Nose: Earthy and agave-driven with notes of chocolate, oak, black pepper, and a vegetal quality. There’s a noticeable touch of alcohol on the nose, but enough depth to keep it interesting as it opens up. Palate & Mouthfeel: A sweet agave core leads the way, followed by cinnamon, caramel, orange zest, green apple, and apricot. The fruit and spice play well together, and while the mouthfeel is pleasant, there’s a slight drying quality that builds with each sip. Finish: The finish carries that drying sensation forward, but lingering cinnamon, orange zest, sweet cooked agave, and the influence of the Italian dessert wine barrels keep it engaging long after the sip. Final Thoughts: This is a unique and genuinely delicious tequila that brings something different to the table. The dessert wine barrel influence is present without completely overshadowing the agave, making for a memorable pour. That said, the value proposition is hard to ignore. At $400 at the distillery that’s more than double the MSRP of the previous release, it’s difficult to justify the price. -8 points for value.

Fortaleza wb 25 Italian sweet wine and madera Very good

Exceptional WB. Want to score this higher, but again price and availability make it hard to chase. Very balanced, a nice blend of American and French oak. That Italian dessert wine barrel adds another dimension

Thanks Khrys for letting me try!

A nice nose with some plum, fig, baking spices and wood. The palate has a burst of alcohol up front that dissipates pretty quickly followed by some raisin, cinnamon and caramel. It’s very oily and has a nice easy finish that keeps you wanting some more. Not rating “value” on what the 3rd party market dictates because that has nothing to do with Fortaleza as the brand. The wholesale price and MSRP aren’t all that nuts and based off of those I think the value is appropriate for this (knowing full well that no one is going to get it at those) Overall, I liked this one. Would I go crazy trying to hunt one down (or any of the WB’s)? No. But it is definitely a high quality and unique repo.

This one is a pretty good WB release, but the prices I've seen and distillery prices kills the score.

Very nice! A little spice on this one. Enjoyed a glass at a local bar and felt like it was in the top half of WB releases. Price is out of control on these and I did ding the score but honestly I wish we didn’t have to score pricing. From a quality standpoint this is worth checking out for sure. From a value standpoint, no Reposado is worth this price.

Lower points because of price.

Didn’t pay for it so I didn’t have price in mind when enjoying it. With that said- I can’t justify $400 for this bottle.

Definitely points off for the price! But it’s a lovely, spicy repo. Fortaleza Still Strength was aged for 6 months in French oak barrels that previously held Passito di Caluso, wine (a straw or raisin wine from Italy). It came out of the barrels at 46.2% ABV. Then, they removed that tequila and refilled the same barrels with Still Strength again, this time for 5 months. That batch came out at 45.6% ABV. Those two fills were then blended with the regular Reposado. • 60% Fortaleza Reposado • 20% first-fill barrels • 20% second-fill barrels Bottled at 46abv

The cost really hurt this one.

Fortaleza Winter Blend 2025 – 86/100 Review #100 Reaching my 100th tequila review felt like the perfect occasion to finally open Fortaleza Winter Blend 2025. This is a bottle I had looked forward to for a long time, and while the hype surrounding it is undeniable, I wanted to judge it the same way I’ve judged every other tequila over the past one hundred reviews—based solely on what was in the glass. For this milestone review, I tasted the Winter Blend using my Denver & Liely Agave glass, which has become my preferred glass for evaluating aroma, texture, and flavor throughout this journey. Nose The nose opens with classic Fortaleza minerality accompanied by cooked agave sweetness. Soft barrel notes and baking spices quickly follow, creating an inviting aroma that balances traditional agave character with the influence of oak. It’s pleasant and well-made without being overwhelmingly expressive. Taste The palate begins with cooked agave sweetness before layers of black pepper, cinnamon, and baking spices develop. The tahona production shows itself through a slightly oily, almost creamy mouthfeel that coats the tongue nicely. As the sip develops, however, the barrel influence becomes increasingly dominant. Oak tannins introduce a noticeable dryness that gradually push the agave into the background. Finish The finish offers lingering warmth with a gentle tingling sensation across the tongue. Fermentation notes remain present long after the sip, while the cinnamon and baking spices soften. The agave sweetness is still there, but for my palate it becomes somewhat buried beneath the bourbon barrel character, making the finish less enjoyable than I had hoped. Overall Fortaleza Winter Blend 2025 is unquestionably a well-crafted tequila that showcases traditional production and careful barrel aging. The minerality, tahona texture, fermentation, and natural agave character are all evident throughout the experience. For my personal palate, however, the barrel influence eventually overtakes the agave, particularly on the finish. After one hundred reviews, I’ve learned that I consistently prefer tequilas where the agave remains the star of the show. This is an excellent bottle, but it doesn’t quite align with my preferred flavor profile, and the premium price makes it difficult to justify a higher value score. One hundred reviews have taught me that rarity and reputation don’t determine a score—the tequila in the glass does. That made Fortaleza Winter Blend 2025 the perfect bottle for this milestone. Not because it received my highest score, but because it reminded me how much my palate has evolved and reinforced the importance of judging every pour honestly. Score: 86/100

Absolutely amazing. Price is definitely crazy, but the juice is spectacular.

Complex, balanced, delicious, additive-free made the traditional way. So tired of these broke people knocking down their score because they want a Ferrari at a Ford price.

I have waited what feels like decades to taste the Winter Blend and it did not disappoint. While the aroma isn’t enough to make you fall in love it constantly invites you back for another greater appreciated sniff. However, it is the flavor experience that completely cements why these bottles are so coveted. The first assault of your taste buds is the sweet mouth feel of the caramel taste and texture as the heat slowly begins to develop. It is not immediate; it’s delayed as the citrus flavor creates a mask that forces your brain to race to comprehend what is happening on your palate. By the time your brain recognizes the growing heat and slight spice the warmth begins to roll over your skin. And that’s when the understanding of “Winter” comes in to effect. The flavor lingers and the taste permeates. Once you’ve had a taste you won’t forget it!

Aroma is complex with notes of butter, orange blossom, crème brûlée, vanilla and buttery notes. Flavor begins with heat up front that dissipates quickly and is followed by minerality, wet stone and cooked agave. Finish is medium-to-long of black pepper and agave.

For my 1,500th rating I am tasting this tequila which is becoming harder to acquire in Mexico year after year. Lote LWB-R-07 bottled on 09-01-2026, tasted on 5-10-26. Color: light yellow. Aroma: cooked agave, light vanilla, light acidity, light sourness that softens as time goes by, hint of fruitiness, ethanol sensations starts off medium to medium high but balances out. Hint of wood aroma that does not bother nor intensify. Palate: confirms aromas perceived, fruity, good sweet and sour balance. Thick mouthfeel. Finish is medium to long, cooked agave, hint of fruitiness with a marked enjoyable sweetness at the back of my throat.

Brûlée sugar caramelization bomb - my fav in a couple years

Nose isn’t amazing. Very subdued. Some nice agave. But not strong. The palette is excellent. Really nice balance great agave. Much better than the previous year. Nice long finish. The thing that brings this down is the price.

Agave Affair $230 price impacted score

I get bubblegum flavors on this one. For the price point rip off.

I feel like I get a fig/berry finish that’s really smooth

Strong cooked agave, mineral , cinnamon, caramel, pepper, earthy, oaky, and vanilla. Short finish, caramel lingers.

Nice well made reposado. But, I don't think it's worth the MSRP or secondary prices I see out there.

It’s ok but the purchase price is wild