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If your view of tequila typically includes salt, lime and a deep shudder, you may be surprised at what you'll find on a typical Saturday night at Reposado.

The bar on Toronto's Ossington Avenue is crowded with well-dressed scenesters ordering up flights of ultra-premium Mexican offerings - sometimes paying $36 for three one-ounce shots - or sipping innovative cocktails like the Plata Martini, while listening to a jazz trio known as the Reposadists.

It's a long way from frat houses and body shots, but for a burgeoning generation of aficionados, bars such as Reposado - along with Montreal's La Iguana and the new Tequila Kitchen in Vancouver's Yaletown district - are much like the purveyors of single malt that came before them.

Overseen by passionate owners who evangelize about complex flavours and subtle nuances, they offer a rapidly expanding selection of spirits to rival any single malt or fine cognac.

Reflecting this new status, Canadian liquor boards are stocking up, listing more premium and pricey tequilas, often at the expense of the cheaper silver and gold brands many of us grew up with.

At the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, for instance, the tequila portfolio now offers more than 40 listings, the large majority priced at $40 or higher.

Before addressing this horn of spirituous plenty, however, it's helpful to review some tequila basics. First, tequila is not the same as mezcal, although both are distilled from the agave, which is not a cactus but actually a large plant related to the lily. Tequila is made from the piña, or heart, of the blue agave, while mezcal production uses any number of varieties of agave.

Further, tequila hails only from the Jalisco region of Mexico, where the blue agave is grown. Mezcal is produced in other regions of Mexico and boasts a broader, but some say less refined, palette of possible flavours including some with a smokiness that would rival Scottish whiskies and others that can be aggressively spicy.

Within tequila, there are two primary families: mixto, for which at least 51 per cent of the fermented and distilled sugars must originate from the blue agave; and 100 per cent agave. Among tequila sophisticates, only the latter group are generally viewed as worthy, while the salt-and-lime stuff you knocked back in university was of the former class.

Among the pure agave tequilas, there are four categories: silver, or unaged tequilas; reposado or "rested" tequilas that have sat in wooden barrels or tanks for two to 12 months; añejo, or aged tequilas that have spent one to three years in barrels with a capacity of no more than 600 litres; and the latest classification, extra añejo, which are añejos allowed to age longer than three years.

Even among 100 per cent agave tequilas, the quality can vary widely. Just as the best vineyards cost the most to cultivate, growing superior agaves is an expensive process that will necessarily be reflected in the price. Even without export mark-ups, some tequilas in Mexico, such as the coveted Don Julio Real Añejo (also available at Reposado), can reach prices exceeding $200 a bottle.

When mixing up margaritas for the gang, reach for a silver rather than an añejo, since the vanilla or fruit notes that the latter variety picks up from the barrel will conflict with the tartness of lime juice and yield a less sprightly drink.

For use in cocktails without citrus, such as the Rosita, a blend of tequila, sweet and dry vermouth, Campari and bitters, a reposado may be favoured.

And, certainly the ultimate in sipping tequilas must be the añejo.

If you are inclined to mix, remember that quality of ingredients makes all the difference. Take a fine 100 per cent agave silver, add Grand Marnier, and finish off with fresh-squeezed lime juice and you'll find yourself tasting a whole new class of margarita, and perhaps developing a new attitude toward Mexico's national spirit.

Special to The Globe and Mail

Tasting notes

For serious tequila drinkers, only those made from 100 per cent agave are worth considering. Here are a few of the premium offerings available in Canada:

Leyenda del Milagro Silver

A spicy, sweetish silver with considerable agave character, balanced fruitiness and a zingy vibrancy. An excellent choice for a margarita. ($45; available in Ontario June 1.)

Herradura Reposado

A rich and very fruity tequila with a surprising degree of vanilla and caramel notes, considering the short time it has spent in the barrel. For sipping or mixing. ($50 to $60; available in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario.)

Leyenda del Milagro

Reposado

Like a big brother to the Milagro Silver, this reposado mixes light toffee and vanilla notes with tropical fruitiness and faintly salty spice. A pleasing restorative. ($55 in Ontario.)

Cabo Wabo Reposado

Sporting ample citrus and light smoke on the nose, this is a well-rounded reposado with zero bite and a rich, complex palate. Balanced enough to mix, but pure pleasure on its own. ($71 to $90 in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario.)

Tres Generaciones Añejo

One of the drier tequilas tasted, with notes of vanilla and under-ripe fruit along with a light spiciness. Save this for after dinner, neat. ($73 to $83 in Alberta and B.C.)

Patrón Añejo

Comparatively delicate, with a light fruitiness, gentle floral notes and a hint of spice in the finish. A contemplative tequila for late at night. ($95 to $110 in Alberta, B.C., Ontario and Quebec.)

Patrón XO Café

A sweet, coffee-flavoured curiosity in the tequila world, this boasts a smooth, appealing body and well-balanced taste. Serve with anything chocolate. ($43 to $53 in Alberta and Ontario.)