Jesse L. rated 63d ago

Fortaleza Reposado - Winter Blend 2024

89 SCORE

“Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 absolutely delivers on flavor and craftsmanship — but for me, it doesn’t fully justify the insane secondary pricing or over-the-top hype surrounding it. The tasting profile itself was outstanding. Tons of rich cooked agave layered with honey, baking spice, citrus, vanilla, black pepper, oak, raisin sweetness, and that signature buttery/creamy Fortaleza mouthfeel. Super complex, incredibly well made, and very enjoyable to sip slowly. That said… as someone who leans heavily agave-forward and values balance over barrel dominance, I still think regular Fortaleza Repo, Volans Single Barrel, Wild Common Repo, and some Ocho releases compete shockingly well for WAY less money. Amazing tequila? Absolutely. Worth chasing at crazy markup prices? Not for me. If you can grab it near retail, it’s a fantastic experience and definitely worth trying once. But at full hype pricing, I’d personally rather buy 2–3 elite additive-free bottles instead.”