Silver tequilas are unaged tequilas, the type you usually get when you order premium tequila without specifying. They are the brightest tasting, which means that they pack a real punch, and go well with mixed drinks and as shots. Good tequila doesn’t come cheap (average around $40 or more per bottle), but it’s up to you what type of hangover/night you want to have, and you should always try to stay with products that are 100% blue agave to make sure you’re on point. There’s a ton of silver tequilas out there, and a lot of really really good ones, so check our review of the best silver tequilas on the market, in our humble Complex (a.k.a. awesome and correct) opinion…

BEST ALL AROUND TEQUILA: DON JULIO BLANCO
COST: Around $42 (750ml)
TASTING NOTES: Agave aromas on the nose with hints of fresh citrus—lemon, lime and grapefruit. The taste is light, sweet, and has a pure agave flavor that becomes peppery and finishes long. Classy and pure, with a clean and fresh finish that keeps the pepper moving across grass undertones.
WHAT COMPLEX SAYS: Don Julio is the cool guy bartender’s Patron alternative. Patron is great, always. Don Julio is better (?) – maybe. Either way, we’re down with the taste, the botte, and the branding on this one. It has similar notes to a Patron, but it’s a bit more complex (ha get it? Complex!) in the palate, which makes for awesome margaritas. It goes down as a really smooth shot when chilled or on the rocks with a splash of juice. Learn and love this one. 4.5/5
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

BEST PRICE ACCESSIBLE/PARTY TEQUILA: SAUZA HORNITOS PLATA
COST: Around $30 (700ml)
TASTING NOTES: The Hornitos aromas consist of intense fruit, spice, and floral aspects followed by moderate earth. This Plata has mild aromas of smoke and is a light tequila with mellow mouth feel and moderate agave flavor.
COMPLEX SAYS: Mischeive indeed. Compared to some of the ultra-premium tequilas we tasted, Hornitos is a bit lower on the price scale but all things considered it goes down well. It’s made with 100% blue agave (a must to keep nasty hangovers at bay) and it’s a quality mellow silver tequila that we think is perfect for mixing cocktails – tequila/pineapple, tequila/ginger, etc. If the bartender pulls this out for you, you’re good. If you’ve got a blender and are going in this weekend (check this one, it’s the best), you’ll be psyched. 3/5.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

FIRST TRY AWESOMENESS: TRES GENERACIONES PLATA
COST: around $46 (750ml)
TASTING NOTES: A fleshy agave nose with hints of citrus and sweet floral notes. The taste of the tequila has an initial spiciness on a background of herbs and fresh agave, and is exceptionally well balanced with no bite or burn. The finish of the tequila has a lingering hot spice pepper that fades into a clean and cool finish.
COMPLEX SAYS: This tequila has a fruity nose to it at first encounter that opens into a solid peppery taste when you take it in- THIS IS TEQUILA! It’s clean and the flavors distribute evenly across the tongue and we think it makes for a great margarita. Make it on the strong side if you go this route – this stuff is really high level and good enough to hold without too much dressing up. You might want to try it straight with a few wedges of lime over ice in a salted glass, it’s that good. Be careful though-pour it too long for the first few drinks and you’re going to be in nutso town before you know it. 4.5/5
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

WHEN YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU LIKE: PATRON SILVER
COST: $40
TASTING NOTES: Patron Silver is a crystal clear, ultra premium tequila. Smooth, soft and light with a dried pineapple-like agave nose leads into a light-to medium bodied palate of roasted citrus that finishes with a white pepper.
WHAT COMPLEX SAYS: It’s Patron! Essentially our “control” (haha) of the group, as it’s the most well known and most often poured when we’re rocking the back table at the Spearmint Rhino (Crec we see you!). The taste is great, but we love this stuff because it tastes like tequila and you can still drink it all night. Tequila that goes down smooth and mixes with everything? Sign us up. Oh, and the drink so far of the summer has been Patron and Ginger. Try it this weekend, guaranteed to have a crew following suit. 4/5
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

FOR STRAIGHT ROCKING OUT: CABO WABO BLANCO
COST: about $40 (750ml)
TASTING NOTES: Cabo Wabo Tequila Blanco immediately arouses the senses with fresh floral aromas complemented by notes of lime and mint. Full agave flavors and a slightly spicy character that teases the palate, and delivers a crisp, clean finish that will leave you feeling energized and refreshed.
WHAT COMPLEX SAYS: Cabo Wabo is Sammy Hagar (of Van Halen)’s tequila. He liked the drink so much he figured, “Hey, why not go make my own?” And he’s done a pretty good job of it. Unfortunately the actual taste of this tequila is often overshadowed by lovers or haters of Hagar, but as a premium silver tequila we are 100% down with the man. It’s hard to have a reason to specifically switch from Patron to this, but if you see this on the bar you should be happy. 4/5
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS/GETTING FANCY WITH IT: JOSE CUERVO PLATINO
COST: about $50 (750ml)
TASTING NOTES: Deep, mult-ilayered, and varied aromas that lead to an exceptionally smooth and effortless entry (Ed. Note-PAUSE). Silky, dry-yet-fruity full bodied taste that finishes with a very long and spicy fade of honey, salt, exotic peppercorns, and green herbs. Elegant, vibrant, and delicious with a superbly smooth texture and a very complex agave character supported by a kiss of spicy oak. A truly unique blanco tequila.
WHAT COMPLEX SAYS: This stuff is nuanced, flavorful, drinkable, and fancy as crap, but we kind of could tell from the packaging – a wax bottle top covering and the wood box that held it. This is a next level, graduate from college type of tequila shot- way way way beyond the Cuervo you stole out of your parent’s liquor closet in high school. A definite “Special Occasion” spirit right here. 5/5
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

TOP MARGARITA TEQUILA: HERRADURA SILVER
COST: about $38 (750ml)
TASTING NOTES: This colorless tequila has a pungent attack with light to moderate agave intensity. It has a nice, full feel on the tongue with slight sweetness, followed by an astringent drying of the palate. Moderate earth and pepper with slight floral flavors are dominated by the heavy distilled flavors. Aftertaste is surprisingly short, with no single flavor at the forefront.
WHAT COMPLEX SAYS: This stuff is awesome, and our top pick for the margarita category. This guy sits right in the middle price-wise, and the bottle is cool. Order it by name at most normal bars, and keep a bottle on your shelf for these last few summer weekends of awesomeness. 3.5/5
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

BEST BOTTLE FOR YOUR HOME: CORZO SILVER
COST: about $50 (750ml)
TASTING NOTES: Clear, with a dry light-to medium-bodied palate. Flavors of tropical fruit and peppery spice harmoniously blended to create a delicate finish. Incredibly smooth. Impeccably clean.
WHAT COMPLEX SAYS: Sometimes a fancy bottle is there to throw you off of an average product. Not so much with Corzo. This is an exceptionally smooth and drinkable tequila, whether you’re looking for something straight or with minimal mix (splash of pineapple, orange). We don’t see this at a lot of lower-level bars, but it’s a great tequila to have at your house – the bottle impresses. 4/5
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

BEST IN SHOW: SINGLE ESTATE TEQUILA OCHO (2009)
COST: about $70 (750ml)
TASTING NOTES: It has a sweetly floral nose with extra ripe agaves and candied fruit presenting themselves. We detect citrus, cinnamon, dried fruit and almond on the palate with a lingering hint of spearmint on the finish.
WHAT COMPLEX SAYS: This stuff is vintaged, like a wine, so each year it tastes a little different. The bottle itself looks fancy, but when you taste this, you’re gonna be blown away. Tons of flavor, smooth going down, and good for just about anything. Except for your pocket, of course. Oh well. Can’t win em all. 5/5

Company parties can be a lot of fun—unless you work with a bunch of squares and they don’t allow liquor in the punch bowl. Today’s Buy It Now can help you out in that situation though. This flask, handmade with solid pewter by the Master Guild of Pertwersmiths in England, fits 6 ounces of whatever magical libation you prefer. The hammerstone finish is the perfect accent to the gentlemanly decanter. Now take that liquid courage and gather the nerve to tell your boss’s assistant how you really feel. Detail pics and Buy It Now info below…

CONCORD VULCAN BAYONET 6 OZ. FLASK
Click here to Buy It Now at blackbirdballard.com, $94

MEXICO: Corona
• “People” are always debating as to whether Corona is actually drank in Mexico, asking if it’s just exported to Americans, blah blah blah. We’ve been to Mexico, and they have Corona there. You know, and we know, that this stuff is awesome, and if it weren’t for Corona, none of the light Latin lagers would have hit your palate. The first, and still the awesome-est. Get the limes out.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Presidente
• Pounding “Presis” goes with summer like peas and carrots. Essentially a cross between a Heineken and Corona.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

NICARAGUA: Toña
• Toña is fairly new to the American bodegas, it’s marketed as kind of an upscale Latin refresher. Our call on that is, “Yes and no,” but if they’re at the BBQ, we’re cool with that.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

MEXICO: Pacifico
• Pacifico is our favorite Corona alternative, an awesome light beer that you can drink all day, take a nap and then drink all night. Responsibly, of course.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

COSTA RICA: Imperial
• People head to Costa Rica for three main things: sun/beach, surf, and ladies of the night. Not Costa Rica’s cultural high point, but if you go there for the waves, you’ll find yourself drinking about a million of these awesomes. In the U.S., cop it in Arizona, California, and Nevada. It tastes kind of like a cross between Bud and Bud Light.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

EL SAVADOR: Famosa
• Sold as Gallo in it’s homeland, Famosa is imported through Florida so you’ll find it easiest if you’re lurking down South. Kind of like a Beck’s or Heineken, but not as strong on the burnt-citrus musk taste.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

MEXICO: Modelo Especial
• Latin beers are often in bottles, maybe because they import better that way? Don’t matter. Modelo comes in both, but we prefer the cans. They fit better in the backpack and lend themselves nicely to “Crushing a few beers” after work.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

PUERTO RICO: Medalla Light
• These aren’t available in the continental 48, but since Puerto Rico is like a half-blood U.S. state anyway, they make the list. You can spend a dollar while you drink these Coors ripoffs, but you’ll be way happier because it’s guaranteed to be nice down there.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

MEXICO: Sol
• It means “Sun” and it tastes like awesome.

By coincidence, yesterday’s MTV Video Music Awards fell on the 30th anniversary of the death of Keith Moon, the legendary drummer for The Who who was known for pounding skins (kick, snare, tom), drinking champagne and cognac for breakfast, and pounding skins (the two-legged variety).

With host Russell Brand doing his (lame) blissed-out British rocker routine, it got us thinking'could today’s musicians hang with the Notorious M.O.O.N.? See how they measure up to his bad habits below.

QUESTIONABLE “HUMOR”

If there’s one current “musician” who could give Keith a run for his money, it would be Amy Winehouse. But while Ms. Rehab has a cracked out video of her singing a song called “Blacks, Pakis, gooks, and nips,” Moon (above, left) used to get his jollies dressing up like an Adolf Hitler puppet. Since Keith’s hideously poor taste is done with a smirk (as opposed to a drool), he takes Round One.

Advantage: Moon

BAD DRIVING

These days, everyone from Nick Carter to Eve has picked up a DUI charge. But as far as we know, even DMX hasn’t driven a Bentley into a hotel swimming pool, as Keith did on his 21st birthday in 1967.

Advantage: Moon

PASSING OUT ONSTAGE

Keith was running unopposed in this category until Jodeci’s JoJo fell out drunk had an epileptic seizure during the group’s reunion tour this summer. But whereas Jo was able to walk off stage under his own power, Keith had to be carried out by roadies after nosediving into his snare for the second time at a 1973 concert. He also scores bonus points because his band continued to play the rest of the show with some dude from the audience.

Advantage: Moon

LIQUID BREAKFAST

While trying to give up drinking in the mid-’70s, Moon consulted a doctor who told him that his daily breakfast'biscuits and gravy, along with a bottle of Dom Perignon, Courvoisier, and a couple downers'would make it a little difficult for him to easily segue into sober life. On the other hand, so-called “hard-living” Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee recently announced he’s going vegetarian. For a bitch.

Advantage: Moon

UNTIMELY DEATH

Sure, there are plenty of rockers (and even a few rappers) who’ve died of overdoses, but it’s important to note that Keith died not of booze or recreational drugs, but from an overdose of a pill he was given to help him stop drinking. There’s a lesson there kiddies.

Advantage: Moon

Although Hagar’s involvement with the spirit may have been a bit under-the-radar, Cabo Wabo has been rivaling Patron and other ultra-premiums for more than a decade. When you order this afternoon’s round of “Thank Gods,” consider showing the dude some love (he’s on his grizzy!) and give CW a try. After the jump, watch a video of Sammy breaking down the history of tequila and showing off his arm tattoo.

Enterprising amateur filmmakers have been throwing together fake ads since the dawn of YouTube, but this one for Guinness is easily the best so far. The concept is simple: three dudes split one bottle of the famed Irish stout'while triple-teaming some poor girl, using the small of her back as a table (EF a coaster!). We don't normally advocate sharing a single bottle of beer amongst three guys, but in this case, we'll make an exception. Check the full semi-NSFW clip that everyone will be talking about below.

[AdverBox via Animal]

Well, we’re all grown up now, and enjoy a stiff drink now and again (and again), which is where this dope cocktail-making machine comes in. Made by a New Zealander named Joseph Herscher, it uses a rake, a toy truck, a wooden spoon, and a bunch of ball bearings to make a drink called Falling Water (basically a vodka lemonade with a cucumber slice). The best thing about it? Once you’ve got it set up, all you need to do is set your glass down to make another drink. Check the video after the jump.

[Boing Boing]

Doubling as a bottle opener, the handy tracker uses a digital counter that adds 1 every time you crack open another brewski. Besides being the envy of all the frat-boy types when the Tracker comes out of pocket (so awesome bro!), you'll also be able to use the device as solid evidence that you drank wayyy too much the night before'the only reason you'd ever leave with that 300-pound chick. After the jump, peep the ultimate video compilation of embarrassingly drunk people.

[GearLog]

A spokesman for the game’s creator defended it by saying, “If anything, you’re going to be drinking less…Because you are too busy playing the game, trying to beat your opponent, to be constantly picking up a beer and drinking it.” In our opinion, the kids need constructive video games like beer pong, otherwise they’ll just end up driving drunk on GTA. Watch the trailer after the jump to see what all the hype is about.

[Fairfax Times via GoNintendo]

The end-cap acts as a suction cup that sticks to any stationary surface, so you can post it up against a wall, table, or like picture above, against your chicks breasteses. Get it here for $20, then check a step-by-step detail of how to use the chug-machine after the jump.

[Ballerhouse]

AN ALLOVER PRINT COZY FOR A FUCKING 40-OUNCE.

Yes, the good people at 40cozy.com sent us a sample of this abortion; it features an alternating pattern of crowns and malt liquor bottles. Oh, and it also comes in such non-presumptuous options like bandana print and camouflage! The official motto is “Bringing a little class to the front porch.” AHAHAHAHAHA! White people are totally keeping it real! We sent them a letter suggesting an alternate motto: “Keep your cargo shorts dry, you clown-ass motherfuckers, so that you can rap along to Chronic-era Snoop songs and feel the illicit thrill of yelling the N-bomb along with your meaty-necked frat brothers before you go tongue each other's asses in the name of brotherhood.” Is the 40 Cozy sufficient grounds for stomping someone out on G.P.? Weigh in on our poll after the jump.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

[Click each image to view larger]




Related:

- Mixing It Up With LRG And Courvoisier

- LRG & Courvoisier’s Spring Time Tour

- Bun B’s Release Party Recap

- Bun B’s Complex.com Feature

[NOTCOT]

[OhGizmo]

[AdAge]

[Holy Taco]