The Importance Of Aerating Your Tequila (And Hacks To Do It Quickly)

Although hailing from different cultures, wine and tequila offer an unexpected amount of overlap. Both interlink with specific regions, showcase elements of terroir in their taste, and uphold generations-old production. And, surprisingly, there's a step during serving that's shared, too: Both benefit from aeration.

Yep, just like knowing how to aerate wine, oxygen plays a big influence on the agave spirit's palate. Pour it into a standard-sized shot glass, and the boozy burn becomes accentuated. Yet, let it mingle with more air, and the delicate notes of the agave open up, showcasing more fruit, spice, and other intricacies.

The effect can be achieved by carefully selecting the serving vessel, or breaking out the milk frother — a move that's taken social media by storm. Either way, a short swirl will transform to a surprising degree. Just take note that excess aeration will hurt the spirit. While alcohol doesn't go bad, prolonged exposure to oxygen will dissipate its flavor. So let a poured tequila sit out for days on end, and — like with wine — the spirit will taste flat. But give it a whirl before sipping, and it'll be delightful.

Several methods will quickly achieve tequila aeration, with the easiest being the vessel you choose for serving. As a spirit, it's unsurprising that most automatically reach for a shot glass; but there are better options. Go for something with a stem, like a tulip or flute glass, and leave room at the top. Or, for a more Mexican serving style, pour the spirit into a wide clay copita, which is the right way to drink mezcal. Then, swirl the tequila a few times, and let the aromas vent upwards, thereby delivering a more impressive nose and taste.

Alternatively, employ a milk frother, and mix in oxygen into the tequila with a bit more force. With this technique, you can then pour the spirit into the vessel of your choosing. And if you're really keen to pursue the wine parallels, you can even pour your spirit through a wine aerator into a glass. Note that all such methods achieve a similar effect, so no need to invest in specialized gear; agitation and a few minutes of patience will do the trick.

And surprisingly, you'll only want to try out aeration with flavor-packed bottles, so if on a budget, stick to bottom-shelf tequilas worth buying. Adding oxygen won't magically transform a tequila without much flavor to begin with, but it will lend an already delicious bottle an extra pop.