Emilio V. rated 4d ago

Cascahuín Reposado

84 SCORE

“Another pour from El Catrin in San Antonio. I tried this after sampling Cascahuin’s blanco and unfortunately that may have set my expectations too high. There are some added notes of minerality and vanilla that I appreciate, but there’s more alcohol than I was expecting and it’s a little thin. Not a bad tequila by any means, but the blanco and añejo are better.”

Emilio V. rated 4d ago

Cascahuín Blanco

88 SCORE

“Bartender in San Antonio was kind enough to give me a free pour. Love the green, grassy, vegetal notes on this one and the sweetness of the roasted agave. There’s some black pepper and briney notes dancing around on the finish. Not quite as complex as some of the best blancos I’ve had, but a very fine sipper. ”

Emilio V. rated 4d ago

Cazcanes No. 7 Reposado

90 SCORE

“$21 pour from El Catrin in San Antonio. Not really a reposado guy but this might be the best one I’ve tried to date. I love all of the sweet, smooth vanilla notes on the nose and palate and it’s a very light and easy drinker. Lots of buttery and fruity notes as well (not citrus-y - more like banana). A delicious representation of the spirit, even though it comes with the Cazcanes price tag. ”

Emilio V. rated 102d ago

Cazcanes No. 7 Blanco

87 SCORE

“$25 double pour from Dark Horse in St. Paul, MN. (Our waitress said I just missed an event they hosted yesterday, they have the entire Cazcanes flight here.) Pretty light and clean in terms of body, aroma, and flavor all things considered. Nice minerality and white pepper on the nose. Agave is front and center throughout the whole experience. The finish disappears quickly. This doesn’t pack a super strong punch compared to some other blancos I’ve had, but it’s a very easy drinker. Nothing crazy going on, but it excels at what it does.”

Emilio V. rated 269d ago

Don Ramon Reposado

68 SCORE

“Lots and lots of alcohol on the nose and palate. Not much flavor other than some vanilla and black paper. This tastes adulterated. I didn’t have high expectations for this but at least I can add it to my profile.”

Emilio V. rated 277d ago

Painted Donkey Blanco

77 SCORE

“No real character or complexity but at least this tastes like real tequila. Agave, pepper, citrus, some green vegetal notes. A little sweet and a little too much alcohol for my liking. About what I’d expect out of NOM 1438. Made some solid Tommy’s margaritas but they weren’t very tequila-forward. ”

Emilio V. rated 341d ago

Don Vicente Tequila Extra Añejo

85 SCORE

“This has a really light, sweet, and fruity profile with the oaky bitterness and caramel from the barrel. I’m getting prunes on the nose, maybe even peaches. There’s still plenty of agave with some vegetal notes as well. A bit more alcohol than I was expecting throughout the whole experience. To be honest, this drinks more like an añejo than an XA and for the price I was expecting a little more. There are still some excellent flavors here though, I’ll thoroughly enjoy the rest of the bottle. ”

Emilio V. rated 381d ago

Ocho Tequila Plata

84 SCORE

“Solid blanco. The crisp citrus notes are on full display. A lot of black pepper with some agave and anise as well. I know this is additive free, but for a blanco this is a little sweet for my liking and it’s not the most complex. It still made some good Tommy’s margaritas and I have no issues sipping it.”

Emilio V. rated 396d ago

Zumbador Tequila Reposado

84 SCORE

“Light and inoffensive repo. Everything that’s supposed to be here is coming through, there’s cooked agave with some black pepper and extra sweetness from the barrel. It’s a little thin. There’s not much body or distinctive character but this is well-made at a good price.”

Emilio V. rated 396d ago

Montagave Blanco 'Héritage'

90 SCORE

“$15 pour from Fiddlers in St. Simons Island. Very light straw color, almost like a reposado. The nose on this is fantastic, so much minerality with floral notes and cooked agave for days. I didn’t get much from the wine barrel on the palate but the flavors are still excellent. I got the first pour after the bartender cracked the bottle open, so I’d love to revisit this after it’s had time to breathe. Been a while since I had a blanco this good.”

Emilio V. rated 473d ago

Mijenta Tequila Reposado

86 SCORE

“$14 pour from bartaco in Jacksonville (NOM unknown). Really like the nose on this one, it’s sweet and creamy with light floral notes and vanilla. Agave is still the star of the show on the palate. Very little heat on the finish. Although repos tend to be my least favorite tequila expression, I really liked this one. If you’re a repo person this is definitely worth a try.”

Emilio V. rated 493d ago

Don Fulano Blanco Fuerte (100 proof)

87 SCORE

“$14 pour from a bar in Savannah. Great, by-the-book high proof blanco with agave, citrus, and pepper on full display. I remember a distinct mint/menthol note from the regular blanco and I wish I got more of that here. Still a great sipper nonetheless.”

Emilio V. rated 717d ago

LALO Tequila Blanco

89 SCORE

“Exactly what a good, additive free blanco should taste like and a great value at that. I found this bottle for $43 - I can’t think of anything else in that price range that leaves this much of an impression. Has all the right notes of citrus, black pepper, and plenty of agave.”

Emilio V. rated 830d ago

Siete Leguas Reposado

85 SCORE

“My first rating in months so my palate might be rusty. This has a nice, crisp vegetal profile similar to the other Siete Leguas expressions I’ve tried. To me the blanco is still the star of their lineup, but this is inoffensive sipping with a nice, naturally sweet finish.”

Emilio V. rated 998d ago

ArteNOM Seleccion de 1146 Añejo

90 SCORE

“All of the best aged tequilas I’ve tried to date have come out of NOM 1146. This one is no exception, there’s an amazing burnt sugar/butterscotch aroma I haven’t picked up in any other añejo along with caramelized agave, vanilla, spice, toffee, and a pinch of pepper. Thick mouthfeel and a ton of natural sweetness. With the price of añejos these days I haven’t found anything better around the $100 mark. Pick this one up, you won’t regret it.”

Emilio V. rated 1048d ago

Tres Agaves Reposado (Organic)

77 SCORE

“Arette and El Tequileño have this beat as far as budget repos go, in my opinion. Mostly black pepper on the nose and palate with an herbal/floral thing that I’m not a big fan of. I would probably appreciate this more in a mixed drink, but it’s nothing to write home about.”

Emilio V. rated 1081d ago

Arette Artesenal Añejo Suave

86 SCORE

“Lots of nutty/cinnamon/whiskey flavors in this one, but green vegetal notes and agave still shine through. A definite step up from Arette’s standard añejo but at ~$82 I feel like it’s a little steep… although these prices may be the new norm.”

Emilio V. rated 1150d ago

El Tequileño Reposado

85 SCORE

“Really impressed by this for how cheap it is. Just the right amount of sweetness on the nose and throughout the palate. I’m getting vanilla, caramel, agave, butterscotch, and a hint of anise. Great value, reminds me of a more refined Cabrito.”