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Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver tequila review

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A bottle of tequila against a white bckground

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver tequila review

Brendan Hodrien

Published: March 4, 2021 at 11:00 AM

4.0

A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.

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Read our expert review of a bottle of 100 per cent agave tequila from one of the oldest (and biggest) brands in the world. You won't find a better margarita base!

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver tequila (38%) summary

The ideal cocktail base from the world’s oldest and biggest tequila brand. Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver is a premium offering from this mammoth distillery – it's a slick, 100 per cent agave spirit that has well-balanced smoothness and sweetness. It's perfect for a margarita.

What's the story behind Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver tequila?

One of the oldest brands in the world (it moves more tequila than any other company), Jose Cuervo has both standard editions and more premium offerings, both of which deserve applause.

José Antonio de Cuervo y Valdés was granted a plot of land by King Ferdinand VI to plant agave in 1758, but wasn't granted a permit to produce tequila commercially until 1795.

The firm didn’t start bottling tequila until nearly a century later in 1880, and up until that point, producers were shipping by the barrel. Jose Cuervo enjoyed success in the 19th century, but demand rocketed in the 20th century thanks to prohibition in America, when it was smuggled over the border. Today, Jose Cuervo is a huge operation and the company is working to make production more sustainable – it recently launched biodegradable agave straws, for example.

What does Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver tequila taste like?

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver is processed before bottling to conserve flavour at freezing temperatures. So, the bottle can be kept in the freezer, making it ideal for spontaneous margaritas. The nose offers hints of aloe vera alongside a strong agave character – indeed, agave dominates the palate, along with punches of green pepper and lime. It's well-balanced, offering a neutrality that makes it a go-to for cocktail makers.

Try Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver in a Cuervo salty perro cocktail. Mix two measures of Jose Cuervo Tradicional Silver with 100ml grapefruit juice and a dash of Angostura bitters in a tall glass rimmed with salt, then top up with tonic water.

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This review was last updated in March 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.