Campo Bravo Tequila Plata 1.75

Campo Bravo Plata is an unaged blanco tequila, sold here in the 1.75-liter bottle that bartenders and home hosts tend to choose when a spirit is going into a lot of drinks. We don't have a published tasting profile, ABV or distillery detail for this bottling, so what follows describes how blanco tequila usually behaves and how to get the most from it. Blanco, or plata, is the style closest to the agave itself. It is bottled right after distillation, or after only a brief rest, so it doesn't pick up the vanilla, caramel and toasted-oak notes that barrels add. Expect a clean, peppery profile with cooked-agave sweetness, citrus peel, a little black pepper and a green, herbal edge. In a well-made blanco the sweetness sits underneath a bright, slightly spicy finish. Reposado spends roughly two months to a year in oak and turns rounder and softer, añejo spends one to three years and moves toward spice and dried fruit, and extra añejo goes beyond three years into deep, woody territory. Blanco skips all of that, which is why it holds its shape when it is mixed with lime, soda or grapefruit. That makes this a cocktail tequila first. In a Margarita, the usual ratio of two parts tequila to one part fresh lime juice and one part orange liqueur or a splash of agave syrup lets the agave carry through instead of being buried. A Paloma needs only tequila, grapefruit soda or fresh grapefruit juice with a squeeze of lime, and a salted rim. Ranch Water is simpler still: tequila, lime juice and a sparkling mineral water over plenty of ice in a tall glass, where an unaged spirit keeps the drink crisp. If you want to sip it, treat it like any blanco. Pour a measure into a caballito or a small tulip-shaped glass, which concentrates the aromas better than a wide tumbler does, and taste it at cool room temperature before adding anything. A single large cube in a rocks glass opens it up slowly, and a lime wedge with a pinch of salt on the side suits a bolder, more peppery pour. Because the bottle is a big format, a pour spout or a steady hand helps, and keeping it capped and out of direct light will protect the aroma between uses.