Jay B. calificó hace 15h

Dulce Vida Blanco (80-proof)

83 PUNTAJE

“Dulce Vida is a tequila brand that has committed to be 100% organic, and leans into that positioning as much as any brand on the market. I don’t blame them for doing so, as maintaining organic certification is expensive and difficult. Made at Grupo Industrial Tequilero de Los Altos de Jalisco (NOM 1443) in the village of San Ignacio Cerro Gordo in the Highlands, Dulce Vida has always embraced a clean and naturally sweet flavor profile, using an additive-free production style. This is partially achieved with ripe agave, and partially with proprietary yeast used across their lineup of expressions. They also aerate before bottling, which further reduces the “burn” sometimes associated with tequila blanco. Knowing all that, you’d expect this to be very light and dainty and precious. It’s not. This blanco has a ton of flavors, and an unexpected combination of them. Aroma: Probably the most green apple-scented tequila I’ve tried, with a layer of cinnamon on top of that, and some mint. The citrus/herbal combination is a puzzler, but it works. Flavor: It mostly tastes like it smells, which isn’t always the case. Apple, cinnamon, pepper (the spice, not the veg), and brine. Finish: A layer of alcohol and char slightly overwhelms the apple and cinnamon at the end. A short finish. I would definitely use this in a cocktail with complementary strong flavors, like a Mule, a Bloody Maria, or a spicy Marg. It has so much oomph that you’d swear it’s a barrel-rested blanco. It’s unusual enough that even though the price says mixer, I’d sip it too, just to ponder it. Incidentally, Dulce Vida is the only tequila served on Alaska Airlines, so if you’re flying in the West, you’ve got an opportunity to try it for yourself. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 15h

Don Gato Blanco

80 PUNTAJE

“My love for the writer and actor Danny McBride knows nearly no limits. The creator of Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals, Righteous Gemstones and other comedy classics took a swing at tequila with Don Gato, named after a fictitious cat-loving luchador. The brand’s slogan: “Made good for cool times” tells you right away they aren’t taking themselves too seriously with this project. However, “Made good” is a mixed bag here, as the production decisions for Don Gato are a tad contradictory. On one hand, it’s additive-free, and partially made with a tahona. On the other hand, it’s partially made with a diffuser. Combining these two is like having a pet rabbit and keeping it in a cage with a velociraptor. It’s made at Grupo Solave (NOM 1607) home of 818, which also falls into that velociraptor category. But Grupo Solave is also now making the pretty solid Señora Leona, and Lealia. Good price, too, at $36 for the blanco. Aroma: Light and clean. Fresh cotton sheets. Peppermint. Citrus. Very crisp. Flavor: Light mouthfeel. Herbaceous, lemongrass, with black pepper. Finish: Short finish with lingering sharp, bitter notes that leave a less than optimal last impression. Overall, this tequila is better than I expected it to be, and may be the best I’ve had that uses a diffuser. Perfectly acceptable for batch cocktails, although given the number of quality options in the market in the $30-$40 range today, it would be difficult to recommend as a sipper. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 14d

Tequila Nock Blanco

86 PUNTAJE

“Tasted neat at room temp in a Glencairn. Nice blanco!  Crisp, clean aroma with lime, lemongrass, tropical fruits, and a hint of butter.  More viscous than most in the mouth, with a lot of residual sweetness that's almost chewy. Drinks like a high proof, in many respects, maybe because of the unusual triple distillation. For me, flavor is a big dose of cooked agave and lime with cinnamon and white pepper, and that butter note. Transition to the finish is a little awkward, and the final note is a little more vegetal and astringent than I usually prefer. Some melon, maybe cantaloupe, persists on on the palate.  This is a fun, interesting tequila. Would be fantastic in a margarita given the lime notes, and is a quality sipper on its own. Very good value at $36. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 90d

Cazcanes Nuestras Raices Blanco (2026)

90 PUNTAJE

“Very approachable for the ABV. Nice mix of vegetal notes, pepper, a little cinnamon spice, and a ton of agave. Slightly more restrained than batch 1, and I’d think that on the whole, most people would prefer this one. An excellent agave spirit and worth seeking out. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 139d

Dos Hombres Tequila Blanco

86 PUNTAJE

“A celebrity tequila brand worth your support? I say yes. I understand you may hate celebrity tequila on general principle, and that's fine. Personally, my assessment is that celebrities attract people to agave spirits who might not normally consider the category. And as long as those celebrities are producing solid tequila that's well made, I have no problem whatsoever with the premise. Brands like Santo, Insólito, Código 1530, Juan Lobo and others are all celebrity-associated in some form or fashion, and the tequila is sound. Dos Hombres is no different and this Blanco is certainly in the upper echelon of "celebrity tequilas" on the quality scale. The brand - starting with the mezcal - is very strong in restaurants, bars, and restaurant hotels. Consequently, a lot of their sales volume will be in cocktails, more so than neat pours, and the flavor profile reflects this decision. The tequila is crisp and clean and very easy drinking. Not enormously complex or mysterious, but from sniff to finish it’s just a solid tequila. this Blanco is priced very reasonably at a MSRP of $39. Aroma: It’s a fairly strong scent overall with loads of minerals, white pepper, and a distinct earthiness. This is not a dainty, Los Altos tequila, but clearly a Valley tequila with that signature grit. Flavor: Also very gravelly, with a tiny bit of vegetal notes, a small dose of citrus that’s invisible on the nose, and a nice sweetness that hits you as the last memory. I suggest giving this a little air, as it definitely opens up over time. Finish: It’s a good business decision because the finish will stand out in cocktails - even very sweet chain restaurant margarita recipes - and you’ll know you’re drinking tequila. But for me, as someone who almost only drinks tequila neat - including for this review - the finish is more hot and aggressive than I prefer. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 298d

Elevación1250 Tequila Blanco Rosa

87 PUNTAJE

“Elevación 1250 is co-owned by a Canadian advertising exec and Iliana Partida, the talented head of Hacienda del Oro, where 4 Copas, Quintaliza and other emerging craft brands are created.  This rosa blanco is the flagship expression for the brand, and they’ve made a smart move in that regard.  Many rosas (tequilas aged in wine barrels) can exhibit fruitiness and the signature pink hue, yes, but can also become a scary labyrinth of discordant flavors when left in barrel too long.  This rosa is in Napa Valley French oak wine barrels for just over two weeks. The aroma is fine, but not my favorite. It’s a bit musty and earthy and mushroom-y which isn’t an issue per se, but seems out of step with the pink color. You certainly don’t sniff this one and think “blanco”. But once you drink it you realize this is a really interesting expression that still maintains a lot of agave character and sweetness, but with added apple and pear notes and a distinct earthiness and saltiness that you don’t find on their regular blanco.  The little bit of extra ABV on this helps too, giving more flavor impact, especially with the salinity.  For me, one of the best rosas on the market. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 351d

Whiteout Tequila Blanco

80 PUNTAJE

“Aroma is a little awkward with char plus bread. Like an orange breakfast roll maybe. Pleasant flavor. Mix of raw agave, some perfumed sweetness. Relatively short finish. Not terribly complex, but solid overall. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 373d

Cape Horn Tequila Blanco

79 PUNTAJE

“Veteran-owned, cause-driven brand that recently changed distilleries and recipes. This Blanco is pleasant overall. A bit too much sugar cookie aroma for purists. A fair bit of ginger and cinnamon flavor for a Blanco. Would make a tasty ranch water as it has quite a bit of pop but a very approachable (although short) finish. Seems fairly heavily filtered, and $69 for a Blanco is an aggressive price. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 409d

Lágrimas del Valle Plata - 2024 La Sabina

89 PUNTAJE

“Terrific tequila. Excellent balance of citrus and pepper. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 409d

Tekiah Kosher Tequila Reposado

84 PUNTAJE

“Aroma is an interesting mixture of floral perfume and dry sawdust. Like the blanco, very soft mouth feel. Likely heavy filtration and oxygenation. Easy drinking with little burn and a medium finish. Some ice red fruits here. Overall, lacks complexity but very approachable.”

Jay B. calificó hace 409d

Tekiah Kosher Tequila Blanco

81 PUNTAJE

“Lots of mint and menthol on the aroma, especially early. Give this a little time to evaporate. Soft mouth feel. Herbal and savory with a nice hit of cooked agave sweetness. Overall, is a bit disjointed but pleasant. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 451d

Maracame Añejo

87 PUNTAJE

“New NOM 1424. Very nice nose. Cedar and orange marmalade and a little anise. Similar flavors, with a little tobacco notes. Would love this at higher proof. My favorite of their current lineup. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 451d

Maracame Reposado

85 PUNTAJE

“New NOM 1424. Very lemon and butter on the nose. A LOT. Not bad, necessarily, just surprising. Light bodied. Flavor also very lemon with some white pepper. Medium finish. Very interesting repo that will likely be fairly polarizing. Would be killer in a citrus forward cocktail. ”

Jay B. calificó hace 451d

Maracame Plata

85 PUNTAJE

“This is the new NOM 1424. Interesting lemon lime, gravel aroma with a slight sour funk. Light bodied. Surprising amount of char on this plata. Agave cooked a bit too long perhaps. Very soft mouthfeel with nice citrus, but the bitterness takes over on the long finish. Good, but a little bit awkward for me. ”