CONDITIONS Calm outdoor evening, 74°F. Rested in a Kenzie glass for 50 minutes. APPEARANCE Shimmery and crystalline, water-white in the glass. Random-pattern droplets cling stubbornly to the sides, perhaps portending some sweetness to come. AROMA A light, restrained nose opens with raw agave and lime-rind citrus, followed by pepper and a distinctly green, spicy-herbal character: mint, thyme, lemon balm and fresh-cut grass. PALATE Those initial aromas take a back seat as cooked-agave sweetness moves forward, joined by an evolving array of peppers—chile and serrano—as it coats the mid-palate with a pleasantly oily texture. FINISH Balanced and warming, signing off with a faint echo of cinnamon and pink peppercorn. FINAL THOUGHTS Authentico Blanco is a wonderfully versatile tequila—equally comfortable in thoughtful mixology or poured neat. Hard-core agave purists may find it a little too accommodating, but that appears to be precisely the point. Authentico has created an approachable blanco without abandoning the character of the agave itself. It’s an expression built for a broad audience, and in today’s spirits market, that could prove to be a very smart place to land. BULLY VERDICT: Approachable, agave-forward and impressively versatile. It may not challenge the hardcore agave geek, but it doesn’t need to. This is a blanco designed to play well with everybody—and it does.

AMM Blind: Aroma: cooked agave, minerals, green pepper Taste: cooked agave, earthy, bitter, anise, jalapeño spice There’s something bitter here that raises an eyebrow. Definitely wouldn’t pay over $40 for it

Very mild agave flavor and barrel influence.

Light notes of sweetness, agave and alcohol on the nose. good flavor but light on agave. solid finish.

AMM blind: when I first smelled this one (after resting for 20 minutes), I got inauthentic aromas. The more time I spent with it, the inauthenticity gave way to a floral sweetness. The taste is light, and I detect light agave and sweetness. The finish is nice, but overall, not a memorable expression.