Aging Tequila
05. Tequila Tasting Wheel
Tequila is one of the most diverse, interesting, and complex spirits in the world. Hundreds of different aromas and flavors can be identified to describe individual expressions. Each step of the tequila-making process can contribute to a whole spectrum of various spices, herbs, vegetables, fruits, and floral notes found in the bottled product.
To keep things organized and create a systematic approach to tequila tasting we have pulled notes of thousands of tequila tastings and organized them in scientific order.
The tequila tasting wheel created by the team at Patrón is unique and differs from typical flavor wheel of whiskey or cognac.
It is meant to be used from the inside out: at the center we start with broad categories (flowers, plants, earth, wood, spice, dessert, fruit & chemical), which are broken into subcategories (for example, the plants category includes herbal, green & savory), and finally, specific tasting notes.
Generally, the tasting wheel is organized according to weight, with light, ethereal notes at the top, and deeper, heavier, richer notes found at the bottom. Our hope is that the wheel offers a similar experience to browsing in a library or a bookstore; in looking at the aromas and flavors near a category that you identify, you may discover others that you were not intentionally looking for.
The Tequila Tasting Wheel seeks to provide a useful tool for tasting Tequila and participating in Tequila-focused education, giving participants from novice to expert alike a shared vocabulary to use in discussion.
tequila tasting wheel.
The aromas and flavors are organized roughly according to weight, with light, ethereal, highly volatile notes at the top, and deeper, heavier notes lower down. At the very bottom are tertiary flavors generally associated with tequila aged in wood.
