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AD's WSET L2 Spritual > *Agave Spirits (Tequila, Mezcal) > Flashcards

*Agave Spirits (Tequila, Mezcal) Flashcards

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1
Q

Piña is what?

A

The heart of the Blue Agave plant.

Actually, any type of Agave

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2
Q

Piña is processed to convert what to what?

A

Inulin gets converted to sugar

Fructose actually

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3
Q
  1. Name the two main ways Agave hearts are processed to produce fermentable sugars
  2. Then what happens… (2)
A
  1. The Piña is cut up and
    Steamed - either slowly in brick ovens or quickly in pressure cookers (Tequila)
    or
    Roasted (Mezcal)\
  2. It is crushed to release the sugars, the crushed agave is then flushed with water to get all the sugar.
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4
Q

Typical style of agave based spirits?

A

Bell Pepper
Vegetable
Pepper

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5
Q

When are the Piña’s typically harvested from the plant?

A

Just before it sends up a huge flowering shoot.

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6
Q

What is “Formulation”?

A

Making up the sweet liquid for fermentation

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7
Q

What is the minimum amount of Piña sugars required for Tequila?

A

51%

All the best Tequila is 100%, sometimes fermented with Piña fibres in the bottle as a badge.

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8
Q

What kind of stills are used for Tequila and Mezcal?

A

Pot or column.

Top quality (both) are double distilled in pots.
Tequilas are often made in large Pot stills
Mezcals are ——-“——- in small, sometimes homemade stills.

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9
Q

Some newly made agave spirits emerge from the still at what sort of ABV?

A

60%

Characterful

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10
Q

Why are Agave spirits rarely oaked?

A

Oak easily overpowers the agave flavours

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11
Q

The agave stores its carbohydrates in what form?

are they diabetic?

A

Inulin

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12
Q

When pressure steaming (autoclave) piña, what must one be wary of?

A

Burning the agave

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13
Q

What is the key feature of a column still producing low ABV, charcaterful spirit?

A

It’s short. Not many plates.

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14
Q

If agave spirits are oak matured, what (2) considerations are there?

A
  1. Large and old barrels to not impart too much oak

2. For a short period, allowing greater smoothness and flavour complexity

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15
Q

Abocado. What is it and why is it used?

A

A caramel colouring used to add colour to Tequila Gold, but
it also has extra ingredients to mimic the textural smoothness of oak maturation.

(Not for L2: Also applies to flavouring through maceration, essences or even a worm)

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16
Q

The range of Agave spirits are collectively known as what in Mexico?

A

mezcal

Small “m” to distinguish from pukka Mezcal

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17
Q

What’s the difference between mezcal and Mezcal?

A

mezcal is a generic name applied to agave spirits. Like “brandy”
Mezcal is mezcal made in the Mezcal region and Mezcal will appear on the label.

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18
Q

What does and mezcal and Armagnac have in common, and similarly Tequila and Cognac?

A

mezcal and Armagnac are both produced by many small producers…
Tequila and Armagnac are dominated by a few large houses.

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19
Q

Which spirit must be made from Agave Tequilana Weber?

A

Er, Tequila.

There’s a clue in the name! aka Blue Agave

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20
Q

Which of the five Mexican states that grows blue agave is the most important?
Does this state produce Mezcal or Tequila?

A
  1. Jalisco

2. Tequila (Blue agave)

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21
Q

Some Agave species reach maturity after roughly how many years?
How about Blue Agave?

A

15 to 20 years

Blue Agave only takes 7 to 10

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22
Q

Agave grown at altitude is likely to impart what to the flavour?

A

Fruitier notes

23
Q

The best Tequilas are created :

  1. being grown at what altitude
  2. in what sort of oven
  3. fermented with what
  4. distilled in what
  5. collecting the spirit at low or high strengths
A
  1. High altitude (fruitiness)
  2. Slow cooked in a brick oven
  3. Agave fibres in the fermentation formulation
  4. Double distilled in Pots
  5. Low —> characterful and warming
24
Q

Which (3) factors are most important for producing smoky, earthy, vegetal flavours in Mezcal

A

The roasting process
Addition of agave fibres in the formulation
Pot stills and low ABV

25
Q

Mezcal (until 2016) had to be made from which species of Agave?

A

Agave Augustifolio (Espadin : Spade In)
Colloquially known as espadín
…which means “sprat” in English.

26
Q

What are the differences between how mezcal and tequila are cooked?

A 
Tequila can be steamed, or baked in brick-lined ovens
Mezcal is (often) roasted in stone lined pits
27
Q

You don’t need to know this at L2… but what does mezcal mean in English?

A

Oven-cooked agave. :)

28
Q

Two glasses of tequila or mezcal. One is tastes smokey the other not. Which is the mezcal?

A

The smokey one, in all probability.

29
Q

Name the area best known for Tequila?

Name the area best known for Mezcal?

A

Tequila: Jalisco
Tequila has an “L” like Jalisco

Mezcal: Oaxaca
Mezcal has “ca” in it like Oaxaca

30
Q

From 2016, what does the new law mean (2) for mezcal production?

A
  1. Any agave can be used

2. Three new categories of mezcal based around how it’s made.

31
Q

post-2016 Mezcal

Describe (5)

A 
Any agave
Cooked any way
Crushed any way
Fermented any way
Distilled any way
32
Q

post-2016 Artisanal Mezcal.

Describe Cooking, Crushing, Fermentation and Distillation requirements.

A

Cooked in stone pits or brick ovens only
Limited types of mechanised mills for crushing
Fermentation in stone pits, wood or clay vessels and must include agave fibres.
Direct heat must be applied to metal or clay distillation pots.

33
Q 
Describe the requirements for (post-2016) Ancestral Mezcal
Cooking
Crushing
Fermentation
Distillation
A

Piñas must be roasted in pits
No mechanical mills for Crushing
Agave fibres must be used for both Fermentation and Distillation
The pot stills must be directly heated and made of clay

34
Q

What are the three new categories of Mezcal, post-2016?

A
  1. Mezcal
  2. Artisanal
  3. Ancestral
35
Q

What is a tahona?

A

Traditional tool used to crush the cooked agave - dirty great pestle really.

36
Q

Name the sub-category finishes (ages) for Tequila (5)

A
  1. Blanco (Silver) ………………unaged
  2. Joven (Gold) ………………..unaged +abocado
  3. Reposado (Aged) …………2 months in oak
  4. Añejo (Extra aged)………..12 months in oak
  5. Extra Añejo (Ultra Aged)..3 years in oak
37
Q

Name the pre-2016 sub-category finishes (ages) for Mezcal (3)

A

Blanco ……………… unaged
Reposado …………. 2 months in oak
Añejo ………………..12 months in oak

38
Q

Tequila Añejo…

What does Añejo tell you?

A

It’s had at least 12 months in oak barrels

Like Mezcal Añejo

39
Q

Tequila Extra Añejo…

What does the Extra Añejo tell you?

A

It’s had at least 3 years in oak barrels.

40
Q

Tequila Reposado…

What does Reposado tell you?

A

It has been aged for at least 2 months in oak

Like Mezcal Reposado

41
Q

Tequila Joven / Ora…

What does Joven or Ora tell you?

A

No oak ageing at all.

Just a bit of colouring and some abocado to soften and make it taste like it’s been oaked.

42
Q

Tequila Blanco…

What does Blanco tell you?

A

It’s a white Tequila that has no oak ageing and no abocado.

43
Q 
Mezcal Blanco (Joven)...
What does the Blanco tell you?
What does Joven suggest?
A

It’s has no oak ageing
(The same as Tequila)

If it’s got Joven on the label it was bottled in 2016 or before.

44
Q

Mezcal Reposado…

What does Reposado tell you?

A

It’s had 2 months in oak

like Tequila

45
Q

Mezcal Añejo…

What does the Añejo tell you?

A

It has had 12 months in oak

Just like Tequila

46
Q

** Not needed for L2 ** (for some reason)
Post-2016, Mezcal’s new classes attracted 6 new finishes.
Name them

A
  1. Blanco - white, unaged
  2. Reposado - matured in wood (not necessarily oak) for between 2 and 12 months
  3. Añejo - matured in wood for a minimum of 12 months
  4. Madurado - matured in glass bottles (well, big flagons)
  5. Distilado - Redistilled with fruits, grains or raw meats.
  6. Abocado - Macerated, flavoured or with a worm added after distillation.
47
Q

What might you expect from a quality white Tequila?

texture, flavours

A

Beyond ‘pronounced’… and it’s called “Pungent”
Herbaceous , Green Bell Pepper on the nose
Same again on the palette but add White Pepper. Dry.
Bit warming

48
Q

A short spell in large oak vessels imparts what to agave spirits?

A

Smoothness and flavour complexity

49
Q

How do producers fake maturation (2) in Gold Tequila?

A
  1. Fake colour using caramel

2. ‘Abocado’ to mimic smooth texture

50
Q 
post-2016 Mezcal. 
Cooking method:
Crushing:
Fermentation equipment:
Distillation equipment:
A 
Post-2016 Mezcal
Cooking method: Any
Crushing: Any
Fermentation: Any
Distillation: Any
51
Q 
post-2016 Ancestral Mezal. 
Cooking method:
Crushing:
Fermentation equipment:
Distillation equipment:
A

Ancestral Mezcal:
Cooking method: Only roasting pits
Crushing: non-mechanical
Fermentation equipment: Stone pits, wood or clay vessels … with agave fibres
Distillation equipment: Directly heated Clay Pot stills … with agave fibres

52
Q

Where Tequila has been aged. What are they? Name the month’s duration?

A

Aged Tequila:
Reposado…… 3 months
Añejo…………. 12 months
Extra Añejo…. 36 months

53
Q

Pre-2016 aged Mezcal terms and ageing time (months)

A

Pre-2016 Aged Mezcal:
Reposado…… 2 months
Añejo…………. 12 months

Think “me2cal” to get the Reposado

There are only 2 categories - 2 months for Reposado vs. 3 for Tequila

AD's WSET L2 Spritual (13 decks)

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