Ryan B. rated 41d ago

Manik Añejo

85 SCORE

“NOM 1655, I'm honestly surprised at how much I like the anejo given my experience with the blanco and reposado. However, let's give credit where credit is due. There are some lovely flavors of agave, cherry, caramel, and butterscotch all mixed together into a rather enjoyable experience. And given that this anejo is available for less than $50 in my market, it's hard to pass up. ”

Ryan B. rated 41d ago

Manik Reposado

58 SCORE

“NOM 1655, Where the blanco is passable, the reposado is borderline offensive (I hate having to say that). The nose almost doesn't exist, the palate has a sweetness that shouldn't be there, and the finish disappears quickly. Not a pleasant experience.”

Ryan B. rated 41d ago

Manik Blanco

79 SCORE

“NOM 1655, For a budget friendly tequila, there's not much fault I can find. Are there brands putting out significantly better blancos? Yes. Are those blancos $15-20 or more? Also, yes. I have no problem with recommending this to someone who wants to get into tequila without breaking the bank. At the same time, if you can afford it, you can find better options.”

Ryan B. rated 43d ago

Suavecito Reposado Cristalino

68 SCORE

“My least favorite of the expressions I tried from this brand. Not overly offensive, but the flavors were almost nonexistent.”

Ryan B. rated 43d ago

Suavecito Blanco

79 SCORE

“I can appreciate this brand for what it does, but I find all of the expressions I tried to be on the sweet side and a bit watered down. Not offensive, but not for me.”

Ryan B. rated 47d ago

El Ateo Añejo

89 SCORE

“Sampled at Total Wine There must be something magical about French Oak barrels because I really enjoy every spirit that is aged in them, whether it's tequila, rum, or whisk(e)y. And yet, the barrel influence does not overwhelm the agave. You absolutely know this is tequila, just a tequila mixed with butterscotch and caramel. Even my wife, who prefers bourbon, really liked it and wants me to purchase it soon.”

Ryan B. rated 47d ago

El Ateo Blanco Still Strength

89 SCORE

“Sampled at Total Wine Granted that I only had a small sample in a plastic cup, but I was blown away by how good this higher proof blanco is. Take the excellent standard blanco and crank it up to 11. It is not harsh like other high proof blancos. This is definitely going on my 'to buy' list.”

Ryan B. rated 47d ago

El Ateo Blanco Ultra Premium

88 SCORE

“Sampled at Total Wine Very good blanco. Cooked agave, mint, and cinnamon dominated the nose and palate. I will absolutely buy this at some point. Even my wife, who does not like to sip on blancos, was taken aback by how good it is.”

Ryan B. rated 47d ago

Codigo 1530 Añejo

80 SCORE

“Tasted at a Total Wine class Lots of agave and caramel. It's a really good anejo, but what kills its score is the price. I rarely spend that much on a bottle unless it's a really old or rare Scotch.”

Ryan B. rated 47d ago

Codigo 1530 Reposado

66 SCORE

“Tasted at a Total Wine class Not surprisingly, the reposado falls flat for me. The nose was completely missing, and everything good from the blanco is gone. It's definitely a pass for me.”

Ryan B. rated 47d ago

Codigo 1530 Rosa

86 SCORE

“Tasted at a Total Wine class I didn't know what to expect, but this is genuinely good. The wine cask influence enhances rather than detracts from the experience.”

Ryan B. rated 47d ago

Codigo 1530 Blanco

84 SCORE

“Tasted at a Total Wine class Solid blanco with a strong cooked agave flavor and a slight mint, cinnamon, and peppery finish.”

Ryan B. rated 88d ago

Lágrimas del Valle Plata - 2024 La Loma

91 SCORE

“Wow. Take your time with this one, and you will be rewarded. The extra ABV absolutely works, and I really wish the 46% - 48% range was more popular among producers. The nose brings a strong agave flavor mixed with cinnamon, mint, and a hint of basil and oregano. The palate delivers everything the nose promises, and the added ABV dials the intensity to the perfect amount. The finish is long without overstaying its welcome. The $55-60 price tag is where the score takes a slight hit.”

Ryan B. rated 123d ago

Siempre Tequila Plata (1414)

86 SCORE

“My first impression wasn't great, but after sitting with it for a while, my opinion began to increase. The nose was initially muted, but then I started to get more than agave; I began to get a savory mushroom. Not amazing, but still interesting. After a few more minutes, I started to detect a nice orange citrus. On the palate, there's a lot of cooked agave with mushroom, flowers, and orange. The finish is my favorite part as that is where the black pepper and mint finally show up. It's also a rather long finish which allows me to enjoy this tequila much longer than normal. At $39 (in the DFW area) I do recommend it. It's not mind-blowing, but it's still a solid tequila experience.”

Ryan B. rated 152d ago

Siete Leguas Reposado

81 SCORE

“On the nose, I get mellow baked agave with a hint of mint if I really look for it. The classic slight barrel flavors of a reposado are all here. On the palate, it's all the classic flavors you expect from a reposado. Nothing surprising, bad or good. On the finish, I'm treated to a tasty cinnamon spice as it goes down. Quite nice. This is a well-made reposado, but it doesn't 'wow' me like the 47 blanco does. The fact that it comes in a 700 mL bottle while still being more expensive than other reposados in 750 mL bottles brings the score down as well.”

Ryan B. rated 286d ago

Cazcanes No. 9 Blanco

82 SCORE

“The nose is quite underwhelming and disappointing for something so hyped and expensive. The palate, however, is where it's at. It certainly grabbed my attention with its surprising sweet agave, cinnamon, and maple syrup flavor. The mouthfeel is amazing. The finish leans heavily into the baking spices, and I really enjoy it. It also takes a hit in the value category. I managed to find it online for $75 ($110 at my local stores), and yet it still fails to live up to expectations for something that expensive. If other tequilas were that expensive, like scotches, then it'd be okay. But when you can find amazing blancos for $35 to $45, why would you shell out that much on a regular basis?”

Ryan B. rated 286d ago

Siete Leguas Blanco 47

93 SCORE

“The 47% ABV puts this in the range that I wish more tequila brands would produce. The nose provides a beautiful combination of agave, cinnamon, citrus, mint, and earthiness. The palate is rich and absolutely lives up to the nose. The finish brings a delicious warmth of baking spices. Where it takes a hit is in the value category. I managed to find it online (it's not available at stores in my area) for $70 for a 700 mL bottle. This makes it more expensive than most of the scotches in the 46% to 50% ABV range that I really enjoy.”

Ryan B. rated 286d ago

Entremanos Tequila Blanco

58 SCORE

“This is honestly one of the worst blancos I've ever had. The nose is practically nonexistent. I had to swirl it a bunch just to get anything, and what I got was nail polish remover and ethanol. On the palate, I get hit with a massive dose of Pinesol. Not piney/earthy flavors, but the artificially created disinfectant. I want to be generous and say that I get how some people would appreciate this brand's approach, but it is clearly not for me. Plus, $55 for a 700 mL bottle is not exactly a great deal for a standard 80 proof tequila. Maybe it'll get better as I sit with it, and maybe it'll make a great mixer. If it does, I'll come back and update my review.”

Ryan B. rated 287d ago

The Lost Explorer Blanco

92 SCORE

“On the nose I was treated to a wonderful herbaceous scent full of agave, green peppers, and poblano peppers. It reminded me more of the less smoky mezcals that I enjoy, and I could sit with this tequila for a while. The palate was rather underwhelming after the amazing scent. I got some agave, cinnamon, and mint, but it all tasted rather watered down. It made me wish this was in the 43% to 46% ABV range. The finish is quite nice with a minty/peppery warmth that lingered for a while. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but I rather like this! Edit: My opinion has significantly improved as I've gone through the bottle, and I've adjusted my score to reflect that. I absolutely will seek out this bottle again when the current one is empty.”

Ryan B. rated 305d ago

Ocho Tequila Plata

85 SCORE

“The bottle I picked up is from the 2025 La Mesa estate. I definitely enjoy this tequila, but I think that I feel let down by the hype surrounding this brand. It's certainly a good tequila, but I wouldn't call it great. I prefer the brighter, citrusy/minty blancos, and this tequila has a hint of the darker, more savory flavors that prevent it from fully finding its way into the territory that I like. If a friend poured this for me, I would gladly accept and enjoy it, but I don't see myself buying it again after this bottle runs out. Edit: After spending some more time with this expression, I've decided that my initial review was a bit harsh. The more citrusy and minty flavors are starting to emerge, and I've adjusted my score up a few points.”

Ryan B. rated 336d ago

La Pulga Tequila Blanco

83 SCORE

“On the nose, I get a savory vegetable flavor that reminds me of mushrooms. The palate provides more of the same with a hint of citrus and mint on the back end. It finishes with a bit of a sour note that's surprisingly pleasant. Overall, it's not my favorite, but it's a solid blanco that I enjoy and will continue to enjoy until the end of the bottle.”

Ryan B. rated 362d ago

Volcan de Mi Tierra Blanco Smoke

90 SCORE

“I am really impressed with this expression! Their standard blanco is a solid offering, but this manages to subtly elevate itself into the upper range of tequilas that excite me. The brand's website is vague on the details, but from more research, it appears that this blanco was slightly aged in Ardbeg barrels. As an Ardbeg fan, that has me intrigued. The nose, palate, and finish all offer different variations of the same flavors. I get a sweet agave mixed with grapefruit with a hint of mint and wrapped in a blanket of smoke. And in true fashion, the smoke is only evident when you are focusing on the other flavors. Once you focus on the smoke, it quickly dissipates and melts away. A big win for me.”