The Liquid Muse

Casa Noble In Da House

A regal drink in a stylish atmosphere is among my favorite indulgences. So, this week’s tasting with Casa Noble’s own David Ravandi at Maison 140 in Beverly Hills made my hot-list of to-do’s. One of the unique aspects of this tequila event was the pairing of Mexico’s beloved export with luscious European cheeses.

Casa Noble has been a family-owned distillery since the 1700’s in the town of Tequila, Mexico. The blue agave spirit is triple-distilled and the reposado (rested) and añejo (aged) versions are aged in slightly charred new white French oak casks. Ravandi calls his unaged tequila “crystal” rather than blanco, and feels that it shows off the integrity of the Casa Noble brand. In his opinion, the quality of a tequila should be judged by the least aged tequila.

Our tasting began with the cleanly distilled crystal paired with a creamy goat cheese. The flavorful reposado (aged 364 days) was lovely with a Roquefort, and the layered nuances of the newly released 2-year aged añjeo were wonderful with the Stilton. After the pairing, we sampled the Single Barrel Reposado and Single Barrel Añejo – which we sampled on their own so as not to interrupt the purity of each sip.

In a few weeks, Casa Noble will celebrate its official status (by the USDA) as a Certified Organic product. And, at the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Casa Noble’s Single Barrel Añejo was awarded with a “Double Gold” medal in the Best Extra-Añejo Tequila category. While this tequila is lovely on its own, these signature cocktail recipes served at Maison 140 will help you sip dignified Casa Noble tequila drinks in your maison.

Nobelita
2 parts Casa Noble Organic Crystal
3 parts Fresh Pomegranate Juice
1 part Organic Orange Juice
1 lemon wedge

Shake with ice, strain into a champagne flute or martini glass.

Casa 140 (The CN version of a tequila mojito)
1 oz. Casa Noble Organic Crystal
Fresh Mint (plucked from Maison 140’s back garden)
Lime Juice
1 sugar cube

Muddle mint, sugar and mint in the bottom of a wine or Rocks glass. Fill the remainder of the glass with ice cubes and a dash of Sprite