Jay B. rated 3106d ago

Fortaleza Blanco (Still Strength)

91 SCORE

“Everything about this is big! Big nose, big flavor, big finish. Sweet baked agave and nuttiness is consistent from start to finish. Olive brine and earth on the palate as well. Mouthfeel is rich without being too oily. While there is slight alcohol burn, it's much more approachable than many 80proofs- surprising for a still strength spirit. Lastly, this is pretty expensive, so while I can't call it good value, it's definitely worth it. Lot 1 so that's cool too!”

Jay B. rated 3164d ago

Herradura Reposado

68 SCORE

“The most remarkable characteristic is the sour green apple aroma and flavor.”

Jay B. rated 3165d ago

Pasote Blanco

86 SCORE

“Nose: agave, herbal and citrus notes. Palate: olive brine, minerals, earth, citrus, agave- sort of in between green and cooked to me. Nice mouthfeel but also very dry. Herbs are hard to place but are there. Mint? Sage? Finish is very nice. Dry, and the brine and herbal and green earth notes linger.”

Jay B. rated 3177d ago

Cazul 100 Añejo Reserva

70 SCORE

“Very smooth. Has the floral and minerality notes I would expect from a valles tequila. Some sweetness from the barrel comes through as well. Drawbacks for me are a lack of complexity and balance. Overall, nice to drink but not among my favorites.”

Jay B. rated 3197d ago

Fortaleza Reposado

81 SCORE

“Very young (3-month) repo retains much of the blanco characteristics: bright floral notes, rich baked agave, and savory minerality on the palate. Some wood notes shine through as well, namely cinnamon and spice. The nose is more blanco than repo to me; I don't really get much from the barrel (although I am not tasting this side by side with the blanco so I can certainly be wrong). Strong baked agave and dry, mineral-rich finish. Not super balanced but I really like the brightness that I associate more with blancos. I guess the story is that Fortaleza, like many others, have some difficulty with the agave shortage. They have a bunch of younger repos out there to keep up with demand. The glass half full take is that we have the opportunity to taste younger repos that have less barrel influence.”

Jay B. rated 3204d ago

Clase Azul Reposado

74 SCORE

“Tastes and smells sweet and oaky. Very strong caramel notes. Some baked agave but very little bite. Nice mouth feel. Not much depth or complexity. Cloying sweetness and unpleasant minty flavors. Also, way darker than I would expect a reposado to be. It's actually darker than many anejos. ”

Jay B. rated 3211d ago

Don Julio 1942

88 SCORE

“Caramel, vanilla and leather on the nose are mirrored on the palate and balanced with baked agave. I also get some nice minerality and floral notes on the finish. Nice that it's not overly sweet.”

Jay B. rated 3217d ago

Suerte Reposado

88 SCORE

“Vanilla, honey and baked agave on the nose. Very approachable taste, pleasant sweet agave/caramel in flavor. Bright, fruity complexity on the palate I can't quite place.”

Jay B. rated 3218d ago

Siembra Azul Suro 10th Anniv. Reposado

86 SCORE

“This is an 80% 5-year XA / 20% 1.5-year anejo blend, sold as a reposado in name and price. This is, according to David Suro, a gift to the tequila community and a well-intentioned poke at tequila regulation. Oak, wood-spice, caramel, and oddly enough, cherry on both the nose and palate. There is a pleasant alcohol bite and a very pleasant mouth feel- lush with a somewhat dry finish. My only complaints are that for me, the agave gets lost in the wood (could almost be cognac), and there is some mild astringency. Nevertheless, I feel this is an awesome bottle to have in the collection. ”

Jay B. rated 3219d ago

Siembra Azul Blanco

86 SCORE

“Bright and refreshing from nose through the palate. Roasted agave, floral, citrus and fruit. Sweet, but not overly so. Excellent!”

Jay B. rated 3219d ago

Clase Azul Plata

64 SCORE

“Baked agave on the nose and palate. Very sweet and kind of minty. Nice mouthfeel and brightness. I think there might be additives for texture and sweetness though. ”

Jay B. rated 3219d ago

Contigo Plata

69 SCORE

“Spicy pepper, baked agave and moderate mint on nose and palate. Light butter and green vegetal flavor as well as being quite sweet”

Jay B. rated 3221d ago

Trader Joe's Distinqt Reposado

63 SCORE

“Agave, alcohol and butter on the nose, maybe a little sweetness as well. Harsh and peppery taste gives way to a little sweetness, vanilla (maybe?) and minerality followed by a harsh, bitter aftertaste that does have a hint of vanilla.”