Celebrities put their name onto anything these days. A brand here, a brand there – it’s sometimes just all the same. It’s different when a celebrity actually creates their own product though and this is the case this week. A discerning gent by the name of Justin Timberlake is the co-founder of the tipple we recommend as we introduce to the esteemed drinks cabinet 901 Tequila.
Actor and singer Justin is a man of many talents but did you know he was a connoisseur of tequila? Well this is exactly how this tequila came about – his search for the best tequila. Of course there are many good types of tequila out there, some of which may already be part of your drinks cabinet, so why is this one different? Well it’s the first ultra premium, hand-crafted tequila in the world. It’s also co-owned by Justin Timberlake. That’s two very distinct USPs.
The Tequilera Newton distillery in Jalisco was chosen by Justin to produce the 60 year old recipe. The tequila is made from premium agave to give it the unique taste. The agave is slow-cooked at 230 degrees for 12 hours. Many a good piece of pork or beef wishes to receive the same cooking style. Once cooked, the liquid from the agave is given 72 hours for the fermentation process to bring the level of sugar (called brix level) to the precise 0.5% mark. Only now is it ready to be distilled.
The product is a triple distilled silver tequila (most are only distilled twice) which is coal-filtered before bottling. The end result is a tequila with a faint yet fiery scent. On the palate there are hints of spice developing into a smooth finish with no burn. It’s great as a sipping tequila to be enjoyed with friends. Although this is a celebrity tequila and celebrities do like to party – shots are at the discretion of the host!
Some knowledge for you to throw about – sentimental Justin named the tequila after the area code of his hometown in Memphis, USA. As for the bottle itself, it’s bold and masculine – it’s a chunky bottle that has a good weight in the hand.
901 Tequila is 40% ABV and available in 0.75l bottles from Gerry’s Wines & Spirits in London, RRP £27.95
For further details and cocktail recipes visit: www.901.com