Today we will look at a man's best friend...tequila. The tequila we will examine today will be Gusano Rojo (which translates to "red worm"), a 100% Agave
tequila with an Agave Worm! The worm is in the bottom of the large bottle and in the small bottle that is roped to the top of the neck of the bottle as well! Two bottles of tequila with two worms? Could life be better?! Well, the presentation seems to be significantly above par with a very well designed label and and double-bottle value, but we will have to see if the taste holds up to it's physical impressions. First, the smell first smells like tequila and pimento (the little red thing in the middle of green olives). It smells sweet, contrary to the characteristics of a hot chili (pimento). It smells strong of agave, which is a good thing for any 100% Agave tequila. Next, when tried neat, it doesn't taste like the traditional tequila! It doesn't have as much of the sweet taste as it did the scent but is more spicy. It has more of the green-olive taste, which leads to a more bitter taste. It is not so bitter as to be unbearable but in a 1-1/2 oz. shot, it would be very tasty. It doesn't leave much of a burn but more of a warm tequila sensation. Second, when tried on ice, the flavor diminished a little, but seemed to have a more oak-like taste to it. This wasn't as much present when tried neat because the overwhelming flavors of spice, tequila and agave were so present. The last way to try this tequila is in a tequila sunrise, described below: 2 oz tequila
4 oz orange juice
1 oz grenadine
Garnish w/ Lime wedge (optional)
First, the smell was wonderful, presenting clashes of what seemed like fresh oranges and tasty agave. The grenadine chilled at the bottom (no pun intended) with no contribution to scent. The tequila, when in a cocktail as such, can still be significantly tasted. That oak-type presence is still there but the spice/pimento-type taste goes away. The orange juice complements those characteristics and makes this a wonderful tequila-based cocktail for anyone. After all of these methods, it is clear that this tequila is probably best enjoyed in a tequila-based cocktail with fruit juices or maybe as a shot. The tequila tasted more flavorful when it was not chilled and even more-so when it was in a juice-based cocktail. This tequila ranges from $18.99-$20.99/750mL/ in 40%ALC/VOL. In summary, this tequila is a wonderful addition to anyones spirit collection. The value is great as the tequila's taste is good and you get a second small bottle (mini) and an agave worm in each bottle! The value is outstanding, the bottles look awesome and the tequila tastes good! Sounds like a winner to me.
Appearance: 10/10
Scent: 8/10
Neat Taste: 8/10
Chilled Taste: 7/10
Mixed Taste: 9/10
Overall Score: 8.4/10
