Brand owner Bob Potter has a very long story about his journey with Agave Spirits and Tequila especially. While visiting San Diego in 1998 a friend took him to Old Town where they enjoyed a meal and was enamored by the over 300 bottles of tequila to choose from! The vast majority of bottles were brands he'd never heard of. On the waiter's suggestion he tried several and purchased several bottles, even enjoying one with passengers on his return flight back to Connecticut, pre-2001 obviously... It was then that the idea to open a tequila bar and educate customers began. Samples were offered, innovative cocktails were made, dinners around the central theme of Tequila, and arranging trips to visit distilleries and the culture of the Tequila Region started. Cecilia Shea was an employee at the Tequila Bar and was an integral part in helping the tequila project to move forward. Having a conversation with Cecilia, she suggested to Bob that "He" should have his own tequila brand. Then immediately changed course and suggested that "They" should do the project together! Her knowledge and appreciation for Tequila made the decision easier to bring Cecilia in as a partner. Bob began looking at distillery options and didn't have very positive results. 2 years went by and a call was made to Cecilia asking "Are you ready to make Tequila?". Of course she said yes! Over the course of a year they began tasting over 150 different Blancos, evaluating each one, ranking them, and noting profiles that enjoyed. They were honing in on a flavor profile they wanted to make. They knew they wanted to make quality tequila from ripe 6-7 year old agaves, use traditional methods and be additive free. They did not want to rely on additives or marketing gimmicks to sell tequila. During the journey, Bob decided that he would only sell Additive Free Tequilas at his restaurant, Prime 16 in New Haven Connecticut. He was the first to offer this level of quality additive free tequilas in the state. He wanted his customer base to experience the best while skipping the mass produced highly marketed normal bar brands... Bob and Cecilia chose to work with Tequilas El Mexicano to produce their tequila. The distillery is located just southwest of Arandas in the Highlands of Jalisco. Making C.O. Jones tequila is a distillery effort utilizing their team to produce the tequila without one Master Distiller. Production begins with Ripe Agave from the Highlands. The Ripe Piñas are then cooked in a Low Pressure Autoclave. The Cooked Piñas are then macerated with Roller Mills with Deep Well Water added before being Fermented in Open Air Stainless Steel Tanks without Fibers. Once fermented, the Mosto is then Distilled twice in Stainless Steel Pot Stills and bottled at 40 ABV. Currently, C. O. Jones is only available in Connecticut. 2 variations of Reposados will be available soon as well. An American Oak and French Oak Reposado, each with familiar tasting profiles for the particular barrel options. Aroma: Very inviting Sweet Cooked Agave that mixes a softer Cinnamon to the experience. A nice Tangy punch of Limey Citrus blends in nicely. There is a very present Minerality and Brininess in this. A combination of green flavors of Spearmint, Grass, and savory Herbs have a light Floral note attached. A presence of Tropical Fruit is present along with touch of Vanilla. While it doesn't have an exact aroma, there is definitely an identifiable Creaminess. Taste: The Sweet Cooked Agave is highlighted with a light Cinnamon and White Pepper spice. Definitely not a spicy touch. It definitely leans on finesse. The Limey Citrus from the nose is very much a part of the taste. Minerality is also very present in the taste. The Creaminess that was detected on the nose comes through as a silky touch of Buttery mouth coating goodness. Light Spearmint and other Herbal notes and balanced with the Tropical Fruity and Floral notes. A faint amount of Earthy and Vegetal flavors balance out these sweeter flavors to give more balance. Finish: A nice long Sweet Agave and light Spice run with the continued Creaminess for a very enjoyable experience. To choose a word that best describes C. O. Jones Blanco would be Harmonious. The balance of this pour offers an enjoyable glass while so approachable for a beginner to tequila! TMM--87 Salud!!!

On the nose I get cooked Agave and a little bit of clean agave or fresh cut Agave I pick up a little bit of minerality. On the taste and nice sweet cooked Agave that minerality comes through. And the finish is nice long and peppery . This is a great Blanco!

Well balanced tequila, fruity body with spicy pepper finish sweet at entrance with fresh citrus notes. Easy to drink blanco perfect for sipping but also for a mixed cocktail.