Forgive me dear readers for prefacing this posting with a bit of commentary:  As a Texas girl, I am all too familiar with the insnane notion of “slamming” tequila.  Regardless of the brand, some poor souls feel the only way to ingest tequila is by throwing their head back and downing a “shot” in one very fast take.  If you are sampling a tequila like Patron or this Jose Cuervo limited edition and slam them, then you deserve to be thrown in a tub of drunken worms.

Jose Cuervo limited edition tequila.

Tequila should be chilled — this does not mean that you allow the bartender to slam it mercilessly in a shaker with ice cubes because all that will do is give you crystal shards of ice when you are trying to sip your tequila.   The tequila should be gently swirled amongst some cubes and then sipped at a moderate pace.

Practice your sipping skills because this autumn, Jose Cuervo is releasing a limited edition 250 Aniversario Tequila.  In anticipation of this milestone, experts at Jose Cuervo planted blue agave on the same land that was part of the original charter issued by King Carlos of Spain in 1758.

Jose Cuervo 250 Aniversario is a 100 percent blue agave Extra Añejo Tequila blended from the most select tequilas in the family’s reserve and aged in a unique double-cask method. The best of these Extra Añejos, aged in toasted new American Oak barrels for a minimum of three years, were selected by the master distiller and blended together to achieve a superior tequila. The distinctive blend was then finished for 10 months in Sherry casks originating from Spain. The decanter was inspired by the original glass bottle first used by Jose Cuervo to ship Tequila to towns throughout Mexico. Each comes packaged in elegant oak gift box and will have its sequential number etched into the glass, certifying the product’s rarity and authenticity.

Priced at $2,250.

~ Raine Devries

Not too long ago it was rare to meet those who considered themselves connoisseurs of tequila — a drink known more for body shots and the

1800 Tequilla Select Silver

occasional blackout. However, with the recent openings of tequila-only bars on East Coast and West, The Age of Agave could be upon us.

Enter 1800 Select Silver, a partially aged and double-distilled firewater that is the only 100-proof silver tequila in the world. Smooth on the way in, it fills the taste buds with fruit-tinged agave flavor before a soft finish. In fact, being easy to imbibe and 25 percent stronger than other silvers, in the wrong hands it could be too good — it is, after all, still tequila.

It is also the world’s only tequila to come with a ManCave. Until August 15, you can throw your name in the sombrero at www.1800tequila.com/mancave, and get a shot at winning $10,000 to create the ultimate hangout spot. Even though it’s called a cave for men, we’ve met more than a few women hale enough to send us packing when the tequila flowed, so anyone should feel free to enter. And if you win, don’t be surprised if we ask to come over…

Tres Generaciones tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave in Jalisco, Mexico. It’s been around for awhile – hence the name – but it’s now proud to have a new bottle design, with inspirations that cover everything from three medallions that represent the three family generations to the artisans rendition of beaten metal on the top of the bottle that represents traditional Mexican art and craftsmanship.

The tequila itself is triple distilled and based on three generations of wisdom grown from running a family business, and it’s said to be smooth and clean with a slightly spicy finish.

The new bottle design is also clean and classic, and seems to perfectly showcase the three available flavors of Anejo, Plata, and Reposado.