Joe L. rated 13d ago

Mijenta Blanco Maestra Selection No. 2

89 SCORE

“Agave dominates the nose of this crystal clear Blanco. There is also a slightly off-putting musty, rubbery smell beneath the agave. But the taste is amazing! This expression is viscous in the glass, and oily on initial tasting. The musty rubber goes away, and sweet agave and a tart citrus, maybe grapefruit, taste comes on strong. The finish is long-lasting and an earthy pepper burn lingers on the lips, tongue, and taste buds for a good two minutes. This is an excellent juice for sipping neat. I wouldn’t waste it on a cocktail that would only dilute the flavor experience. ”

Joe L. rated 17d ago

Paladar Tequila Reposado

85 SCORE

“This is a light colored Reposado, clear and oily in the glass. The nose is almost all cooked agave I can’t really determine much else. The mouthfeel is slightly oily (not as much as the appearance in the glass, though). The taste is complex, primarily agave, but with hints of a mild pepper (bell pepper?), caramel, & barrel spice. The finish is sharp and long, with an initial burn that mellows over a little time. This is a nice repo, and quite drinkable. ”

Joe L. rated 19d ago

Jose Cuervo Especial Gold

59 SCORE

“There’s not much of anything on the nose except alcohol and artificial sweetener. The taste is complex, but in a bad way. I get hints of butterscotch, honey, wet grass, rubber, and more artificial sweetener. Practically everything BUT agave. The finish is short and unpleasant, and reminds me of plastic, varnish, or sewage. ¡No bueno!”

Joe L. rated 19d ago

1800 Silver

66 SCORE

“I tried this years ago, without rating it. I got a pour to refresh my memory. The nose is alright: agave, citrus, & alcohol. It’s clear in the glass, but not oily or viscous. The taste is clean, but medicinal, with a sharp alcohol burn. I taste agave, but also mint, citrus, and gasoline. The finish is pretty long lasting, but more of an alcohol burn than a pleasant taste. 1800 Blanco may be OK as a mixer, but it’s not for sipping. Pass. ”

Joe L. rated 23d ago

Don Julio 1942

83 SCORE

“NOM 1449. I tried this again because I vaguely remember liking it some years ago, before being exposed to “really good” tequila. I don’t notice much agave, if any, on the nose. It’s mostly an herbal spice (thyme, or rosemary, perhaps?) and butterscotch. It has a unique taste that is very sweet, with hints of cinnamon and caramel. The finish is long-ish and pleasing to the taste buds - leaving an aftertaste of citrus/orange, mint, and some barrel flavoring. I can see why non-purists like this expression. It is very smooth and provides a wide range of varying, and pleasant flavors, but agave isn’t prominent among them. It’s a good sipper if price is no object for you. ”

Joe L. rated 23d ago

Casamigos Tequila Reposado

77 SCORE

“NOM 1609. Bottle says: “Notes of a smooth vanilla finish.” The nose is very sweet, but only the slightest hint of agave. There’s also pepper and vanilla additive, and there’s a slight odor of something burnt (barrel smoke, maybe?). Cream soda and vanilla dominate the taste. Again, little to no agave. It’s artificially sweet and kinda tastes like cake batter. The mouthfeel is not oily. It’s clean, but burns with a short to medium finish and an aftertaste of saccharine or diet cream soda. The Reposado is definitely a step up over the Blanco expression, but not a good sipper in my opinion. The brand is over-hyped and the bottle is over-priced. ”

Joe L. rated 23d ago

Casamigos Tequila Blanco

67 SCORE

“NOM 1609. Bottle says: “Notes of a smooth vanilla finish.” The nose isn’t bad. There’s a hint of agave and pepper, but mostly vanilla additive. The taste is metallic, though, and not as pleasant as the nose suggests. There’s some agave and vanilla still, but they are overwhelmed by the alcohol and pepper tastes. The mouthfeel is not oily. It’s clean, but burns with a short to medium finish and an aftertaste of varnish or solvent. This is probably OK as a shot at a bar, with salt, a lime wedge, and a beer chaser; but it’s definitely not a sipper. Not for me, but I had to see what the (over) hype was about. ”

Joe L. rated 42d ago

Cazcanes No. 7 Blanco

85 SCORE

“The No.7 Blanco is crystal clear, with a nice viscosity in the glass. The nose is mineral, with heavy notes of agave, and lighter notes of brine, alcohol, orange peel, and leather. It has a tingly, metallic mouthfeel. The taste is agave, pepper, citrus, and thyme; and the finish is long-lasting, with the pepper and citrus overtaking the agave after a while. This is a quality Blanco, best served neat (in my opinion) or to enhance your favorite cocktail. ”

Joe L. rated 74d ago

Espanita Tequila Añejo

83 SCORE

“The color is very light yellow. The bottle says it’s aged in American Oak barrels, presumably new barrels based on the lightness of color and relative absence of whisky taste. The nose is promising, with cooked agave, and lesser notes of oak and grass. It has a clean, crisp mouthfeel at first, with initial honey flavor that devolves into a more bitter, spicy aftertaste. The finish is medium-long, but not as pleasant as the initial taste. This is OK as a sipper, good value, but not my favorite Añejo. It does mellow out a little after opening up in the glass for 15 minutes or so. ”

Joe L. rated 75d ago

El Tequileño Reposado Gran Reserva

87 SCORE

“This Reposado is light yellow in color. The nose is dominated by agave, but citrus and alcohol are also present. Taste is similar, with hints of herbs, pepper, and minerals I can’t quite identify. The mouthfeel is clean and sort of refreshing, but more tart than sweet. There is a lasting citrus, orange spice that burns nicely to finish. Great value!”

Joe L. rated 76d ago

Campo Azul 1940 Reposado

85 SCORE

“This is a Blind Tasting. I detect a floral / herbal scent and light toasted agave on the nose. The taste is smooth, fruity, citrusy, and earthy finishing with a hint of butterscotch. This is a little harsh as a sipper, but could make an excellent cocktail. I taste a woodyness, maybe oak on the finish?”

Joe L. rated 76d ago

El Jimador Blanco Tequila

82 SCORE

“This is a blind tasting. Mellow nose, citrusy and light on the agave. Taste is sweet, smooth, with hints of orange and tangerine. The finish is short, with a little burn and a cinnamon spice kick at the end. Would be better in a cocktail than as a sipper. My least favorite of the night, but not bad for an inexpensive tequila. ”

Joe L. rated 76d ago

El Ateo Añejo Ultra Premium

86 SCORE

“This is a Blind Tasting. There is a more pronounced nose of cooked agave than some other Añejos I’ve sampled. I also detect citrus and alcohol on the nose. The taste is smooth, with hints of agave, caramel, and butterscotch. This is another smooth sipper, with a medium Smokey finish. ”

Joe L. rated 76d ago

Corrido Blanco

87 SCORE

“This is a Blind Tasting. The first impression of the nose is that it’s agave-forward, with an earthy “funk” to it. I smell the alcohol, but also notes of pepper and minerals. The taste adds a saltiness and more agave & pepper. There is a long finish that descends into sort of an olive aftertaste. ”

Joe L. rated 76d ago

Aguasol Tequila Reposado

87 SCORE

“This is a Blind Tasting. I detect a flowery / herbal scent, minerals, and light toasted agave on the nose. The taste is smooth, woody, and a little soapy (but in a clean, good way). This is another smooth sipper that appears to be aged longer. The finish is short, but mellows gracefully, as if influenced by aging in whiskey barrels. I like this one, but it’s almost too sweet and too smooth to be “pure.””

Joe L. rated 76d ago

Espolon Añejo

92 SCORE

“This is a Blind Tasting, and coincidentally, my favorite of the night. The nose is agave-forward for an aged expression. I smell herbs and alcohol, but the taste is more complex. It is smooth, but the alcohol burn is present. It has an initial funk to the taste that evolves into a spicy chocolate finish. Viscosity is good, and the mouthfeel has a pleasant spiciness to it. The finish is long and the burn is mellow. It’s very pleasant, even if it’s a little different from other Añejos. ”