What are your favorite tequila books?

March 14, 2008 5:41 PM

I'm a whisk(e)y drinker stepping into the world of tequila, and I need some good reading.

I love the Regans' The Book of Bourbon and Michael Jackson's Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch -- books that have background and history as well as tasting notes. Is there a definitive book for tequila? What are your favorites?

posted by amb to Food & Drink (2 answers total)

Tequila Lover's Guide to Mexico: Everything There Is to Know About Tequila Including How to Get There

The author, a wine maker from Sonoma, CA, and author of the Jake Lorenzo wine columns, has written a first-rate guide to tequila, lighthearted but filled with useful information for the tequila lover. In the first part, which considers the history and manufacture of tequila, the author presents some of the misconceptions about this increasingly popular drink. In the second part, on tastings, Cutler presents a tasting chart that is in some ways similar to a wine-tasting chart and then gives details on many different brands of tequila. The last part is on travel to the tequila country around Guadalajara, with information on hotels and restaurants. Cutler explains how to contact the distilleries to arrange for tastingsAnot yet as simple as in the Napa Valley wine country. The section on basic Spanish phrases has many errors, but not serious ones.

The Book of Tequila: A Complete Guide

All that is involved in producing and consuming Mexico's favorite liqueur can be found in The Book of Tequila. Beginning with a detailed look at exactly what tequila is, including the two types (100 percent agave and mixto) and seven kinds, Emmons, who has studied the subject for many years, describes the process by which tequila is made, its history in Mexico, and individual tequila distilleries and U.S. importers and offers instructions on how to organize a tequila tasting. He also gives a sampling of tequila recipes and cocktails as well as devoting a chapter to the margarita. Libraries with such titles as Ann and Larry Walker's Tequila (Chronicle, 1994) or Lynn Nusom's The Tequila Cook Book (Golden West, 1993) will find that they focus more on recipes and cocktails while Emmons's book offers more of an overall view. Recommended for libraries with an interest in the subject or needing a good general tequila source. Pacult, who is the founding editor of the first newsletter dedicated to the review of distilled spirits, draws upon his official collection of tasting notes, ratings, and reviews to create this compendium of over 1200 liquors. Each section of the book is arranged by a specific type of spirit, liqueur, or fortified wine and includes a bit of historical background, practical information, and a description of the spirit, the process of distillation or production, and what to look for in the individual spirits. Information on the most famous producers is occasionally given as well. Single-paragraph reviews of each spirit include a rating (from one to five stars) and an indication of its cost, while appendixes list the individual spirit categories by ratings. Written with verve, style, and wit, this book is comparable to taking a tour through the world of distilled spirits as given by an informed, knowledgeable guide.

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posted by B(oYo)BIES at 5:49 PM on March 14, 2008

Chef Rick Bayless gives his endorsement to the "Book of Tequila" linked above, and even though it's not a book, I highly recommend checking out the Tequila episode of Bayless' "Mexico -- One Plate At a Time" series.
posted by pfafflin at 6:31 PM on March 14, 2008