Corzo Tequila Tasting at Beverly Hills Cheese Store

A good Tequila can make a great margarita, but to truly enjoy it, it should be tried straight. Corzo (www.corzo.com) makes three fine tequilas, each with its own unique quality and characteristics. To showcase their products, Corzo hosted a tasting that paired fine cheeses and chocolates with the tequila. Needless to say, I was particularly skeptical about the chocolates. Sure, pair chocolate and cheese with wines, but tequila? Not something I would have considered before this night. Turns out I was pleasantly surprised by how well carefully selected chocolates can pair with fine tequila.

The Beverly Hills Cheese Store (http://www.cheesestorebh.com/) served as host for the intimate tasting. Dom DiMartolomeo, the Maitre D’Fromage at the store worked with Rob Casey, the Corzo Brand Attache’, to select cheeses that would complement the tequila. Gourmet chocolates were also chosen to pair with the libations. Rob has done tastings in the past that paired Corzo with full meal menus, but decided to do something a little lighter this time.Rob Casey from Corzo, and Dom DiMartolomeo from the Beverly Hill Cheese Store enjoy a cocktail.

During the meet and greet portion of the evening, we were treated to an interesting mixed drink called The Corzo Pumpkin Spice Cocktail, served in martini glasses. A goat’s milk cheese called Chebrin from the French Basque region, and a dark chocolate infused with Pasilla Chile and Cayenne Pepper made by Chuao were paired with the drink. The cocktail was very tasty, but a little sugary. The Corzo silver was overpowered by the sweetness of the other ingredients. However, both the cheese and chocolate worked great with the cocktail, especially the heat infused chocolate.The Corzo Pumpkin Spice Cocktail served with Chebrin cheese and Chuao dark chocolate.

After a few minutes of schmoozing, we moved to a dimly lit tasting room that was set up with plates featuring two cheeses and two chocolates. Also present was what looked like a champagne flute filled with about two ounces of tequila. Rob introduced himself and talked about the Corzo distillery, and their manufacturing process. Using modern equipment, the finest Weber Blue agaves, and three distillations instead of the required two, helps produce fine tequilas with unique taste characteristics. The glasses used were designed by Reidel (www.reidel.com) specifically for tequila. Several premium tequila and wine makers were involved in the Reidel selection process. Our first tasting included the un-aged silver Corzo which had a smooth, nice flavor with hints of peppery spice. One of the cheeses called Lyden, a young goat’s milk Gouda, was infused with cumin. The earthiness of the cheese brought out a citrus flavor in the tequila. The chocolates chosen expanded the sweetness and citrus notes of the tequila.The first course of cheeses and chocolates paired with the silver Corzo tequila.

The next set of pairings included the reposado Corzo which is aged in oak barrels for 4 to 6 months. The cheeses were a buttery mild cow's milk blue cheese from Belgium called Grevenbroecker, and Seven Year Old Quebec, a tangy sharp cow's milk cheese with great depth of flavor. Each cheese worked well with the smooth and mellow flavor of the tequila. The chocolates really brought out the distinctive characteristics of the reposado. The first chocolate, a Toblerone Dark with honey and almond was delicious and made the tequila seem more lemony. The other chocolate, a Citrona Barque, was semi-sweet and had an infusion of lemon/lime zest as well as coarse Kosher salt. The effect on the tequila was amazing. It made the Corzo even smoother and more fruity.

The last group of pairings featured the caramel colored Corzo Anejo. The amber color of the anejo comes from being aged in oak barrels for 14 to 18 months, and the tequila really takes on a subtle flavoring from the oak. The cheeses were Hoch Y Brig from Switzerland and Amsterdam Reserve. Each cheese seemed to make the anejo even mellower, while complementing a spicy finish. The two chocolates were drastically different truffles. The first truffle was a spicy Savannah flavored with honey, cayenne, apello chili, white pepper, and hot Hungarian paprika topped with a chili mango. It packed quite a punch, but was delicious and contrasted beautifully by making the Corzo burst with fruitiness. The other truffle, by Cesjna, had a Morella cherry aged in French brandy, with white pepper and a rich dark chocolate ganache. The sweetness of the truffle combined with the smooth fruitiness of the Corzo truly made the final tasting an elegant dessert course.Corzo Anejo tequila with specially selected Reidel glasses.

Corzo is making three fine tequilas that stand out in a crowded field. Successfully pairing them with exotic chocolates and distinctive cheeses has made me rethink what goes well with premium tequila. Anyone that appreciates good tequila or has been thinking about giving it a try should consider trying some of these pairings. You won't be disappointed, and you will certainly experience dynamic flavors that go well together.

[Andy J. Gordon, a Los Angeles-based marketing and strategy consultant, made his writing debut in “Brentwood” magazine in 2007. His interests include music, sports, consumer electronics, premium libations, fine dining, travel, fast cars, and enjoying life.]