A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 42d ago

Tequila Primo 1861 Reposado

86 SCORE

“Nose: I didn't get a ton of agave at first, so I let it sit for a while. Coming back, the agave is there with a bit of brine and herbal notes and some citrus. Not a lot of barrel, probably because it's rested such a short time, but it's there with hints of vanilla, oak and baking spice in small amounts. Palate: Earthy, sweet potato and herbal notes up front, then the barrel notes with honey, caramel, slight oak and spices like nutmeg. On my first pour I got a medicinal flavor, but then it was gone the second time around. Finish: This is where the money is to me. It starts with the lingering agave along with the slight sweetness of vanilla moving to the spice notes of anise then finishing with a dry oakiness and lingering black pepper. This has a different feel from the old product out of El Pandillo. It's got an earthy, sweet potato agave rather than that really bright, citrus forward punch. I felt like the original blanco had an almost overwhelming minerality while this seems more....grounded. It's not as intense but has depth.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 84d ago

House of Rare Founder's Cut Blanco

78 SCORE

“Raw agave. Very grassy and vegetal. It’s a good tequila but that price really hurts the rating.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 135d ago

Cultura 100 Blanco High Proof

87 SCORE

“Tequila Cultura 100 repo: Nose - To me, I didn’t get a ton of agave at first. It started with a little bit of sweet fruit and some citrus. I get the agave after a minute along with caramel. Citrus comes in as well as oak. Palate - There’s the agave with lighter caramel than I expected. Same fruitiness from the nose but I can’t put my finger on it. I get cinnamon and oak along with pepper on the finish. I liked the blanco but I think this is a step up. Sergio Cruz, if you keep making ‘em, I’ll keep drinking ‘em.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 168d ago

Fortaleza Reposado

90 SCORE

“Nose - Nice roasted agave. A sweet caramel note and citrus like lime or lime zest. Picking up the barrel with that vanilla, toffee along with baking spices. The agave is primary but the barrel notes blend very will without being overpowered. There's a bit of earth and pepper too. Palate - Sweet cooked agave and some caramel and hints of oak. Buttery with vanilla coming through and that touch of citrus. It finishes with a touch of earthiness and pepper while keeping that sweet toffee as well. I don't have to tell anyone this is great tequila. There's no denying that. It's made with care and that shines through. I love it. The issue is the lack of availability and the fact that, WHEN I can find it the price is usually through the roof. There is comparable tequila out there that's available at more affordable prices, but if I can find it and the price is reasonable I won't pass it up.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 168d ago

Cachasol Tequila Blanco Epic Strength

88 SCORE

“Nose - The first thing I noticed was sweet agave, sweeter than I was used to but not in a way that said fake. It had citrus and minerality, that hint of petrichor, as well as a bit of spice like cinnamon and pepper. Palate - The agave sweetness again. I continued to get that citrus like orange and lemon zest. Minerals follow that with a bit of cinnamon and a nice long, spicy finish. Not the burn of alcohol but that nice peppery warmth that hangs around for a while.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 168d ago

Nobleza 33 Tequila Reposado Legado

89 SCORE

“This is my first experience with Nobleza 33. It's made at El Pandillo by Felipe Camarena with all that entails. Cooked in stone/brick ovens, Tahona crushed, Unlike most things I've seen from the distillery at least some is fermented WITH fibers, in stainless steel tanks. Aging about six months in used Sherry casks. Nose - First I got cooked agave, a honey sweetness and a bit of pepper. After a minute or two I picked up oak and cinnamon as well plus cherry and a touch of chocolate. Palate - It's got a full body without being oily. Agave hits with caramel and honey. Barrel spices. Pepper and cinnamon. Minerals and that bit of cherry again. It has a sweet, peppery finish that lingers for a bit and carries through that hint of cocoa. . A bit dry like many things from this distillery, but not in a bad way. I really like this and the little bit of difference resting in sherry casks gives. I would say it's one of my favorites I've tried out of 1579. The price might be on the high end of what I would compare it to, but not so much as to make it not worth picking up a bottle if you find it. ”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 168d ago

Quintaliza Cask Strength Reposado Tequila

87 SCORE

“Finally ran into Quintaliza locally and picked up the High Proof version. I love me some coffee and I love me some tequila so here we go: First, it's out of NOM 1522 which produces some really good brands and some kind of mid. High pressure Autoclave, Roller mill extraction, fermented in steel tanks, rested in American white oak then finished in used Mexican coffee barrels and comes in at 45% ABV. When I first put this in a glass, I got straight up coffee both on the nose and on the palate, even after letting it sit for 20 minutes. I started to feel disappointed but decided to go back in a couple of days. Nose: At first sniff, it's initially that fresh-ground coffee bean aroma which I honestly love. I let it sit for a bit longer and started getting cocoa, that bitter chocolate then cooked agave coming in under that. Palate - Just like the nose. Espresso or dark roast coffee at first going into that bitter chocolate then the agave comes in. After another sip or two I started getting oak and the agave was more pronounced. I've heard people talk about notes of leather in some aged tequilas and it's never been something I've been able to pick out, but I kind of got that here as well. On the finish that coffee and chocolate are still there then it moves again to the agave with some hint of vanilla and has a nice bit of peppery heat that lingers for a bit. It took me a while to figure this one out. Quintaliza isn't something you just pour into a glass and drink. This is a slow sipper and develops more the longer you spend with it. Is it something I'll drink daily? No, but it's something that I'll pull out when I just want to relax in a quiet place and enjoy the experience of it. If you have a chance to try it, I'd say go for it. Now, I think I'm going to try and maybe figure out a recipe for a Quintaliza Old Fashioned just in time for the Holidays. Sorry so long, but Merry Christmas to all!”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 168d ago

Tequila Cabal Reposado

87 SCORE

“NOM 1646 Nose - Caramel and agave. Cinnamon. A bit of spice, maybe from the rye barrel influence. Slight butterscotch. Not as sweet as the 1480 but nice. The nose is more subtle. Palate - Roasted agave, caramel, baking spices, minerality. Again, more spice from the barrel and less sweet caramel/vanilla than 1480. It's cleaner and leans more into those barrel spices than overall sweetness. Finish - Medium finish with agave and light sweetness. Warm. Butterscotch without being really sweet. A bit of pepper and cinnamon...other spices but subtle. Ends with a dry oakiness.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 168d ago

Teremana Tequila Blanco

65 SCORE

“Sometimes those people don’t know any better and this is what I get. I save these for days like this when I just say, “Screw it.” Maybe it’s a form of alcohol inflicted self-flagellation. Either way here we go with Teremana blanco. Nose: Vegetal. Light vanilla. Practically no agave. Palate: Not much here. Smooth in the way that tequila shouldn’t be. Bland. A bit briny. No depth at all. Finish: None. No pepper or real warmth. Nothing that makes me want to come back. It’s not offensive or awful. It doesn’t make me rush for salt and lime. It just isn’t tequila in any way tequila should be. If I wanted to do shots and get hammered this would be fine. It’s an inoffensive way to get alcohol onboard and that’s pretty much it.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 191d ago

Mijenta Blanco Maestra Selection No. 2

84 SCORE

“I absolutely loved the Maestra Selection No. 1 and it’s rated one of my highest so I came into this with high hopes. Nose: I get that floral note that Mijenta has, but not as pronounced. Agave is there with a citrus like orange zest and lime. It’s very bright with herbal notes. Palate: It’s grassy at first. Agave but not very sweet. Layers of flavors, with mint and citrus. Herbal. A short finish without much punch. This is very clean but almost feels watered down. Selection No. 1 had SO much depth in it. There were layers but each one was right there. Not saying it’s not a good tequila or that’s it’s not well made but I really would love to see what this would taste like before being proofed down. I’m going to make an addendum here because, revisiting it, I’m not sure I was being completely fair. Higher proof is generally going to be more “in your face” and I think I let my love of Selection no. 1 affect how I approached this bottle instead of judging it on its own merits. It IS a good bottle and very complex. Its complexity is simply more subtle and nuanced. That being said, I STILL would have loved to try this before it was proofed down to 80.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 333d ago

Cultura 100 Reposado

86 SCORE

“Nose - To me, I didn’t get a ton of agave at first. It started with a little bit of sweet fruit and some citrus. I get the agave after a minute along with caramel. Citrus comes in as well as oak. Palate - There’s the agave with lighter caramel than I expected. Same fruitiness from the nose but I can’t put my finger on it. I get cinnamon and oak along with pepper on the finish.”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 343d ago

Wild Common Tequila Reposado

91 SCORE

“Wild Common Reposado Shows as 7R-2 on the label Nose - I have issues sometimes picking out a “toasted” or “cooked” agave aroma but it’s right there up front. Also getting vanilla and a mild cinnamon. There’s a touch of citrus in there as well. Palate - This is creamy on the tongue with caramel and agave. Sweeter than I expected with honey and a bit of oak. It finishes with a warm vanilla, sweetness and spice that lingers for a few moments. Wild Common is one of my favorite blancos so I expected to like this and it over-delivered. It’s not just the blanco with barrel notes but it really hits differently than the blanco while still being every bit as good. Tennesseeans, if you haven’t tried Wild Common, it’s here. I feel it’s one of the best things coming out of Cascahuin and that’s saying a lot because it’s a distillery that produces some incredible tequilas. ”

A Guy, A Glass, A. rated 361d ago

Pedro Furtivo Tequila Añejo 1331

91 SCORE

“ Nose - Caramel really jumps out. Nothing too sweet or fake, but just a nice buttery toffee richness. I get faint orange or orange peel and vanilla. Some spices like cinnamon and a hint of tobacco. Wow. So much good stuff I just want to spend some time taking it all in. Palate - I almost never mention “mouthfeel” but it really does need to be said how creamy this is on the tongue. Flavors start with that toffee along with roasted (caramelized?) agave. You get those baking spices and a bit of ripe pear. Flavors that seem like Fall. It finishes with A touch of citrus and maybe coffee with a nice lingering warmth. Every expression in this lineup is quality but I think this Añejo is by far the best of the bunch. Pretty sure this bottle won’t be hanging around very long in my pantry.”