Review: 1921 Tequila Cream   87/100
a review by Chip Dykstra (Aka Arctic Wolf)
Posted on December 6, 2010

The 1921 Tequila Cream is a rich and creamy liqueur which melds authentic Mexican blanco tequila with a rich  spiced mocha cream. It is bottled at 15 % alcohol by volume and occupies the same market niche as Bailey’s Irish Cream, and Kahlua.  This is the first tequila cream liqueur I have sampled, and I am eager to begin.

In the Bottle 4/5

Pictured to the right is the bottle presentation for the 1921 Tequila Cream. The squat square bottle has a nice visual appeal. It is quite different from other bottles on my shelf,  and this difference serves to help it stand out a bit from the crowd.  The bottle is cork sealed with a waxy plastic covering over the cork which must be removed with a tear strip. I think for a product with a shelf life of only 18 months this is a little excessive especially as the tear strip is difficult to remove.

The bottle comes with back sticker telling me I do not need to refrigerate the product. I found this hard to reconcile based upon the shelf life which will vary from 9 months to 18 months depending upon the length of time the product was on the shelf in the store before it was purchased by the consumer.

In the Glass 8.5/10

The 1921 Tequila Cream  has a rich light brown/beige colour and cream-like texture. I discovered when I poured the Tequila Cream for he first time that it would have been best to shake the bottle vigorously before I poured.  The liqueur has a tendency to condense into little clumps that cause a lumpy mouth feel. These clumps disappeared after a nice vigorous shake.

The nose is rich carrying a bevy of  wonderful aromas. I sense a light cafe mocha, a nice smooth caramel, some melted vanilla ice cream, and a mild nutty almond and hazelnut.

The aroma seems nicely balanced and carries only a mild agave scent which compliments the overall nose and invites me to sip from my glass.

In the Mouth 53/60

The 1921 Tequila Cream enters the mouth with a surprising and delicious combination of light tequila/agave  flavour coupled with rich cream, caramel, mocha coffee and a nutty marzipan.  Swimming within the currents of these main flavours are hints of, nutmeg, cinnamon, chocolate and hazelnut. The light nuance of agave tequila rides the currents throughout, but the agave never becomes sharp or aggressive.  I find the flavour simply outstanding.

It seems to taste wonderful when sipped straight, as well as when chilled. I tried some with my morning coffee and loved it, as well as with some ice cream where it was equally delicious. The only drawback is the relatively short shelf life.

In the Throat 13/15

Because of the rich creamy texture, the light agave and mocha flavours seem to last on the palate and in the back of my throat well after the glass is consumed. As a dessert drink, I find the flavours compliment the evening meal giving you the sensation that you have allowed yourself to be just a little spoiled.

The Afterburn 8.5/10

The 1921 Tequila Cream is a lush creamy indulgence which can be used as a replacement for Irish Cream to give your evening coffee (or your cream cocktail) a wonderful Agave flair. I also found it excellent when served chilled as an after dinner drink.

You may read some of my other reviews of  Liqueurs and Flavoured Spirits (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews.

Suggested Recipes

1921 Tequila Cream Coffee

2 oz Tequila Cream 1921
3/4 oz  Kahlua
Hot Black Coffee
Sugar to taste

Top with Whipped Cream
Garnish with grated cinnamon

This is a really nice specialty coffee.  The light agave flavour works so well with the coffee and whipped cream.  I think I shall be indulging a little over the holidays!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing spirit.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, again probably still cocktail territory.
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails.)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)