Booze clues

Good news for folks who like all those fruity vodkas and rums that make cocktails taste like Life Savers: The Mexican government passed a law on March 7 that finally allows tequila makers to add fruit flavorings.

Purists will moan that it’s the end of an era, time to say adios to what was the last unadulterated spirit. Realists will counter that flavored tequilas were inevitable—and may increase awareness of the agave-based liquor.

It didn’t take long for new products to make it across the border: A few fast-acting companies have managed to get their bottles into bars and stores here in New York—just in time for margarita season. Milagro is selling Limn (actually lime) and Mandarina (orange). Jose Cuervo offers Oranjo, Citrico (another way to say lime) and Tropia (pineapple and coconut). And a few other companies—including Tukys and Herradura—plan to introduce their own adaptations of the spirit later this year.

None of these bottles are geared for lovers of tequila’s complexity; they’re made for cocktail fans hoping to consume something smooth, sweet and simple. That said, they still have to adhere to strict laws implemented by Mexican officials to ensure consistent quality.

For example, you can’t just squeeze agave nectar into a bottle and slap a fancy label on it. The Tequila Regulatory Council mandates that the stuff be made of at least 51 percent agave and come from specific regions (like Jalisco). Until recently, adding flavors, even 100 percent natural ones, was verboten. A few companies found a way around the law by importing unaged blanco tequila and blending the extracts here in the USA—but it was no longer technically tequila. In fact, it was usually cloying crap.

Both Milagro and Cuervo have wisely chosen to debut with lime and orange flavors, which are key components in the margarita—now said to be the most popular cocktail in the United States. But challenges abound: It’s tougher to pair fruit flavors with tequila, which has an inherently vegetal, earthy flavor, than with vodka (which is neutral) or rum (which is sweet). More to the point, what other drinks can you make with flavored tequilas anyway? Some possibilities, according to marketing hopefuls, are flavored shots and mojitos—the perennially trendy cocktail normally made with rum.

Despite the similarities of the product lines, the two companies take very different approaches. The sticklers at Milagro ($25 for a 750ml bottle) use 100 percent agave, an admirably traditional and expensive undertaking. The mavericks at Cuervo ($19 for a 750ml bottle) add sugarcane. Both companies marry a variety of citrus extracts—not just lime—to reduce tartness and add natural sweetness to their lime-flavored tequila. But only Milagro’s tastes truly limelike; Cuervo’s is much sweeter and gives off a strong whiff of grapefruit. The differences are less pronounced in the orange tequilas.

I recommend Milagro’s tequilas for anyone who likes the taste of tequila—the agave flavors, the real deal. Cuervo is a good choice for potential converts from rum. Fans of peach, strawberry, apple and blueberry flavors are advised to stick with vodka. Or Life Savers.