Why You Should Never Order Tequila On The Rocks

Tequila is perhaps best-known in the United States as being a strong and sturdy base for many of our favorite cocktails. Whether it be the quintessential margarita or any of the number of other famous tequila cocktails, the agave spirit tends to get typecast into cocktail crafting while other spirits get selected for sipping on their own. However, if you're looking to order a drink neat, tequila is a fab choice. The liquor lends itself well to sipping, but only if you do it right — and in this case, that means avoiding ice at all costs.

There are some spirits that can benefit from being sipped with ice, but this isn't the recommended approach for tequila. Tequila can have very delicate herbal and vegetal notes, and these more subtle flavors are lost on you if you numb your tongue with ice. If you want to experience the full flavor profile of your spirit, then leave your tequila alone.

Sipping tequila neat instead of on the rocks is one critical step in making sure that you're going to get the best out of your tipple. But when it comes to a liquor as delicate and as characteristic as a high-quality tequila is, limiting your ice intake isn't the only measure you should take. First and foremost, it's good to do your homework and choose a type of tequila that shines when sipped neat. Typically this means aged tequilas, but ultimately this is a judgement you make for yourself.

So you have your tequila and you know that you shouldn't use ice — you're home free, right? Not quite, as there are still some ways that you can enhance your experience even more. One surprising choice is to drink tequila out of a Champagne flute so as to let the aromas of the spirit waft and gather in the head of the glass. This is not only a means to get the full tequila experience, but also makes it easier to identify the specific notes of your tequila. Once you go through this process and see how your tequila shines, you'll never think of pouring it over rocks again.