Getting in the Christmas 'Spirit'
Rick's Picks - December 2010
by Rick VanSickle

It's time to get into the spirit of Christmas. By that, we mean, the "spirits" of Christmas. You know, the kind we splurge on for a special occasion such as the holiday season. As your faithful servant, I have been busy sampling some interesting liquors that are sure to put a little sparkle in your holidays. And one of them was a blast from the past that at one time didn't think would ever pass my lips again.

It's tequila. When was the last time you really, really sat down and sipped tequila (without a lick of salt and a lime-sucking chaser)? For me, it was a very long time ago and I remember vowing that I would never drink it again.

A relatively new brand called The Patron has changed my mind forever. Patron launched its unique brand of high-end liquors in 1989 with its flagship ultra-premium line of tequilas, all made from 100% Weber Blue agave harvested in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. When Patron launched, it was the first high-end tequila to reach the major export markets of the world, including Canada.

Quality agave is the key to ultra-premium tequila. While most tequilas on store shelves use the bare minimum agave (51%), Patron uses 100% Weber Blue agave for all its tequilas. As well, the tequila is hand-made by local Mexicans through all the stages. And that includes hand-blown glass for every bottle made and sold.

"This brand has changed the way people think about tequila," said John McDonnell, chief operating officer of the Patron Spirits Company, during an intimate tasting in Niagara Falls recently. He says the Patron tequila category is exploding in Ontario and Canada with 42% growth in the last year alone. McDonnell acknowledges that his hand-made elixir isn't cheap, $78 for the flagship entry level Patron Silver Tequila (half that at duty free stores), but many consumers are making the leap to quality.

"We're in the luxury category, for sure," he says. "But we're finding that people will pay a few extra bucks to enjoy a quality tequila." McDonnell pours a bar-bought tequila in glass over ice and asks me to sip it. It immediately brings me back to those bad memories of my youth. The taste hasn't changed. Then he pours the Patron Silver in a similar glass on the rocks. I'm immediately smitten by the citrus rind, herbs and clean aromas on the nose. On the palate it's perfectly smooth and fresh with hints of citrus and a long, complex finish. It's a beautiful drink on its own neat, on the rocks (with a squirt of lime) or served as a bloody Mary.

Patron makes several tiers of tequila all the way to Gran Patron Burdeos Tequila, aged in Bordeaux barrels for six months. It costs upwards of $500 a bottle and can be acquired through special order at the LCBO. You can also purchase Patro Anejo Tequlia ($100) at the LCBO, a blend of differently aged tequilas, and the Gran Patron Platinum Tequila ($369), which uses the top agave from the harvest and is triple distilled and aged. Patron also makes an ultra-premium rum called Pyrat XO Reserve, a vodka called Ultimat (both of which aren't available at the LCBO yet but might be found at duty free shops), and Patron XO Café ($40, LCBO), a smooth tequila-based coffee liqueur that is gorgeous over ice with pure coffee flavours and just a hint of fresh tequila.

We can't talk about holiday spirits without mentioning fine single malt Scotch. Here's a few that are available just in time for Christmas:

And a couple of Irish whiskeys to toast the season: