The Tequila Tourist - Reviews & Blog

Review #535 - Casazul Tequila Reposado

2019-02-07T15:59:00.000-06:00

There's a lot of fun aspects of writing about tequila. The most obvious being that drinking is most often fun and delicious. Getting beyond that, so much of it becomes an opportunity with which you can share tastings and opinions with friends...locally or around the world. I've gotten to know, met and have enjoyed having conversations with many people around the globe about tequila, which makes me feel very blessed since this blog started out as just me hacking away in the basement sipping on something and writing notes on a blog that I never expected anyone to read and mostly for my own personal reference of my likes and dislikes.

For Casazul (NOM 1489) and most of my recent reviews, the tastings have been done as blind samples shared by friends, enthusiasts and in this case, a sample for the Monterey Tequila Festival. All comments and scores are submitted without any knowledge of the product and the price is only given at the end to be able to judge on value. I rarely give out point totals just because it's easy to score expensive bottles high. If you're a familiar reader of this blog, you know that my goal has always been to find and recommend value priced gems. Casazul is a reasonably priced reposado in a fairly basic looking bottle. All of the other brand info can be found by visiting Tequila Matchmaker's page on the product as well.

Price: $35-40/bottle
Aroma: Citrus, buttery agave and pine notes on the nose. Pretty good intro.
Initial Taste: A touch of sweetness and earth. The buttery agave is present as well.
Body: The body is thin and a touch watery. Medicinal notes are present as well and overshadow the agave and barrel notes.
Finish: The finish is a combo of smoky and spicy elements and the medicinal harshness that ruins the pleasant flavors that were initially present.

This bottle started on a promising note, but it all fell apart as the sips continued. Not the worst diffiuser product that I've tasted, but for the price range, there's just better products out there to be sure. The search continues for more...

Review #534 - El Rey Tequila Blanco

2019-01-18T14:24:00.000-06:00

(photo courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

The final review of the El Rey line of tequilas that I had rated blind and was a very pleasant surprise. A smaller brand from NOM 1123 at a good price of $35 a bottle. With most everything else covered in the reviews of the aged expressions (and that can be found in the links above), I'll jump right in.

Price: $35/bottle
Aroma: A fairly standard aroma of clean cooked agave with light pine and vegetal hints.
Initial Taste: Crisp and green. Nicely sweet without being overly so.
Body: Medium to think body. Nice oils and coating of the glass. Peppery notes and more vegetal notes are present as well.
Finish: A medium length peppery and sweet cooked agave finish. Very solid

Hopefully this brand will get some more distribution as it gathers awards. It's a very nice product at a very nice price. I will definitely be picking up a bottle.

Review #533 - Casazul Tequila Silver

2018-12-28T14:41:00.000-06:00

(photo courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

Casazul is a new brand for me from NOM 1489, which houses other brands that might be recognizable like Casa Dragones and Hussong's. It's double distilled and diffuser extracted and made in the Los Valles region of Jalisco. The bottle is clean looking and sleek, the price is in line with many in the marketplce. Let's see how it tastes.

Price: $40/bottle
Aroma: Some green agave, spicy notes and a distinct element of alcohol and medicinal notes.
Initial Taste: Medicinal, not much agave flavor present
Body: Medium bodied, somewhat oily. The flavors are harsh and medicinal. Some vegetal notes, but way out of whack.
Finish: Similar to the rest of the bottle. Not something that I hoped would linger very long.

This didn't go well. The appearance looks OK and the price is OK, but the contents held all of the bad elements of diffuser produced tequila. It's harsh and medicinal...and you should move along to something else if you are shopping for a New Year's gathering.

Review #532 - REVEL Avila Reposado 100% Puro de Agave

2018-12-02T16:00:00.001-06:00

(Photo Courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

Revel Avila is a new agave distillate with no NOM that I can find. It's distributed by Old Town Tequila, who you know I love and buy from and is a great source for lesser known agave brands. This one has a nice presentation and a dark color for a repo and a premium price. I wish that I could provide more background info, but all I have right now is the tequila and the bottle photo. So here goes...

Price: $70/bottle
Nose: The nose is smoky, but not overpowering like the more pungent mezcales.
Initial Taste: Buttery, sweet and smoky. A nice blend of all of them.
Body: The mouthfeel is thick and oily. The sweetness is kind of like candy corn and mixes with the smoky notes.
Finish: The linger is the smoke. It's a nice finish. No real burn to speak of. Very pleasant.

This is a nice change of pace. It's smoky, but not overpowering. The sweetness is there, but it doesn't seem manipulated. If you're looking for a mezcal/tequila blend in a flavor with some barrel sweetness, this is a bottle to check out.

Review #531 - Alderete Tequila Reposado

2018-11-08T17:29:00.000-06:00

(Photo Courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

It's been a while since I've been able to taste anything from Alderete. 5 years ago, I drank and fell in love with the Anejo and with lack of any distribution in the Midwest, it was virtually impossible for me to get my hands on it. Any loyal readers of the blog know that I have long been a fan of just ionabout anything coming out of NOM 1414, so this in theory should be a real treat. The rub, much like most of my later reviews, they were rated and written blind to provide no brand bias. Here are the results.

Price: $45-50/bottle
Nose: Great agave forward nose. Some citrus and pine notes as well.
Initial Taste: Fruity agave. Sweet and clean tasting.
Body: Medium bodied. Some oak notes and cinnamon join up with the fruity notes (both citrus and melon)
Finish: The oak creates a hint of bitterness in the end and a nice peppery kick. Really well rounded from start to finish.

NOM 1414 does it again. This is a classic reposado profile. Agave forward, but with enough barrel influence to keep it interesting. I feel like I would find some different flavors if I tried a sample on a different day. Really tasty, really complex and a good value. Buy.

Review #530 - El Jefe Tequila Blanco

2018-10-23T17:27:00.000-05:00

(Photo Courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

El Jefe tequila is a new brand for me from a distillery (NOM 1548) with which I'm also not overly familiar. It actually shows that it's no longer in production, but I see it sold in a few places online. You can see all of the details in the links above about production, so let's get right to business.

Price: $40-50/bottle
Aroma: Smoky and vegetal agave nose.
Initial Taste: Vegetal and peppery with a touch of sweetness. Nice.
Body: A tad thin, but the peppery notes are still there with hints of smoke.
Finish: Long and lingering finish. The smoky and earthy notes are there mostly. There's also a hint of bitterness and alcohol on the linger.

This is a blanco that started out very promising, but fell off a bit as it advanced. It's still a nice blanco, but for a higher end price, I'd probably recommend others over this one from a value perspective. The presentation is nice and if you like a natural and smoky flavor, this one may be right up your alley. Salud!

Review #529 - El Rey Tequila Reposado

2018-10-08T17:25:00.000-05:00

(Photo Courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

Another tequila from the El Rey line and recent winner of the Gold Medal at the Monterey Tequila Festival. It hails from NOM 1123, which has housed a number of other tequilas that I have enjoyed over the years. The bottle looks classy and it's well priced.

I should take some time to note that Tequila Matchmaker has given me permission to use their photography and I have linked their page below each photo where you can view information on region and production method. That site is a treasure trove of tequila knowledge and I couldn't recommend it highly enough. Thanks for them for their help and knowledge.

Now for the tequila...

Price: $40-45/bottle
Aroma: Lightly vegetal agave nose with hints of vanilla.
Initial Taste: A pleasant balance of green pepper and grassy notes with light sweetness. Tastes natural, not manipulated.
Body: A nice, oily body. Flavors continue to be consistent with some fruit/melon notes to add some complexity.
Finish: Long finish with some strong agave peppery notes to mingle with the fruit and vanilla. Nicely balanced.

For the price, this is a really nice reposado. I don't know how to summarize it more than that. It's at Old Town Tequila for under $40 right now. A definite buy.

Review #527 - T1 Sensacional Extra Añejo

2018-08-22T20:06:00.000-05:00

(Photo Courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

Generally speaking, anything coming out of NOM 1146 is something that I am looking out for. Based on how much I enjoyed the anejo, I was really looking forward to trying the T1 Sensacional Extra Añejo. At a shade over $100, the price is in line with other XAs and the presentation is excellent as it is with the entire line...and that color...let's jump in.

Price: $100-120/bottle
Aroma: Cooked agave, brown sugar and berries.
Initial Taste: A bit more savory than sweet. Oak forward with nice spice balance with a still present agave flavor.
Body: Nice oily body. Good balance of agave, spice and berries.
Finish: Medium length finish that is a bit more oak forward. Dark chocolate and mocha notes mix well with the agave kick and berries.

This is a top notch tequila overall. Well priced, well package and great tasting. Another winner out of NOM 1146.

Review #526 - Codigo Tequila Reposado

2018-08-02T17:24:00.000-05:00

(Photo Courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

I've heard a lot of buzz about Codigo 1530 since it was released. This is my first taste of anything from the line, but I have enjoyed bottles that had been previously made at NOM 1500. The bottle has a unique presentation and unique barrels as it is aged in French oak and wine barrels. It a tad expensive for a reposado, but sometimes a unique process makes it worth it. Let's find out.

Price: $60-70/bottle
Aroma: Smoky, earthy and vanilla. An interesting mix.
Initial Taste: Buttery agave and vanilla. Creme brulee type entry.
Body: Nice and oily body. Sweet and smoky and peppery.
Finish: Some vegetal green pepper notes along with some oak forward notes of coffee and dark chocolate. A bit more savory than most.

This is an interesting repo. The more I drink it, the more I enjoy it. I'm not sure that I'd want to pay $70 for it, but it's well balanced and unique. If you like a thick mouth feel and some earthy smoky notes to go along with a lighter sweetness, this will be up your alley. My biggest hangup is with the price.

Review #525 - Cazcanes No. 9 Tequila Blanco

2018-07-10T19:51:00.000-05:00

Before getting this, I was not at all familiar with the Cazcanes brand or anything coming out of NOM 1599. Cazcanes No 9 is a high ABV blanco at 100 proof, which is something that I've enjoyed in the past from other brands. The presentation is wonderful in this great looking traditional bottle and label. Let's hope the tequila is just as good.

Price: $50/bottle
Aroma: Earthy and peppery nose. Not overly sweet.
Initial Taste: Cooked agave sweetness with some natural vegetal notes and spicy. The high proof is very evident.
Body: Nice oily body. The heat comes forward a bit more and overwhelms the earthy notes that were present on the nose.
Finish: The finish lingers for a while, but is also hot. There's peppery and vegetal notes that give it a very natural flavor, but the astringency and heat doesn't really ever find balance.

Cazcanes No. 9 has some really nice aspects going for it, but in the end didn't quite hit all of the right notes. For those that enjoy overproofed tequilas, they might like it more than me. I wouldn't recommend this for tequila novices.

Review #524 - Suerte Extra Añejo Kings Crown Edition (2016)

2018-06-20T19:47:00.000-05:00

(Photo Courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

Drinking Suerte has always been a treat for me. From the earthiness of the blanco to the integrated fruitiness of the aged expressions. So I would be lying if I said that an opportunity to taste the crown jewel of the lineup didn't have me excited. The 2016 XA King's Crown Edition is the third in the special edition XAs from Suerte (NOM 1530). Let's see if it lives up to expectations.

Price: $100-120
Aroma: Well integrated mix of cooked agave and berries.
Initial Taste: Berries and baking spice. Lots of agave, not too oaky.
Body: Medium bodied. The oak comes forward a bit along with cinnamon and nutmeg. Still dark berries and chocolate too. A nice blend.
Finish: The finish has the oak and dark chocolate notes lingering for a good amount of time.

Start to finish, this is a darn fine XA and it's well priced to boot. If you haven't tried Suerte at any age, please do yourself a favor and go out and pick one up. Truly a lovely line of tequilas.

Review #523 - El Rey Tequila Anejo

2018-06-01T19:34:00.000-05:00

(Photo Coutesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

It's feeling like summer time here and that often makes me want to reach for more light sippers like tequila over the heavier whiskeys. This is my first chance to taste a product from El Rey (NOM 1123), which made a previous budget favorite of mine in Dos Lunas. Since that's no longet made and El Rey is well priced, hopefully I can find a new good budget brand.

Price: $45-50/bottle
Aroma: Buttery agave and vanilla. Hints of grass and pine as well, but profile still seems more sweet than heavy on organic notes.
Initial Taste: The peppery agave notes come through quickly. This doesn't seem over aged or manipulate.
Body: Medium-thick body. The buttery agave is there, but the spicy/oaky notes are bit heavier.
Finish: A lot of depth and length to the finish. Spicy along with a hint of bitterness to go along with the more faint notes of buttery, sweet agave.

Overall, I like this bottle. It looks nice, it's a good anejo without being too sweet. It has the balance and depth to please just about anyone from a tequila novice to an expert. I'd recommend El Rey and am looking forward to checking out the other expressions.

Review #522 - Embajador Supreme Añejo

2018-05-10T19:22:00.000-05:00

(Photo Courtesy of Tequila Matchmaker)

Back on the review train and hoping to be more consistent with the reviews to keep new content coming for all of you. I'm finally getting around to reviewing the anejo from Embajador after very much enjoying the blanco and reposado. This comes from NOM 1509 is double distilled and uses American and French Oak barrels. Let's jump in.

Price: $50-60/bottle
Aroma: A nice balance of cooked agave and cinnamon. Dessert notes with some vanilla as well.
Body: Nice oils on the body and the oak depth comes forward a bit more with some spice and dark chocolate.
Finish: A long, lingering finish with creme brulee and cinnamon blending with some of the fruity and pepper notes from the agave.

I really enjoyed this anejo and feel like this would be a crowd pleaser as well. Sweetness overall, but it doesn't overpower the agave notes. It's priced fairly as well. I'd definitely recommend picking up a bottle of this or any others in the line.

Review #521 - Azuñia Tequila Blanco (Organic)

2018-04-26T19:36:00.001-05:00

This blog has been around a lot longer that I ever anticipated when I first started jotting down thoughts about various brands (mostly for my own reference). Many products are gone, many have changed distilleries and some just have new packaging. It's always nice to revisit brands after a long time away from them. I first reviewed Azunia Platinum in 2012 and I've enjoyed most of the line. I now have the 2018 version in my glass and I'm looking forward to seeing what this offering from NOM 1426 is all about 6 years later.

Price: $35-40/bottle
Aroma: A lovely cooked crisp agave smell with notes of pine and green bell peppers.
Initial Taste: Refreshing. The green agave notes are strong and the peppery kick wakes up your senses.
Body: Nice and oily body and everything blends together wonderfully. A light earthiness comes in with the bold cooked agave flavors. Lovely.
Finish: Long and spicy. The bell pepper is still there along with just a touch of mint. Agave pepper notes and the sweetness linger for a good while.

This is a lovely blanco. For under $40, I highly recommend it. Looking back at my previous review (I didn't look at the notes before writing this), there's definitely consistency, but I think that I might like the new one even more. I'd definitely recommend going out and getting a bottle of Azunia Blanco.

Review #520 - Adictivo Tequila Extra Añejo

2018-04-03T18:49:00.000-05:00

A while back, I reviewed the Adictivo Reposado and thought it was a solid repo, but just wasn't my style. A touch more on the dessert side, but would probably be a crowd pleaser for those that enjoy tequilas with heavier vanilla notes. Now it's time to try the Extra Añejo sibling of that bottle. It's aged for 5 years in French oak which should add an interesting element to it. The bottle is lovely, the glass is poured, the color of it is tempting...let's dive in.

Price: $84/bottle - at Old Town
Aroma: It's a subtle nose initially. Light sweetness & fruity. Hard to pinpoint anything specific.
Initial Taste: It's sweet initially. The french oak influence is prominent.
Body: A bit thinner than most XAs, but a very pleasant mouthfeel. The oak and fruit integrate well together. Still fruity (dark berries) and sweet.
Finish: The finish lasts a long time the cognac flavors linger nicely. A very interesting finish to the XA.

I can see why this bottle is well reviewed on the Old Town website. It hits all of the notes that people would want in a dessert pour. For me, it's a bit like the repo where the profile is a touch sweet. If you live Cava de Oro, you'd like this one even more. It's an interesting bottle as it's kind of like a cognac/tequila hybrid. It would make a great (albeit expensive) Mexican Manhattan or an Añejo Old Fashioned. If you like an XA on the sweeter side, but with some agave to balance it out, Adictivo XA is a good pick for you.

Review #519 - Espanita Tequila Añejo

2018-03-20T18:51:00.000-05:00

There's a lot of great aspects to having had access to over 500 tequilas to taste over the years. However, unfortunately (but fortunately for me tonight) Espanita Añejo got buried at the back of the shelf. A cousin to Arrogante and Rudo-Tecnico (from NOM 1467), I very much enjoyed the younger expressions of this tequila. Let's see what this 18 month old añejo has in store for me.

Price: $35/bottle
Aroma: A really nice mixture of agave, pineapples/pears and a hint of vanilla and pepper.
Initial Taste: Sweet and fruity on the entry.
Body: The oak comes forward a bit more. Medium bodied. Hints of nuttiness and vanilla come forward a bit more than the fruit sweetness.
Finish: The oak and a hint of bitterness from the barrel comes forward and mixes with light peppery notes and vanilla. Medium length finish.

This is a solid B level Añejo to me. The packaging is nice and the price is really good for an 18 month old tequila. A big bonus is that it's also easy to find at Total Wine. I like this bottle, but for a few dollars more, I'd go for its cousin, Arrogante. But at $35, it's a good multi-purpose tequila to sip or have in a cocktail.

Review #518 - Anzuelo Tequila Añejo

2018-02-27T19:02:00.000-06:00

El Anzuelo Tequila Añejo is from NOM 1527 and apparently didn't last long. It's no longer listed as active by the CRT and is difficult to find online. I got mine from Hi Time and it was really well priced at $30. I wish that I could tell you more about it, but there's not much info out there anymore. At least I can still tell you how it tastes.

Price: $30/bottle
Aroma: Agave, dry spices, hints of mint and pine.
Initial Taste: Initially pretty sweet. The cooked agave is very present and balances nicely with some vanilla from the barrel.
Body: Medium bodied. Just a nice, straight forward Añejo. Agave flavors (with hints of earth and veggies) mixed with some barrel sweetness.
Finish: Medium length finish. The dry spices come forward again on the end. Really well balanced.

I'd happily buy another bottle of this for $30. No flavors stand out, but it's just a nice sipper to enjoy at a nice price. If you see it out there, give it a try.

Review #517 - DeLeon Tequila Reposado

2018-01-22T19:20:00.003-06:00

Premium Brand. Premium Name. Premium Endorser (Diddy). That's what DeLeon would have you believe. First off, coming from NOM 1519 (Agroindustrias Casa Ramirez, S.A. de C.V.), they have a good start. They ended up purchasing the entire distillery and that was the end of one of my favorite budget brands in Reserva de Mexico. The tequila comes in a heavy duty and classy looking bottle with a metal screw top stopper. It certainly projects a certain image, but I'm pretty much interested in what's inside and how it compares to its peers in the same price range.

Price: $60/bottle (But it's got a smoking price on it at Hi Time for $33)
Aroma: It's got a nice balance of cooked agave and barrel notes of vanilla and butterscotch. Hints of citrus as well.
Initial Taste: A touch sweeter than the nose would indicate. Fruits like pear and apple along with vanilla.
Body: Medium bodied, still sweet. A bit more oak comes through to add a touch of dark chocolate and earth.
Finish: The earthy notes stick around on a medium length linger. The fruity sweetness is still prominent as well. A nicely balanced finish.

All in all, this is very solid tequila. For $33, it's a cool bar piece and the tequila inside is well worth that compared to a lot of the over-marketed and over sweetened products with other big names attached to them. I'd happily buy another bottle of this to gift or bring to a party.

Review #516 - Tequila Don Alberto Gran Reserva Extra Anejo

2018-01-04T19:21:00.000-06:00

It's Tequila Thursday everyone. Time to try something entirely new. Tequila Don Alberto hails from the award winning distillery NOM 1477 (Leticia Hermosillo Ravelero), which has produced Cava de Oro. The bottle itself is beautiful. The label, wax and handwritten notes. It looks like something that took a long time to craft. The color is really dark as well. One complaint off the bat is getting into the bottle. It's wax coated and requires a knife to remove it. Then, the cork is like a wine cork. Just a lot of work to get into, but let's hope that it's worth it.

Price: $70/bottle @ Old Town
Aroma: The oak is the most dominant smell, but there's also stewed fruits, nutmeg (or other savory baking spices)
Initial taste: A nice combo of sweet cooked agave and ripe berries like cherry.
Body: Medium viscosity. There's an element to it that drinks like a sherried speyside single malt scotch. A really unique note in a tequila. Hints of earth and menthol are there too to compliment the fruitiness. A well balanced combo.
Finish: The sherried linger maintains. It's a light finish and lingers nicely without too much spice and virtually no burn.

I was pleasantly surprised by this tequila. I was not a fan of the Cava de Oro XA, but this one is both tasty and very unique. $70 is a nice price for an extra anejo as well. This would be a crowd pleaser for wine, malt, bourbon or tequila drinkers. Aficionados and those looking to try something new will enjoy this bottle. Salud!

Review #515 - Fortaleza Tequila Blanco Still Strength

2017-12-10T19:42:00.000-06:00

Another tequila that I'm super excited to taste. Fortaleza blanco has long been my standard bearer for blancos. Take away the water and I'm expecting a trip to flavor town. This is the initial lot #1 of this expression. Let's go for it.

Price: $50/bottle (purchased from Hi Time)
Aroma: Cooked agave, some earth and white pepper.
Initial Taste: Sweet, spicy and delicious.
Body: What a great mouthfeel. Thick and creamy. So much pure agave with hints of earth and pepper. Sweet cooked agave with just a bit of kick. The extra proof makes a difference.
Finish: Long linger that is damn near perfect. The earthy flavor that you loved about the 80 proof blanco is there and bigger.

I'm on a hell of a run with blancos right now. Two in a row that have been fantastic. For $50, this is also a must buy. The 80 proof was my favorite and this just overtook it. Go get it.

Review #514 - G4 Tequila Blanco

2017-11-30T19:18:00.000-06:00

I'm excited to try my first expression from the G4 line tonight. From NOM 1579, this newer brand is from El Pandillo distillery and Felipe Camarena. This distillery and tequila have been very highly rated by the folks using Tequila Matchmaker and won other industry awards. So let's do it!

Price: $30-35/bottle
Aroma: Sweet and pure cooked agave, some crisp pepper vegetal notes and light earth.
Initial Taste: Clean, crisp, sweet blanco goodness.
Body: It's oily, viscous and delicious. It's just a mouthful of agave goodness. Some pepper, earth and green agave notes too.
Finish: A nice, long finish with a sweet agave linger. The pepper and earth come forward more. It's a really well balanced finish.

Run...don't walk to buy this blanco for $30. This may start to rival Fortaleza blanco as my favorite blanco tequila. It's simply outstanding and lived up to every bit of the hype. I will be buying more of this in the very near future.

Review #513 - Lovely Rita Tequila Blanco

2017-09-02T17:05:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry for being gone for so long. Lots has been going on with me being an actual Tourist overseas rather than just touring tequila in my basement. But I'm back and have a few interesting bottles to taste over the next few weeks.

I'm getting started with Lovely Rita blanco from NOM 1438. 1438 has made some nice budget tequilas and some higher end ones as well. They've also made some duds, which shows that you can't solely say good or bad about a distillery based off of just one tequila. This one comes in a nice bottle and pink label. The marketing talks about a "romantic side" of tequila, which I'm not sure how it will resonate with consumers, but in the end, I only care about how it tastes and how it compares from a value perspective with others. This one comes in at under $40 at Old Town Tequila, so right in the middle of prices for 100% agave tequilas.

Price: $35-40/bottle
Nose: A fairly clean agave nose with hints of green pepper light citrus.
Initial Taste: A pretty basic agave flavor. A hint of sweet, a hint of vegetal notes and some peppery spice.
Body: Nice and oily. Coats the glass and your mouth well.
Finish: A finish that lingers just like it starts. Clean, crisp and tasty. Not overpowering, not hot, not too spicy. Just a good, solid agave forward blanco.

Even though the review seems short, don't take that as a negative. This blanco is simple, but tasty. It's what one could call a crushable tequila. You have one pour and you want some more and before you know it, a good chunk of the bottle is gone. This is crisp in that I expect it will make a very nice cocktail as well. The tequila is solid and the price is solid. I'd give it a solid B.

Review #512 - Casa Noble Tequila Joven (Old Town Selected single barrel)

2017-07-24T20:10:00.001-05:00

Happy National Tequila Day!

I've been thinking of what to open and try much of the day today and in the end, I wanted to try something that I knew would be interested. So, I decided to crack open a single barrel Casa Noble Joven bottle from Old Town Tequila. I tasted one a long while back from The Party Source and I recalled it being interesting. I'm not the #1 fanboy of lightly aged Cofradia distilled tequilas, but it was certainly worth looking at for the price and proof. So when the chance to taste a second one popped up, I took it. It's an interesting bottle because of the joven classification and the higher proof at 102 (51% ABV).

Price: $50/bottle
Nose: Pears, honey, green pepper and the classic Casa Noble earthy/forest floor nose.
Initial Taste: A nice and light mix of citrus and pepper. It almost has a smoky element as well like a peated scotch. Not as potent, but an interesting note.
Body: Full mouth feel with nice oils. Peppery and earthy to be sure. Hint of smoke and citrus.
Finish: The finish is long and predictably hotter than most other tequilas. If you like a strong peppery finish, you'll love this one. The other flavors fade away and leave a long, peppery ending.

For those tequila drinkers that are looking for something new and different, you should go out and get a bottle of this. It has a lot of the elements that you love is spicy blanco, but it adds other notes that make it interesting along with a bold finish. For $50 and the extra proof, this is a nice value as well.

Review #511 - Terralta Tequila Añejo

2017-07-03T19:47:00.002-05:00

I'm really excited to try this brand. It's one that a lot of people in the tequila community that I trust have been raving about. Unlike most brands, Terralta makes 6 expressions, including 110 proof blancos and extra anejos. While I'll just be trying the anejo today, I'm really interested in tasting a 110 proof XA. This is made a NOM 1579 (El Pandillo Distillery) by a familiar name, Felipe Camarena. The tequila is made in the traditional way with brick ovens and tahona. Much like many of the bottles that are impossible to find in Minnesota, I got this one from Old Town Tequila. Let's dig in...

Price: $57/bottle
Aroma: While many anejos have a very sweet nose, this one has earthy cooked agave with a touch of brine and wet cement smell. Very natural smelling and intriguing.
Initial Taste: The earthy/mineral taste is there with sweet cooked agave. A touch of honey notes are there as well.
Body: Sublime body on this tequila. Viscous and thick. Spicier notes come forward to pair with the original flavors. The combination is fantastic. The sweet elements of the barrel integrate really well with the earthy tequila profile in almost perfect balance.
Finish: The finish is a good length and is still a really well balanced blend of agave and barrel. The spicy notes on the finish are very pleasant and blend well with the honeyed barrel influence.

This is one of the better new tequilas I've tasted in a while. I'd put it in the realm of Fortaleza for tequilas that have a natural taste and blend barrel and agave with near perfection. At $57 a bottle, this is well priced and I'd certainly recommend that you seek out a bottle.

Review #510 - Magia Extraña Tequila Extra Añejo

2017-05-29T15:50:00.001-05:00

I write often about the places from which I buy tequila. First, because they are great partners with whom to work and second because they often are able to find gems that are difficult to find any where, but especially so for me up here in Minnesota. Old Town Tequila is perhaps the finest at finding rare gems from south of the border. Magia Extrana Extra Anejo is just another example of that. It's from NOM 1581, which isn't even listed on the Tequila.net database. But because he has access to great and varied options, I get to be the beneficiary.

Price: $75/bottle
Aroma: The nose is subtle with honey and creme brulee/vanilla. It's not overly sweet at all like many of the XAs currently on the market.
Initial Taste: It has good balance of a desserty sweetness from the barrel and a combination of pepper and tropical fruit. It sweet, but not syrupy.
Body: Medium to thick body. Nice oily mouth feel. Hints of bitterness like coffee and dark chocolate blend in the the vanilla flavors.
Finish: I really enjoy the finish. It's long and spicy and the linger include the combination of sweet and bitter chocolate like the body...just with an extra peppery kick and it lasts for a while.

The presentation on this tequila is nothing special, but an XA of this caliber for $75 is a buy for me. It will please the novice crowd, but also has the complexity for more experienced tequila drinkers. This one is certainly worth a look.