Experts Share How To Pair Your Holiday Meals With Agave Spirits

Despite tequila being the preferred agave concoction, there are numerous other agave-derived beverages that you should contemplate drinking during your festive feast.

The statistics suggest that the younger crowd is turning away from wine and opting for spirits instead, with tequila being particularly popular. SevenFifty Daily reports that agave spirits, including tequila, are now more popular than American whiskey in the United States. In fact, off-premise tequila sales grew from $1.49 billion to $2.9 billion between February 2020 and February 2023. During that same period, mezcal sales spiked by 143 percent, going from $24.5 million to $59.5 million.

Why not include agave beverages in your festive meals?

At Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal, there are numerous variations available to complement a wide range of tastes.

Pairing Agave Spirits: Tips & Techniques

Carlos Soto, who originates from Costa Rica and has successfully established himself as a tequila business owner, believes it's about time we reconsider our traditional food and drink combinations during holiday seasons. He recommends we take a cue from agave-based liquors to explore new possibilities.

When it comes to planning a holiday meal, you may not initially think of tequila as an excellent beverage choice. However, according to Soto, it can be a pleasant and surprising addition to your festive occasion. If you're hosting, incorporating tequila or mezcal can offer a refreshing alternative to wine for your holiday dinner.

Soto established Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal as a component of a scholarly task while he was learning in Los Angeles. However, he did not realize that his introductory bottling would nab the Double Gold Best in Class Tequila award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Nosotros was distilled in an establishment with women at the helm, overseen by Master Distiller Citlali Ovalle. The brand went from being a new contender in an undeveloped space to getting Soto named as a finalist for the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30.

Try out various types of tequila spirits to create unique and flavorful cocktail mixtures that complement your dishes.

According to him, agave-based drinks are highly adaptable for creating cocktails. There are a plethora of cocktail options for any type of cuisine, which can lead to enjoyable conversations with your dining companions. The flexibility of these drinks allows you to pick a suitable tequila that complements the flavors in your meal. For instance, a Blanco variety with fruit and citrus undertones would pair well with salads or turkey, whereas a stronger, aged tequila would be a great match for roasted meats, savory sides, and even desserts.

Mike Moreno Jr., who is the proprietor of the famous Osito’s Tap in Chicago, suggests some great dishes for the festive season and recommends pairing them with Alma del Jaguar. It’s an eco-friendly and authentic tequila that does not contain any additives. It supports the cause of preserving the wildlife of the jaguars in Mexico.

The goal of creating Tequila Alma del Jaguar was to safeguard the existence of wild jaguars through collaboration with Master Distiller Sergio Cruz.

According to the author, Tequila can go very nicely with a range of foods typically enjoyed during the Christmas season. For example, he suggests trying out some aged cheeses, such as Manchego, to go with an aged tequila, as they can complement each other's flavors really well. Another suggestion he has is to serve tequila alongside any seafood dishes you might be having for your Christmas feast, like grilled shrimp or fish tacos. And if you really want to take things up a notch, you could even make a special tequila-lime butter sauce to give your seafood an extra burst of flavor.

You can use Alma del Jaguar Blanco to enhance the taste of roast turkey. Its fruity and citrusy notes also go well with holiday dishes that have fruit in them. Moreno suggests trying it with cranberry sauces, citrus-glazed hams, or even a fruit salad.

The Reposado tequila can make spiced desserts taste even better. You might want to try combining it with Mexican hot chocolate that has a touch of cinnamon or with a tres leches cake that has been infused with tequila. Just make sure you think about how the flavors of the tequila and the food will work together to create an even better taste. It's all about making the dining experience more enjoyable.

The charming alcoholic drink Raicilla is crafted in the mountainous region of Jalisco, Mexico.

According to Zury Guindi, who co-founded Mexa Brands, Mexican holiday meals go really well with agave spirits. Mexa Brands is a Mexican company that collaborates with small producers throughout the country to discover exceptional handmade spirits. They offer a range of tequila and mezcal options, as well as lesser-known distillates like sotol, raicilla, bacanora, and many others. They work out of Mexico City and Los Angeles.

Guindi suggests that Mexa Tequila Tahona would complement romeritos con mole excellently during the festive season. Romeritos is a type of Mexican green that shares similarities with amaranth, which is ordinarily cooked in a particular type of mole flavored with dried shrimp that imparts potent and earthy flavors. The combination is successful because the tequila begins with sweet overtones that shift to a classic bitterness concerning the agave plant, which is then completed by a smoky and earthy quality produced by utilizing the tahona procedure.

According to the author, our raicilla Flor de Piedra would complement a classic fruitcake perfectly due to its fruity flavors and pleasant scent. Additionally, on January 1st, a bowl of hot pozole paired with mezcal is an excellent way to start the day. We recommend the Mexa Ensamble of espadín and tobalá due to its well-rounded flavor and subtle spiciness from the tobalá.

Romeritos, a classic Mexican dish, is served here with succulent shrimp and a rich mole sauce atop a neutral gray background.

If you're looking for a surprising match that will go well with many holiday classics, give the Raj Mamba a try. It was invented by Rajat Parr at the Clock Bar in St. Francis Hotel, which is part of the MINA Group. The recipe is simple - pair a dry Champagne, typically Krug, with a serving of mezcal. You should drink them together, but separately.

Rajat Parr invented the Raj Mamba, a cheerful drink for the holidays that combines a glass of dry Champagne with a serving of ZOMOZ Mezcal.

He explains that Champagne is effective in cleaning the taste buds after consuming mezcal, making it a perfect combination. However, it's crucial to use only Champagne and not sparkling wine or Prosecco. He recommends ZOMOZ Mezcal as the perfect companion. Try this for your New Year's celebration and leave your guests impressed.

Dillon Keeler, who works as a bartender at Suerte in Austin, designed some cocktails to go well with food using Aguasol Tequila. This is a new brand of tequila distilled at Cascahuín (NOM 1123), a distillery run by a family. Keeler believes that tequila is a drink that should be enjoyed with good company and everything else. However, if he had to choose just one thing, he would say that it is an excellent choice to have with dessert, particularly pecan pie. He suggests that you should have it with a reposado or añejo tequila.

Aguasol donates part of its earnings to the Careyes Foundation based in Jalisco. The organization utilizes groundbreaking initiatives in the areas of education, environment, health and art to uplift the lives of twelve rural societies along the Southern Pacific shore of Mexico. It not only tastes delicious but also serves a noble cause.

Austin mixologist Dillon Keeler has created a modified version of the classic margarita that includes a hint of spiced apple cider topping. This beverage is perfect for a cozy autumn evening.

Tequila Get 1.5 ounces of either Aguasol Blanco or Reposado Tequila.

Use 0.5 ounces of Cointreau or Triple Sec.

A fluid ounce of sour, acidic liquid extracted from the small citrus fruit known as lemon.

0.5 ounces of basic syrup

A burst of autumn flavor As the leaves change color and the air becomes crisp, there's nothing quite like a warm cup of spiced apple cider. This classic fall beverage is a delicious blend of warm apple juice and a variety of flavorful spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. With just one sip, you'll feel the warmth and coziness of fall, and the comforting taste of the cider will evoke memories of cozy evenings spent curled up with a good book or gathered around a blazing fire with loved ones. Whether you choose to make your own spiced apple cider or indulge in a cup from your favorite coffee shop or bakery, be sure to savor every sip and enjoy the flavors of this sweet and spicy seasonal beverage.

Shake the ingredients vigorously, pour over new ice. Add a tiny bit of spicy apple cider at the end. Decorate with a slice of apple and stick of cinnamon.

A classic Mexican festive beverage is the Ponche Navideño, which features a spicy blend of fruit punch served hot and kicked up a notch with a generous serving of tequila.

Spend quality time with your loved ones during the holiday season by trying out a classic Mexican beverage that's guaranteed to warm you up. Tejocotes, which are also known as hawthorn apples, are a type of fruit that is popular during this time of the year. You can find them at Mexican stores, either in syrup or in their fresh form.

This recipe is enough to serve 12 people, and each portion will consist of 1 and a half cups of the dish with some fruit in it.

You will need four quarts of water for this recipe. Make sure you measure it accurately.

One cone of piloncillo (equivalent to 6 ounces of brown sugar).

Three complete star anise pods

One measure of tamarind fruit or tamarind paste (with the skin and seeds removed).

Take two tablespoons of dried hibiscus flowers.

Three pieces of sugarcane, each measuring 5 inches in length.

One and a half pounds of guavas, which equals to a total of 12 guavas.

One and a half cups of diced red apple.

One cup of pear that has been chopped up.

One container of Alma Del Jaguar clear agave liquor

To make the recipe, fill a big pot with 2 quarts of water and bring it to a boil along with cinnamon, piloncillo, star anise, cloves, tamarind and hibiscus. Allow it to boil for approximately 15 minutes until the piloncillo is completely melted, after which remove the hibiscus from the pot by straining it.

Include the remaining components and two extra quarts of water to the pan and let it cook over low heat for at minimum 45 minutes. Mix in the tequila, stir nicely and serve steaming hot in a cup with some fruit bits. Make your cups more appealing by adding a cinnamon stick and a slice of orange on top.