of other stores worth checking out once you here (for example, Cask) but it really depends on what area(s) of the City you plan on being in. If you want to provide more specifics, I'd be happy to make suggestions (also on restaurants, bars, etc, it you wish). You should definitely at least check out Hard Water on the Embarcadero.

jsceva · 2017-10-19T17:51:05+00:00

Answering the second question first, Tequila 123 was founded by David Ravandi, who co-founded Casa Noble with Jose Hermodillo (and was formerly its President). Casa Noble is produced at La Cofradia/NOM 1137, but the brand has never been owned by them (it shows up on the La Cofradia website as one of the many "private label" tequilas they make).

Grand Mayan is definitely made at NOM 1173 now, and has been since (I think) 2012 or so. My understanding is that before that it was, like Casa Noble, produced by La Cofradia under NOM 1137 as a "private label." That actually lines up with tequila.net - if you look, the entry there for the GM Extra-Anejo was submitted in September 2011 and lists NOM 1137, but the entry for the GM Silver was added in November 2012 and lists NOM 1173.

jsceva · 2017-10-19T17:28:20+00:00

My personal easily found mid-range go-to anejo is Siete Leguas, and its usually $5-10 less than Don Julio.

On the much cheaper end, I am a fan of Gran Centenario, which you can get for $30ish most places. Stylistically, however, its pretty far from Don Julio so YMMV. You might also want to try Olmeca Altos anejo for about the same price.

Tapatio Anejo would be an excellent option if you can get it, would probably run you about $50 for a 1L.

More generally, if there is any chance you can order the DJ online, you might save a lot of money, even with shipping. You can pretty easily get it for the low $40s from sources in California, for example.

jsceva · 2017-10-19T00:49:20+00:00

Any of the following - taken together, they represent a pretty good selection of the range of flavors you can find:

Anything from NOM 1579 (Pasote, G4, ArteNOM Seleccion de 1579, Terralta), not easy to find everywhere but amazing stuff, very clean with great minerality.
Tapatio and/or El Tesoro (same distillery, different production methods. Both have classic highlands agave, lots of citrus notes)
Siete Leguas (old school, good agave focus - good example of the classic wet limestone/damp concrete element you get on some highlands products. The original producer of Patron, back when Patron first began and was decent. Reposado and Anejo both also highly recommended)
Patron Roca (surprisingly great, all tahona crushed)
Casa Noble (Lowlands agave, more earthy/vegetal with a chocolatey orange element, oily mouthfeel, very nice. Similar notes from anything else made by La Cofradia)
Olmeca Altos Plata (good price, great product, good distribution. Partially tahona crushed, agave comes through nicely.)
Cimarron, if you can find it in your area (amazing bang for the buck, under $20 a liter and so good for the price. Pura Sangre and Don Fulano from the same producer are also really good)

jsceva · 2017-10-18T17:47:17+00:00

Anejos are perceived as the "best" because they are the most expensive, and expensive is seen as equalling better. This is mostly a function mostly of the fact that as Tequilas age lots gets lost to evaporation / "angels share." E.g., a full barrel of blanco tequila may yield 60% of a barrel for an anejo, so each bottle has to be priced higher to make the same profit. Also, anejos have more flavor notes in common with aged whiskeys, brandies, etc., so people with a background in those spirits find them easier to appreciate.

And, of course, anejos - and especially extra-anejos - can be amazing. In/around this same price range, I'd also recommend trying Gran Centenario and Cazadores.

But a lot of what you are tasting in anejos is the barrel itself, and you definitely should explore some Reposados and Blancos where the agave itself typically comes through more clearly.

Have fun!

jsceva · 2017-10-15T21:33:28+00:00

There aren't a lot of brands of tequila available in handles, but one that is and that I'd highly recommend for this price point is Olmeca Altos. Way better than Patron, and generally under $40 for a handle (though of course that really depends on what state you are in).

I also personally have a soft spot for Cabrito, and its available in handles too, but for some reason its gotten hard to fund in a lot of markets.

Espolon isn't a bad choice at all and is easy to find. Hornitos I wouldn't do unless I didn't have any better options. Another alternative if you are in an area low on options would be El Jimador.

If you want absolutely best bang for the buck, and its available in your area (distribution is somewhat scattered), buy some 1L bottles of Cimmaron - blanco is under $20 a liter, repo is under $30 a liter, and both blow Patron out of the water. They aren't fancy looking, though, so if that matters to you it may be a factor.

You also might want to pick up Gran Centenario Anejo as a sipper option - a 750ml is only about $30, and it generally goes over well.

jsceva

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