Jay B. rated 29d ago

Cazcanes Nuestras Raices Blanco (2026)

90 SCORE

“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. rated 78d ago

Dos Hombres Tequila Blanco

86 SCORE

“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. rated 237d ago

Elevación1250 Tequila Blanco Rosa

87 SCORE

“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. rated 291d ago

Whiteout Tequila Blanco

80 SCORE

“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. rated 312d ago

Cape Horn Tequila Blanco

79 SCORE

“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. rated 348d ago

Lágrimas del Valle Plata - 2024 La Sabina

89 SCORE

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

Jay B. rated 348d ago

Tekiah Kosher Tequila Reposado

84 SCORE

“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. rated 348d ago

Tekiah Kosher Tequila Blanco

81 SCORE

“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. rated 390d ago

Maracame Añejo

87 SCORE

“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. rated 390d ago

Maracame Reposado

85 SCORE

“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. rated 390d ago

Maracame Plata

85 SCORE

“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. ”

Jay B. rated 390d ago

Humano Tequila Añejo

81 SCORE

“Nutty, citrusy nose. A little flat but also mysterious. Pretty light bodied for añejo. Doesn’t give a tremendous amount of añejo flavors. Drinks more like a new oak reposado. Maintains some agave citrus character which is nice. Shortish finish. Nothing wrong with this, but not super dynamic. Not quite sure what the flavor thesis is here, but I think it’s my favorite Humano expression. ”

Jay B. rated 390d ago

Humano Tequila Blanco

82 SCORE

“A lot of minerality on the nose. Fairly rich mouthfeel with cooked agave, a little smokiness, a lot of gravel character, and then a metallic note I don’t love. Medium to long hotter finish. Overall, not bad, and a fair price. Just tastes a little discombobulated to me. ”

Jay B. rated 396d ago

Música Tequila Reposado

80 SCORE

“Lots of cinnamon on the nose. Cinnamon and wood with a little sweetness on the flavor. A bit hot. Short finish. Totally acceptable effort ”