In a world continuously wowed by ‘smooth’ alcoholic products, it’s important to remember what makes a spirit taste rich, supple, and soft.  With Scotch or bourbon, the extended contact with oak barrel wood passes vanillins into the whisky, which eventually results in a sweeter, more creamy texture – after about ten to fifteen years, that is. So how is it that certain añejo tequilas, spirits of only one to two years old, become full of butterscotch, caramel, and vanilla flavors so quickly?  All we can say is that, in some cases, the distillers have an array of tricks up their sleeves. Enter Jacob Lustig, a former tequila expert for America’s largest distributor of alcohol who set out on his own mission to bring ‘real’ spirits from Mexico to the United States.  His label, ArteNOM, works in the same way that an independent bottler in Scotland would.  Jacob purchases tequila from [...]