Break open a bottle of tequila and there are numerous ways to enjoy it. You could sip it straight, mix some famous tequila cocktails, or boisterously down a shot alongside salt and lime. To ease drinkability, you might even consider throwing the bottle into the freezer in between rounds, thinking it’ll smoothen its flavors. Yet while the move does work with vodka, it’s not such a good idea with tequila.
To help explain why to avoid the maneuver, Chowhound is fortunate to have exclusive advice from Jaime Salas. As the head of legacy and advocacy at Proximo Spirits, an alcohol company that includes the globe’s biggest tequila producer, he’s certainly in tune with the intricacy of agave spirits. “Freezing tequila can mute its aromas and flavors,” he told us, reducing the delicate earthy, herbal, and fruity flavors that draw drinkers to the spirit. Once chilled, you’ll have a tougher time identifying tequila’s tasting notes. He cautions that the effects are more pronounced “especially in well-crafted, aged expressions,” like añejo or reposado tequila. The spice and oak notes that make such spirits so enthralling will lose their nuance — the frozen tequila simply won’t intrigue.
Chilled tequila loses its flavor complexity
When it comes to texture, putting tequila in the freezer will create a more viscous mouthfeel. This effect is pleasurable, and combined with the loss of aroma, it does aid in a less boozy experience. In his exclusive chat with Chowhound, Jaime Salas conceded that “a chilled blanco can be enjoyable for shots.” While chilling is a waste for top-shelf tequila brands, if you have a low-quality bottle on hand — perhaps heavy-handed with off-tasting additives — then the freezer can improve the drink somewhat. And rest assured the agave spirit won’t solidify, as home fridge temperatures don’t dip to frigid enough lows.
If your aim is flavorless chilled liquor, there are few reasons to purchase a tequila over vodka, but you still might want to skip the freezing. In a cheaper bottle, there could still be unappealing flavors, as agave’s fruitier notes dissipate when chilled. And for those keen to appreciate the agave spirit, the freezer mutes intricacy from one bottle to the next. So instead, Salas urges to keep tequila bottles in a “cool, dark place, away from direct sunlight and high heat.” That way, you can compare varying expressions, noting nuances from one bottle to the next.
