---
title: Dishes to Pair With Tequila
description: List of dishes to pair with tequila. The worldwide known Mexican drink is not meant only for shots, there are many other ways to drink it and meals to...
---

[All about tequila ](https://www.casasauza.com/all-about-tequila)

# [Dishes to Pair With Tequila](https://www.casasauza.com/all-about-tequila/dishes-to-pair-with-tequila)

 Written by [Fernando Ávila](https://www.casasauza.com/all-about-tequila/author/fernando-ávila) | Jan 5, 2022 12:25:54 AM

**Which dishes should I pair my tequila with? What other drinks can I mix it with? ** This are some of the most frequent questions that our clients ask. As a master distiller, I always suggest getting to know the flavors and aromas of each kind of tequila first and then, based on that and information, choose the dishes to pair with tequila, with the one you specifically chose. By doing so, you will undergo a more satisfying gastronomic experience.

### How many tequilas are there?

There are [5 kinds of tequilas](https://www.casasauza.com/everything-about-tequila/which-is-the-best-tequila?hsLang=en):

1. White

2. Young

3. Rested

4. Vintage

5. Ultra-aged

**Each of them has its own sensory notes and flavors.** From a white tequila to an ultra-aged one, we start sensing an increasing complexity of aromas and tastes, which are a **result of the production and aging process**. When white tequila makes contact with the barrel's white oak wood for a certain period of time, we then obtain the rested, vintage and ultra-aged profiles. Each depends on their aging time and the kind of wood they make contact with.

At *Casa Sauza*, we use *pipones* (large wood tanks) and American white oak barrels. In some *pipones* the wood is not toasted. The wood of the barrels on the other hand, have different degrees of toasting. This is what gives each of our tequilas a unique and characteristic profile. **Knowing the sensory profiles of each tequila will guide us into finding the best combinations** (the so-called "pairings") of the different tequilas with different dishes.

### Dishes that are best paired with *white* tequila

**White tequila** offers a lot of **flexibility** on how and when it should be drank. For instance, you could have it in any occasion as an **appetizer**, since it **stimulates salivation**, which favors appetite.

The sensory notes and flavors it offers are herbal, sweet and somewhat spicy at first. We also fin in our white tequilas some **citrus notes** that go well with **salads and citrus-based dressings**. They also go well with **seafood**, specially that fresh seafood to which we usually add a squirt of citrus fruits (mostly lemon) and a pinch of hot, spicy pepper. Another good option for this tequila are the many varieties of **sushi**.

A well-known suggestion is to add red fruits to the traditional **guacamole** and "scent" it with white tequila, like a ***Sauza Blue*** tequila. Based on that same idea, you could combine white tequilas with **soups** (specially tortilla soup) and cream soups (such as pumpkin).

The citrus notes of our white tequilas are key to creating a great variety of cocktails, such as the worldwide known ***margaritas*** or the *[palomas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paloma_(cocktail))*.

### Dishes that are best paired with *rested* tequila

Since **rested** tequila is left to age for months in white oak barrels, it has more complex notes than a white tequila, yet it can be perceived as a softer tequila than a white one. Some people consider rested tequilas the best balanced ones, in terms of **better harmonizing the agave notes with the wood notes**. The wood notes contribute with a **spicy flavor, along with some vanilla and dry fruits notes**. We even find** clove and sweet pepper** aromas in some rested tequilas.

The **tannins** transferred by the wood, give this tequila a **bittery taste and an astringent feeling,** which happen to be the perfect elements for **wrapping proteins and fats.** This means that these tequilas go well with many of the typical Mexican dishes, specially with those that are prepared with delicate sauces, such as *pipian* (***Hornitos Reposado*** is recommended). They also go well with **second-course dishes**, such as meats that are dressed with red fruit sauces and/or spices (*Tres Generaciones Reposado* is an excellent option).

### Dishes that are best paired with *vintage* tequila

Due to its aging process, **vintage** tequila starts to have more complex notes, **enhanced notes of wood**. The aging process add **vanilla** notes to this tequila and a bigger sensation of **roasted wood**. They are perceived as softer and warmer, compared to white tequilas.

We suggest pairing them with Mexican dishes or with **main courses that have a strong flavor**, one given by the sauces they go with. A perfect suggestion would be pairing an **Hornitos Black Barrel** tequila with a fine *[mole poblano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_sauce)*. **Beef cuts with a high contents of fat** go well with this kind of tequilas, replacing the traditional red wines that also go with them.

### Dishes that are best paired with *ultra-aged* tequila

In an **ultra-aged ** tequila, the wood notes are quite notorious and enhanced. The notes of toasted wood that we can associate with c**hocolate, vanilla and dry nuts**, such as pecans and dates, are better perceived. These flavors go great perfect with chocolate or vanilla-based desserts. Yet, the **sweet agave note should always be present**, as the distinguishing feature of a tequila. We can also perceive the secondary notes of citrus fruits.

The ultra-aged tequilas are meant to be **tasted slowly,** in full appreciation. An excellent option is to have it **at the very end of our dinner**, along with a cup of **coffee**, a **cigar** or a chocolate-based **dessert**. Maybe even with a *creme brulee *or a baked* flan *(creamy desserts). The ultra-aged tequila that we have at Casa Sauza is the **XA limited edition.**

 

Tu sum up, enjoying a good tequila is not limited only to drinking it straight or mixed, it can also be paired with a variety of gastronomic proposals, both Mexican as well as international ones.

We invite you to experience other ways of having your tequila, since it is not only for shots. Go ahead and try pairing it with your food!

Discover the specific characteristics that each of our Casa Sauza tequilas have on our [next blog](https://www.casasauza.com/everything-about-tequila/how-can-i-know-which-is-the-best-tequila?hsLang=en).

You can also come to [Casa Sauza](https://www.casasauza.com/tequila-process/casa-sauza-sustainable-company-sense-of-belonging?hsLang=en) and eat at our restaurant or have some special tequila-based drinks prepared by our bartender. Have your tequila, at Tequila, Jalisco!

[View full post](https://www.casasauza.com/all-about-tequila/dishes-to-pair-with-tequila)

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