In the 16th century, tequila was invented. It is made from the agave pinas plant, which has been fermented. The city of Tequila, Mexico, is where the original tequila was distilled. Jalisco native Don Pedro Sanchez de Tagle is credited with the first large-scale production of the beverage.
Don Cenobio Sauza, the founder of the Sauza Tequila, brought this indigenous drink to the United States in the early 1900s. Following this declaration, Mexico’s federal authorities in 1974 proclaimed Tequila a national intellectual property. More than 2,000 companies now produce tequila in various parts of the globe. According to tradition, no flavorings were allowed to be used in the original Tequila made from Agave nectar.
Anejo Vs. Reposado
Anejo and Reposado are two different types of tequila. Anejo is aged longer than Reposado. Reposado is aged for only two months to a year, while Anejo is aged for up to three years.
“Anejo” signifies “aged” or “vintage” in the literal sense. After years of research and development, ultra-aged tequila was debuted in 2006. It is common for anejo to be aged for between one and three years. Small barrels from whiskey or bourbon distilleries are used to store it. It has a darker hue.
However, Reposado, which means rested, is the opposite. Two to a year is the typical length of time that this Tequila is matured. It is kept in oak barrels from Canada and France, which are prized. A total of twenty thousand liter barrels are used to store them.
What exactly is Anejo?
This term in Spanish means “aged or vintage,” and anejo refers to it. It has been around for a long time, just as its name suggests. Tequila’s production takes a long time. The agave plant is used to produce tequila. The fibers of the agave pina are first shredded so that the sugar may be removed.
A solution of water and agave sugar is produced at the conclusion of the extraction procedure. Then, the fluid is heated to turn it into sugars that can be metabolized by yeast. Hydrolysis is used to carry out this procedure.. Inulin, a complex sugar, is broken down into fructose and glucose throughout this six-hour process.
After this, stainless steel tanks are used for anaerobic fermentation. Yeast and nutrients are also included in the mix. The next step is distillation, which removes the water from the agave juice. Tequila is found in the second round.
This beverage has been filtered to remove any contaminates. Here we have what’s called a “silver” tequila, since it’s clear and flavorful without being tinted or flavored. It is brown in tone, but the Anejo is a darker shade. This is due to the fact that Tequila is aged after it is distilled. Anejo is aged for up to three years, which gives it a unique taste.
What is Reposado, and how is it made?
The Spanish term for “rested” is “reposado.” Unlike Anejo, it is aged for a shorter period of time, often between two and one year. Storage in barrels for some time is used to mature the Tequila.
The various elements of wood that give Tequila its aroma and flavor are absorbed throughout the maturing process. New chemicals and oxidation are generated as a result of Tequila’s interaction with hardwood barrels.
Oak casks or barrels are used to age Reposado Tequila. Like Anejo, Reposado may be held in barrels with a maximum capacity of six hundred liters; unlike Anejo, Reposado can be stored in any barrel. As a result, it is often kept in barrels with a volume of around 20,000 liters. Because it is aged in oak barrels, it has a little oak taste, and because it is aged for a shorter period of time, it has a yellowish tint.
Difference Between Anejo and Reposado
- Anejo refers to a vintage or aged product. Resting is a another word for Reposado.
- Reposado is aged for only two months to a year, while Anejo is aged for up to three years.
- Smaller barrels are used to age anejo. These can hold up to 600 liters of liquid. The barrels for Reposado may be as big as twenty thousand liters in capacity.
- When contrasted to Reposado, Anejo has a darker brown tint. Unlike the former, the latter has a pale-yellow tint.
- Due to its extended aging period, Anejo has a more nuanced flavor than Reposado. Reposado, on the other hand, has a more subdued wood flavor.
Conclusion
It’s possible to get two different kinds of Tequila. The one that is made solely from agave plant extract, for example. There are others who have flavored the dish. Agave extract must make up at least 51% of the final product, according to rules. This beverage is further subdivided into five varieties based on these criteria.
Blanco tequila, often known as silver tequila, is a kind of transparent tequila. It isn’t aged and is packaged immediately after distillation. In addition, it is the purest type of Tequila since it has not been matured.
In Spanish, the term “joven” refers to someone who is under the age of 30. The gold Tequila is Joven tequila. The flavoring components give it its hue, which gives it the name “blueberry.”
Tequila that is matured in oak barrels under Mexican government regulation is known as reposado tequila. There are no restrictions on how long it may be aged. It has a golden hue to it as well. Tequila that has been in the barrel for a year or more is called anejo. Only around 600 liters of Anejo may be stored legally in Mexico, according to the government. One of its most popular varieties is the Extra Anejo tequila, which has been aging for the longest period of time of all the others.