Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia

Ann Binlot
By

jose cuervo reserva de la familia bot enrique rosas1
Image used with permission by copyright holder
When most people think of Jose Cuervo, they think of Cuervo Gold, the mid-range tequila that we used down shot after shot of in college, the one that we would mix together with that lime green margarita salt, and pour into a glass with a salted rim. But behind the Cuervo Gold that we all know very well is Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia. Since 1795, the Jose Cuervo family has been practicing an annual ritual. They invite a select group of friends and relatives over and pull out their finest tequila from the cellar and share it with them. Two centuries later, they decided to share it with the world and put it on the market.

The master distillers achieve this fine extra-anejo tequila by taking the agave when it’s at its peak, stripping it of its bitter, outer layer. What’s left is its heart, or piña. Then, it’s made into tequila and aged in French and American oak barrels for about three years. After batches of up to 30 years old are blended with the final batch. Only 17,000 batches are released each year.

Recommended Videos

Unlike the regular tequilas you’re used to, Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia consists of a dark amber hue akin to scotch or cognac. Rich oak, toasted almonds, vanilla and cinnamon are just some of the characteristics of its flavor profile. And don’t think you’re going to add some lime juice and triple sec and turn it into a margarita. It’s meant to be savored all by itself, sipped neat or on the rocks.

A special tequila has to be sold in a special packaging, and each year Jose Cuervo chooses a Mexican artist to design its wooden box. This year, they tapped Enrique Rosas, who made a psychedelic pattern. So if you’re looking for a special Father’s Day gift for a tequila enthusiast, this is it.

For more information, visit cuervo.com.

Topics
Ann Binlot
Ann Binlot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…
This is how to make the perfect dirty martini
Making a flavorful dirty martini is surprisingly easy
Dirty Martini

In the pantheon of classic cocktails, there are few more beloved than the Martini. Sure, the Old Fashioned, Margarita, and Manhattan get a lot of love, but only the Martini is the fictional secret agent James Bond’s favorite cocktail.

Although he preferred his shaken, most bartenders will tell you that to make a Martini is better when stirred. The classic Martini is made with gin, vermouth, and an olive or lemon peel garnish. Some drinkers mistakenly believe the cocktail is made with vodka, but that would technically make it a “Vodka Martini” as opposed to a classic Martini.
A murky history

Read more
Upgrade your next barbecue with elk, the healthy red meat you should be eating
First Light Farms is raising high-quality pasture-raised elk deliverable to your front door.
cooked elk with cup

First Light Farms elk backstrap. Marilynne Bell / First Light Farms

If you're looking for a red meat alternative to beef that's delicious and packed with nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids, protein-packed elk might be the answer. A great place to get pasture-raised elk delivered is First Light Farms. This New Zealand-based company raises 100% grass-fed wagyu, venison, and, most recently, elk, all deliverable to your front door. First Light Farms sent us several of their items to try, and we interviewed them to learn all about this must-try red meat.

Read more
These are the wine regions in jeopardy due to climate change, study says
How climate change is affecting the wine world
A vineyard in the Russian River Valley between Guerneville and Healdsburg, California.

Photo by Andrew Davey Photo by Andrew Davey / Andrew Davey

Climate change is altering every aspect of the world we live in, and that's especially the case for agriculture. The wine industry continues to adapt, from making English sparkling wine to treating smoke impact from increased wildfires.

Read more