Getting even closer, it becomes evident that these connoisseurs are tasting tequila. Once drowned in pitchers of Margaritas or gulped in shots, tequila is shedding its bad-boy image and turning up in some pretty sophisticated company. There, a special area of the bar is reserved for tequila tasting, and a slim black folder trimmed in gold lists the 120 tequilas that the hotel offers by the glass. Cisneros says that some guests are so captivated with certain rare tequilas that they buy bottles from the hotel to take home. We used to sell one or two bottles per month of Don Julio, which is one of the best tequilas that we have.
People are much more knowledgeable about how tequila is made and aged.
It's definitely changed. Notwithstanding all this interest in upscale tequilas, many myths persist about the spirit, so let's dispel a few of them right off. In addition to the widespread misperceptions about tequila, the spirit is also saddled with a macho image left over from the days when tequila was a rougher tipple best consumed in a quick swallow. Now, people's attitudes have changed a lot. In all the best restaurants and hotels, and all the nicest homes in Mexico, you will find a selection of fine, aged tequilas.