El Rey is a smooth, very drinkable tequila from the legendary distillery, Cascahuin. It is done the right way, cooked in a horno for 72 hours and using traditional methods of distilling and fermentation. The nose is sweet, but not artificial, as is the flavor. Its herbaceous and vegetal with notes of black pepper, anise, and cut green grass, with a finish of olive brine. It has a bit of a “bite,” in a good way, that reminds you are drinking a pure juice without additives.

Rated blind. Top score in group. Great blanco, excellent value.

Rated blind for MBTC 2018.

Rated Blind for MTBC 2018

The rep for this brand was sure full of himself .... too bad the tequila sucked ...

The blanco is the standout, followed by the anejo. The blanco is real nice, offering a sweet, spicy, smoky and peppery aroma with an herbal and anise presence. For the price, this is a solid inexpensive light and tasty tequila, made at an established distillery.

Smoky and hints of pepper

Sept 2024: Found this dusty during a trip to N Cali last fall. Finally opened it and man this is another awesome blanco from nom 1123. Nice, sweet agave, slightly spicey, vegetal flavors. Definite sipper for me. Hope I find more of this discontinued gem someday. 10/25 update: Old Town actually still had a bottle and I bought it online. Yay!

Surprise , caught me off guard from 1123..

Bright agave/mineral nose. Not terribly complex but nice cooked agave, minerals, grass with a somewhat short finish, moderate heat. Sipper?? Perhaps but I’ll be trying this in my next Margarita!

Nose is agave first, a tad of sweetness, followed by a mild vegetal note. Flavor is a bit timid to me, it needs more of a robust entrance and some pepper perhaps. I wonder what this is like right from the still. Finish hangs around but does so ever so slightly. Overall lacking complexity, a bit watery, but respectable.