If you’re not an avid tequila drinker, you might not know what joven tequila is. If your only experience with tequila is un-aged blanco tequila in shot form (with lime and salt), you’ve probably never even heard of joven tequila. Or perhaps you think it’s a brand. Well, it’s not. It’s a style of tequila.
Don’t feel bad if you don’t know much (if anything) about joven tequila. I’ve been writing about alcohol for almost twenty years, and it took a long time (and a lot of tequila samples) to learn about the different types of tequila, their definitions, and what they taste like.
But before we get into that, it’s essential to give a little background on tequila itself. This popular spirit is distilled from the heart of the Blue Weber agave plant. It’s similar to bourbon, which can only be made in the US. Tequila can only be made in Mexico. But, unlike bourbon, which can be made anywhere in the US (including DC and Puerto Rico), tequila can only be made in Jalisco and a handful of other surrounding states.
According to the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) classification system, there are five main categories of tequila. They are blanco (also known as silver and can be unaged or lightly aged), reposado (aged between two and eleven months), añejo (aged for at least a year, but no more than three), extra añejo (matured for three or more years), and joven. While we could get into all the different types, today is all about joven.
What is joven tequila?
Also referred to as “gold” tequila (similar to rum), joven tequila is one of the most complicated tequila styles. While the other main types are straightforward, joven has two definitions and two very different tequilas. And you have to be careful about which one you buy.
- Since joven means “young” in Spanish, one version is a young or unaged blanco tequila blended with an older, aged tequila like a reposado or añejo tequila. This is the version most drinkers would like to purchase. If you don’t research or look closely at the label, you might spend your hard-earned money on the other, less desirable version.
- The other definition is more divisive. It’s a blanco tequila with flavors or colors added to give it a golden hue. Also known as a mixto, it’s often not made with 100% Blue Weber agave.
How do you drink it?
Like any tequila, joven is enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or used as the main ingredient in any number of cocktails. A favorite of bartenders and drinkers alike, it’s well-known for its versatility. Because of its subtle, sweet, balanced flavor profile, it’s also a great choice for tequila beginners.
Due to part of the blend being matured, it has a much more complex flavor profile than a simple, potentially unaged blanco tequila. It has a nice mix of clean agave flavor and the barrel-aging flavors (as long as you didn’t buy the mixto version) of the matured tequila.
What does joven taste like?
For most of us, we’ve come to the most crucial part—the taste. Before we move in, it should be noted that I’m talking about the well-made, nuanced joven made with a mix of blanco and mature tequilas. Not the underwhelming mixto gold tequila.
Since it’s a mix of young and old tequilas, a high-quality joven has a balanced, multi-layered flavor profile perfect for new tequila drinkers. It’s an approachable flavor profile that features a variety of flavors, including fresh, sweet, vegetal, roasted agave, orchard fruits like apple and pear, vanilla beans, citrus flavors like lemon peel, grapefruit, and tangerine, spices like cracked black pepper, and oaky wood. It’s well-known for its delicate, mellow finish.
Joven tequilas worth trying
We have a few choices if you want to get into joven tequilas (and you don’t want to purchase some lesser-quality mixto expressions mistakenly). Great examples include:
- Casa Dragones Joven – $279.99
- El Negocio Tequila Joven – $153.99
- Don Julio Alma Miel Joven Tequila – $99.99
- Libelula Tequila Joven – $29.99
Add one or more of these versatile, mixable, sippable tequilas to your home bar. Better yet, take a trip to your local tequila retailer and ask someone who works there for some advice on the expression you should add to your home bar cart.
Bottom line
Before you head to your local liquor retailer to pick up a bottle of joven tequila, be sure to educate yourself about the two different types. Make sure you find a bottle that doesn’t have caramel color and other flavors. You want your joven tequila to be made with 100% Blue Weber agave and to be a blend of blanco and matured tequilas. That alone is where the color and flavor should come from. That is, unless you want a lower-quality, mixto tequila behind your bar. That’s up to you.
