Mackenzie W. rated 486d ago

LALO Tequila Blanco

88 SCORE

“Super clean and refreshing. The aroma is super soft, not a whole lot I'm picking up, but it makes up for it in the taste. Notes of agave, black licorice, and celery salt up front, and finishes with subtle bell pepper. A great value for the quality of tequila. I wish we could get this one in Canada!”

Mackenzie W. rated 1336d ago

Arette Gran Clase Extra Añejo

85 SCORE

“48% Cask Strength Bottling On the nose you get a lot of cedar, bittersweet chocolate, clove, cinnamon, and cooked agave. Tones of bitter oak, vanilla, coffee, and some herbal qualities. The finish is long, bitter, and oaky. At $300 it's pretty expensive, even for an extra anejo, but the nose is top tier. But this is a tequila, not a candle, and that bitter oak is really overpowering. Very strongly flavored XA, and the only knocks are the price tag and that strongly bitter oak. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1339d ago

Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 8-year

92 SCORE

“43% ABV On the nose is vanilla, coconut, butterscotch, and oak. Faint cooked agave, but after 8 years in a combination of ex-red wine and dark French oak, the oak has really taken center stage. The flavours align with the aroma, but there is also a minty/herbal quality that if very interesting. A long warming finish. Retails for approximately $380 Canadian, which is honestly a steal for a tequila of this age. Highly recommend!”

Mackenzie W. rated 1340d ago

Ocho Tequila Extra Añejo

84 SCORE

“Cooked agave, white pepper, vanilla, and a touch of oak on the nose. The tastes has lots of cooked agave, baking spice, and again just a bit of oak in the finish. Aged in barrels that have been used 6-7 times leaves a lot of the agave flavour intact, but on the flip side, I want my extra anejos to have more oak influence. If I tasted this blind I'd guess it's a reposado or an anejo. It's a lovely tequila, but not a great extra anejo, in my opinion.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1341d ago

Tres Cuatro Cinco (3, 4 y 5) Añejo

84 SCORE

“An extremely luscious tequila. Relativity light on the nose. I'm getting candied orange, oak and black pepper, but not much else. The taste is a real showstopper though. Cedar, dark chocolate, liquorice, mint, and a touch of cooked agave. The finish is long and bittersweet. The bottle is absolutely gorgeous, but it comes with a hefty price tag (at least in Canada) and knocks the score back a good deal. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1394d ago

Wild Common Tequila Reposado

92 SCORE

“Possibly the best nose on any reposado I've every had! Right away you get a burst of butterscotch, cinnamon, oak, whisky, over-ripe pineapple, and cooked agave. Very oak forward on the palate, but it still retains in agave characteristics. The finish is long and dry with that tropical fruit you get on the nose shining through. One of the most expensive reposados on the market in Canada at $140, but I'd say it's worth as it's in a league of its own. Absolutely stunning. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1394d ago

Wild Common Tequila Blanco

88 SCORE

“Typical NOM1123 profile with loads of cooked agave, anise, black pepper, celery, and other vegetal aromas. Some minerallity on the palate in addition to the expected cooked agave and vegetal qualities you get on the nose. Very long and flavourful finish. I am very excited for this to come to the Canadian market in a couple weeks. Another very welcomed addition to the tequila selection up North. A little pricy ($125ish Canadian) but it's on par with Cascahuin Tahona and Fortaleza Blanco which are both in the same price range. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1656d ago

Mijenta Tequila Reposado

86 SCORE

“Aromas of butter, cinnamon, pineapple, candied lemon peel, and caramel. A surprising lack of agave character for a reposado. Still very pleasant but I'd guess this was an anejo if I was tasting it blind. Lots of oak influence on the palate. Oak, vanilla, and clove are the first flavours I get. Some tropical fruit and citrus going on as well, and just a touch of cooked agave in the finish. The finish is long and slightly bitter with lots of baking spice and a hint of cooked agave. Despite not having loads of cooked agave flavour, I really like this reposado. Retail is $120 Canadian here in Alberta, which makes it one of the most expensive repos on the shelf, but it is spectacular! If this was sub $100 it'd be 90+, easily. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1656d ago

Mijenta Tequila Blanco

87 SCORE

“The nose is light and pleasant. Aromas of cooked agave, lime, cherry, white bread, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla. The palate is soft and fruity with cooked agave, licorice, cardamom. The finish is long with that cherry flavour very noticeable. A very enjoyable tequila that the casual tequila drinker might describe as "smooth". At $92 it wouldn't be my first choice, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1777d ago

Fortaleza Añejo

85 SCORE

“The nose is delicate but not lacking in aromoas. A great balance of cooked agave, barrel influence (oak, allspice, cedar, and butterscotch), and tropical fruit (pineapple and banana). The taste still has so much cooked agave flavour. Noticeable flavours of oak vanilla, black licorice, and overripe fruit (a little reminiscent of a high ester Jamaican rum). The finish is medium in length with lots of oak characteristics. At nearly $200 Canadian, it's tough to recommend Fortaleza Anejo (this is the biggest knock against its score). If you can find it south of the border for a fair price, grab a bottle. Otherwise there are better buys.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1795d ago

Ocho Tequila Plata

83 SCORE

“Light on the nose. Minerallity, earth, citrus, and something fruity (blue raspberry?!). The minerallity is present in the taste as well. Light cooked agave, black pepper, sea salt, rosemary, and something dusty almost like sawdust. The finish is light with a noticeable citrus flavour. Paid $55 for a 500ml of the Cerro Grande 2020. Good blanco, but not mind blowing. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1795d ago

Ocho Tequila Reposado

89 SCORE

“On the nose I get dough, cinnamon, vanilla, fermented pineapple, and cooked agave. The taste is a little spicy and savoy with notes of black pepper, sea salt, oak, and rosemary. There's a hint of sweetness from some vanilla and butterscotch. The finish is long, spicy, and sweet. Retails for $89 Canadian, which makes it one of the most expensive reposado available, but it is certainly worth it.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1803d ago

Tapatio Blanco

86 SCORE

“Initially, the nose is a little hot. After the ethanol settles down a little I get aromas of black pepper, black licorice, fennel, vanilla, and cooked agave. The flavour is loaded with cooked agave, licorice, and vegetal notes (celery, bay leaf, and mint). The finish is medium length, with a pronounced black licorice flavour. Just a tad bit hot in the finish, but for $55 Canadian this is a heck of a bargain.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1821d ago

Siembra Valles High Proof Blanco

93 SCORE

“On the nose is cooked agave, celery, black pepper, yeast, and something rubbery/industrial, like car tires (not a negative). After about 10 minutes in the glass and ethonal aromas are gone. The taste is cooked agave, liquorice, rosemary, lemon zest, and a hint of smoke. The finish is long, herbaceous, and earthy with some lingering smoke. For $135 Canadian it's one of the most expensive blancos available, but it's one of the best, if not the best. Highly recommend! This is my favorite tequila to come out of NOM 1123.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1824d ago

1800 Silver

48 SCORE

“On the nose is cooked agave, black pepper, citrus, clay, rubber, and lots of ethonal. The taste is something else. Very bitter liquorice, rubber, ethonal, and some strange sweet flavour I can't quite pin down. The finish is long, bitter, and unenjoyable. It make make an okay Margarita, but for $44.99 Canadian, there are much better options for Margaritas and sipping. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1836d ago

Fortaleza Blanco

88 SCORE

“The nose is gentle, but does not lack complexity. Agave, black pepper, butter, olives, salt, and vegetal notes. Strong agave flavour but also very briny and earthy. The finish is long and salty. For $80 Canadian this is a fantastic blanco. Very clean and flavourful. It's hard, if not impossible, to pick out any flaws with this tequila. My only remark would be I enjoy the still strength blanco much more. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1837d ago

El Baston del Rey Extra Añejo

47 SCORE

“This is as much as a tequila as Drambuie is a single malt Scotch. None the less, let's give it a go. The nose is cola, root beer, tobacco, and brown sugar. For a dosed extra anejo, there is still a decent amount of ethonal present. The taste is comically sweet and two dimension. Oak and maple syrup is all I'm getting. The finish is short and sweet. At $300 Canadian, I can not not recommend this enough.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1837d ago

Cascahuín Añejo

91 SCORE

“Loads of tropical fruit on the nose: pineapple, coconut, and banana. Black pepper, oak, and citrus also play a role in the aromas. There is a bit of ethonal presence, but that only marginally takes away from the sublime nose. There is a good deal of oak influence on the taste. Vanilla, coconut, caramel, and baking spice, but the agave flavours are still there. The finish is medium length with oak and citrus being the stars of the show. At $75 Canadian, this is a no-brainer. incredible anejo for the money. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1837d ago

Cascahuín Reposado

84 SCORE

“On the nose I initially get cooked agave, lemon zest, and baking spice (mainly allspice and clove). coming back to the nose after some tasting I get cedar, and fruity esters. On the palate I get bitter oak upfront. It then transitions to some sweeter notes like vanilla, cinnamon, butterscotch, and anise. The finish is long with lingering notes of oak and anise. For $70 Cnd this is a very solid reposado. It doesn't do any one thing spectacularly, it just does everything very well. ”

Mackenzie W. rated 1843d ago

Rooster Rojo Blanco

69 SCORE

“Not a lot going on with the nose. Ethonal, bread, and a bit of white pepper. Like the nose, there isn't much going on with the taste. Subtle citrus, cooked agave, and bell pepper. The finish is clean and short. This would be a good tequila for an apprehensive vodka drinker. At $40 Cnd, Rooster Rojo Blanco is a fine mixer, and a better entery point into tequila than many of its competitors.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1843d ago

Siempre Tequila Plata (1438)

70 SCORE

“Initial hit of ethonal on the nose, but after about 10 minutes in the glass it cools off to reveal black pepper, red bell pepper, celery, and bakers yeast. The taste is cooked agave upfront followed by some earthy and herbaceous flavours. There is an unpleasant plastic taste in the finish that throws off an otherwise enjoyable, albeit unremarkable blanco. For $62 Cnd, it's not a bad tequila, but there are half a dozen others I'd buy before it.”

Mackenzie W. rated 1849d ago

Tapatio Blanco 110

94 SCORE

“At 55%, unsurprisingly, the nose is quite hot but there are some aromas underneath the ethonal. Black pepper, cooked agave, celery, and some clay/earthy thing going on. The taste and finish are absolute showstoppers. An abundance of green flavours: celery, green chartreuse, sage, green bell pepper, and lime zest. That black pepper and cooked agave are also noticeable. The finish is loooooong, dry, and herbaceous. At $78 cnd, this is a bargin and the taste completes with any blanco on the market. If the nose was a bit less hot it'd score in the high 90s. ”