There is always something going viral online - a hack or a new menu item, but every so often, there is a stand-out item way cooler than the rest.
Right now, the internet's new obsession is a tequila that comes in a beautiful ceramic decanter, and while there is never a bad time for tequila, as we gear up for winter, people are going out of their way to track down the bottles.
What are we talking about? The luxurious Clase Azul Tequila Reposado. This tequila is currently having a moment in Mzansi.
Not so long, South Africans were crazy over the sparkling wine cocktail, Ice-Tropez, flaunting it all over social media, making sure it did not leave their hands just for people to see what they were drinking.
After people thought the wine cocktail was not a tasty drink anymore, they started drinking Bernini, and unfortunately, the trend also did not last for long.
In 2018 came gin, which became more popular than it had been for centuries. Was it because of its flexibility when it comes to recipes or the simplicity of its production?
Hope on Hopkins co-founder Lucy Beard said the joy of gin was that no two gins are alike: different botanicals are used, and gins are also influenced by the base spirit and distilling equipment. Beard said what had really driven the boom was the increasing focus on local botanicals, while noted mixologist Haroon Hafajee thought that gin offered consumers great flavour and variety at a reasonable price point.
Hafajee said in 2018, we were spoilt for choice in terms of the specific flavour profile we want in a gin and also in the way we want to drink it – be it a simple G&T, one served with craft tonic and fresh fruit, or herbs or spices or a great gin-based cocktail.
Unlike Ice-Tropez and Bernini, the gin trend did last for quite a while, but because there is always something going viral online, German liqueur Jägermeister took over. Jägermeister has been trending at parties and at local pubs.
It has been the in-thing, especially with millennials. Consumers were either packing it in their cooler boxes for picnics and parties or having it as shots.
And now what we have observed is that Mzansi is into tequila. Not just any tequila but the luxurious Clase Azul Tequila Reposado. At clubs, restaurants, and indoor parties, Azul is now part of Mzansi celebrations.
@ntuthwane The most delicious and smooth tequila you would ever taste . Ingivale amehlo 😂 #azul #whoorderedazul ♬ original sound - Thandeka Madiba II
What is it and how much does it cost? According to the beverage website, it is a symbol of Mexican tradition and culture. Made with slow-cooked 100% Blue Weber Agave, it is unique and incomparable.
“This Reposado is masterfully aged for eight months in American whiskey casks creating its unique hazelnut and vanilla flavours as well as exceptionally smoothness. Its decanter is our most recognized icon with its distinctive "feathered" design, painted by hand in cobalt blue. The magic of Clase Azul Reposado transcends beyond the outstanding quality of its tequila. Its beautiful ceramic decanter is made and painted by hand by Mexican artisans, making each one of them a unique piece. This extraordinary tequila should be enjoyed neat in a tasting glass,” they note.
The tequila sells around R3 000 at leading retail stores.