Tequila. It’s like a bad boy. You know it’s not really good for you, you blame it for the hangover that took away your entire weekend (shots at the end of the night is never a good idea), but still he turns up at the bar, tempts you, and you can’t help but succumb to his charms. Again.
You surrender to his allure, too hard and suffer the next morning. Shaky and shivery, you vow not to give in to him again.
A few weeks later, rinse and repeat.
But tequila, when drunk for itself, rather than as a shooter at the end (or indeed beginning) of a heavy night is a drink worth savouring. Even the silver, unaged tequilas can show character and flavour. So, unsurprisingly, I needed no convincing when it came to the Tequila Takeover at Revolucion De Cuba. With both El Jimador and Herradura tequilas on offer and a whole range of cocktails, it was always going to be a fun evening. Even if it did involve me wearing a giant sombrero.
No, I don’t have a picture. Honestly. I don’t.
There. Happy? Keeley wore a poncho. And no, I didn’t take a picture of her. Dammit.
Ok, so to the tequilas. First up was the El Jimador blanco – an unaged tequila, it’s rested for around 1 month after distillation, so there’s no colour to it, present in those that are aged in wood. As a result, you get a lightly sweet tequila, with hints of tropical fruit to it and a little salty smoke on the tongue. This was translated into a traditional Margarita, with a salt rim by Marcin, our mixologist for the evening.
I do love a Margarita – there’s something about the sour lime, smoke of the tequila and sting of salt on your lips that’s just heavenly.
Our second tequila was the El Jimador Reposado. This is aged for a short time – two months – in white oak casks, which gives it a light straw colour and flavour. This tequila has much more vanilla courtesy of the barrels, caramel, still that distinctive pepper and salty edge.
Before more cocktails, we were invited to try the Herradura Anejo. With two years in oak barrels, it’s had much longer than the other tequilas and it’s apparent immediately. The colour is much deeper, more the colour of a good rum or whisky and flavour wise, it’s much deeper and richer, with hints of vanilla from the oak, and a fruity marmalade hit. This was probably why it went so well with the dark chocolate we were given to sample with it.
As ever with Rum Club, there was an invitation to make cocktails. Keeley and I somewhat keen to let other people have a go, stood firmly in front of the bar to watch.
Marcin had been working hard on cocktails to treat us with as there were still three to go.
Jimador’s Kiss is long fruity and delicious. Raspberries and lime along with sweet passion fruit are mixed with the El Jimador Reposado which adds a delicious depth to it. All this fruit made it Keeley’s cocktail of the night.
Whereas I was enamoured with the Rockstar Margarita. Taking the classic and adding pineapple and black pepper to the El Jimador Reposado and Coitreau gives a great twist to this cocktail, the pepper giving a bite, that’s not harsh.
Finally, and please forgive me, there had been a fair few drinks by now and my handwriting went a little, er, illegible. This creation with cranberry juice, Tabasco and El Jimador Blanco was surprisingly good. Fruity, but with a little tickle of heat, it stayed firmly in my hand as Keeley and I wobbled back upstairs to fill our tummies with food.
As ever, Rum Club proved well worth the visit. It’s free so if you fancy learning about a new spirit, trying a few cocktails and getting behind the bar, you really need to keep an eye on the Facebook and Twitter feed of Revolucion de Cuba.
And if that’s not soon enough, then get going tonight – they’re promising one hell of a Fiesta…. And that bad boy tequila will be there…
