Every few years a new type of booze throws its hat into the ring in an effort to be the new shot. Jagermeister has its time in the spotlight. Fireball certainly still reigns supreme. That peanut butter whiskey continues to raise its head every now and then. But now Jose Cuervo, maker of a classic, go-to (plain old tequila), is parading out a new type of booze designed to be served ice cold and tossed back: Jose Cuervo Devil’s Reserve.
Like both Jager and Fireball, this new Jose Cuervo tequila boasts a devil on the label. (This one is inspired by Mexican loteria cards and folk art.) And, like Jager and Fireball, it’s lower in alcohol than other straight spirits—all three hover around 30% ABV or 60 proof. (For context, a traditional tequila is around 40% ABV.) Also like Fireball and Jager, Devil’s Reserve is sweetened. But unlike those other two shooters, this new Jose Cuervo tequila is spicy. Not cinnamon spicy—chile pepper spicy.
We took a thoughtful swig of this new tequila and we have thoughts.
- Jose Cuervo Devil’s Reserve
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I wasn’t sure what to expect when tasting this new offering from Jose Cuervo. The only info you get on the bottle is the name (and the name translated into Spanish because they couldn’t resist having Reserve del Diablo on the label), the ABV, and the fact that it is tequila with “natural flavors.” I was bracing for a slap of tequila and some sort of burning sensation. But what I got was much more gentle.
Pros: If you’re the type to sniff something before you shoot it back, you’ll be very happy with the way Jose Cuervo Devil’s Reserve smells. It’s very green peppery and pineapple-y. It smells delicious. And it tastes pretty good, too. It’s much sweeter than I anticipated, but it follows through with a green jalapeno flavor and some tropical pineapple notes. My colleague Gwynedd Stuart likened it to pineapple salsa—but sweet instead of savory…and no tomato. It goes down easy with no real alcohol burn, just a subtle chile pepper burn. Served ice cold, this would be a refreshing shot, for sure.
Cons: Personally, I like the flavor of tequila. And I didn’t get a ton of it from this new Jose Cuervo tequila. It could use more of that grassy, herbaceous tequila flavor to balance out the sweetness of the other flavors. And while I do think this is a perfect spirit to shoot, I think its utility outside of that is limited. Though you could enjoy it with some soda water, it’s a bit too sweet to use in other cocktails. Still, I’d take this over Fireball any day.
Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine
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Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!