Cinco De May0 is right around the corner and American drinkers are expected to toast to the holiday with roughly 127 million liters worth of tequila. While the annual holiday is a relatively minor observance south of the border (commemorating the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862), in the US it’s turned into a sweeping celebration of Mexican culture.
And it’s hard to deny that tequila is one of that country’s most well-known cultural exports. In fact, according to recent data from the Distilled Spirits Council of the US, as soon as next year the popular category of agave spirit could eclipse vodka to become the number one-selling spirit on American shelves.
All this is to say: if you’re going to enjoy tequila— on the 5th of May, or any day of the calendar year—you're going to have a lot of options. You may as well go with something sensational. To that end, the Barleycorn Awards has a worthwhile recommendation. Just before the start of the new year, the notable competition announced its best-of-the-best boozes across all major categories of spirit. When it came time to crown the top tequila, the judges went with a curious choice: Quintaliza Reposado Tequila.
What makes the selection so curious? Well, the lowland producer takes its double-alembic-distilled tequila and rests it in barrels that have been seasoned with artisan-roasted organic coffee. It’s a wholly unique finishing step laid atop a process that’s otherwise entirely traditional. And as a result you’re left with a robust liquid that drinks far deeper than you might suspect from something that spends less than a year in oak.
Indeed, you will discern a fair bit of coffee in the nose and palate of this 80-proof sipper. And your devotion to that particular flavoring component will likely determine how impressed you are by Quintaliza. But there is plenty of nuance to meditate on, beyond the mocha. There’s black pepper, wildflower honey, tobacco spice and even a touch of maple syrup in the slowly fading finish.
Ultimately, a lot of the notes provided by the expert palates at Barleycorn might seem more indicative of a well-aged whiskey. Nevertheless, the award-winning offering also plays particularly well in margarita form—which is how an overwhelming majority of Americans will be imbibing their tequila next Sunday. Though if that’s the route you’re going to take here, you had better be committed to craftier arrangements: at an average retail price of $80 a bottle, Quintaliza Reposado Tequila is a costly liquid to drown out among subpar modifiers.
Check back in the upcoming weeks as 2024 results start pouring in for Barleycorn, as well as other other major spirits competitions.
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism is excited to announce that Trunk Bay, located on St. John, has been ranked number 1 on the prestigious list of The World’s 50 Best Beaches™ 2024. Presented by Banana Boat, this annual list, curated by a panel of travel experts, influencers, and enthusiasts, showcases the most breathtaking and sought-after beaches around the globe. Trunk Bay’s inclusion in this renowned ranking is a testament to its exceptional natural beauty and the unforgettable experiences it offers visitors.
It’s been a year since we sat down with Daniel Calvert, the executive chef behind SÉZANNE in the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi. And what a year, at that. Last May he shared secrets on how to pair wine with his award-winning cuisine. Now his esteemed French-inspired dining room has been named the best restaurant in all of Asia. The recognition came by way of World’s 50 Best Restaurants, which delivers its annual Asia-specific rankings each spring.
The International Spirits Challenge is one of the longest running competitions in the liquor industry. Since 2007, the organization has been handing out medals across all major categories of adult beverage, with the top liquids receiving what it dubs “Key Tasting Awards.” At the end of last year, the prestigious panel of judges doled out this distinction in the bourbon space to W.L. Weller 12 Year.
Searching for the safest places to travel? Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection (BHTP) recently unveiled its annual State of Travel Insurance Safest Destinations report, which ranks the world’s 15 safest cities to travel. This year, two U.S. cities made the list, with Honolulu named the safest city in the world.
Launched in London more than 20 years ago, the World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards has become one of the most important ratings in the rarefied world of top tier fine dining (though not without some criticism and controversy). But regardless what people think of the process behind selection, there’s no doubt that some of the big winners over the years have in fact been some of the world’s very best, places like Spain’s El Bulli, England’s The Fate Duck, Italy’s Osteria Francescana, Denmark’s Noma and in the U.S. notables have included Napa Valley’s French Laundry and New York City’s Eleven Madison Park.
The traditional foods of Indonesia never quite get the credit they deserve. Thousands of islands spread across three time zones ensure a culinary diversity like no other nation.
The Midwest isn't known for tropical temperatures or stunning beaches, but it is home to the "water park capital of the world": Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.
It’s inevitable: Every spring when we pull together the Hot List, our annual collection of the world’s best new hotels, restaurants, and cruise ships, a staffer remarks that this latest iteration has got to be the best one ever. After a year’s worth of traveling the globe—to stay the night at a converted farmhouse in the middle of an olive grove outside Marrakech, or sail aboard a beloved cruise line’s inaugural Antarctic voyage—it’s easy to see why we get attached. But this year’s Hot List, our 28th edition, might really be the best one ever. It’s certainly our most diverse, featuring not only a hotel suite that was once Winston Churchill’s office, but also the world’s largest cruise ship and restaurants from Cape Town to Bali. We were surprised and inspired by this year’s honorees, and we know you will be too. These are the Hot List hotel winners for 2024.
Travelers from around the world have decided their favorite hotels for 2024 and Tripadvisor has unveiled the final results of winners for its annual Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Hotels Awards. The awards celebrate this year’s highest rated hotels based on Tripadvisor reviews.