Frank T. rated 23h ago

Teremana Tequila Blanco

67 SCORE

“Nose: Artificially sweet cooked agave, dominant rubbing alcohol vapor, strong medicinal vanilla, and faint wet cardboard. Palate: Flat and thin with a chemical-tasting citrus peel, synthetic sugar sweetness, bitter metallic tang, and a harsh peppery burn. Finish: Abrupt and rough, leaving a cloying artificial vanilla sweetness and a sharp, unpleasant throat scratch. Overall: Teremana Blanco feels like a mass-produced celebrity gimmick that prioritizes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's marketing over actual quality. Despite the buzzwords about brick ovens and copper stills, the distillate tastes overly engineered, unnatural, and aggressively harsh. It is completely unsuited for sipping neat, and its bitter, metallic edge easily overpowers even a standard Margarita.”

Frank T. rated 23h ago

Arette Artesenal Blanco Suave

86 SCORE

“Nose: Prominent cooked agave, fresh mint, crisp citrus zest, and a distinct herbal, grassy undertone. Palate: Notes of sweet agave, black pepper, vegetal brine, and a unique hint of tropical lychee fruit. Finish: Crisp, clean, and balanced with a lingering peppery warmth and cooling minerality. Overall: An exceptional, additive-free lowlands tequila. Six months of stainless steel aeration gives this bottle a remarkably velvety texture. It masterfully balances savory brine with subtle fruit, making it a benchmark sipping blanco for enthusiasts.”

Frank T. rated 15d ago

Tapatio Blanco 110

89 SCORE

“Nose: This one hits you immediately. Cooked and raw agave front and center with grapefruit, lime zest, black pepper, brine, mint, anise, and tropical fruit all showing up at once. Outstanding and barely hints at what the proof is doing underneath. Palate: Bell pepper, grapefruit, agave, mint, and olive weaving together with jalapeño heat building through the mid-palate. Creamy mouthfeel that genuinely catches you off guard for 110 proof. You keep waiting for the burn and it never comes. Finish: Long and peppery. Brine, tropical fruit, and jalapeño holding well past the last sip. Overall: The regular Tapatio is already in my regular rotation. This is that same bottle with the volume cranked to 11. Everything you love about the standard blanco shows up louder and more concentrated without any harshness. Pour it in a margarita and it changes what you thought a margarita could taste like. At this price there is no reason not to have both on the shelf.”

Frank T. rated 17d ago

Fósforo Tequila Blanco

84 SCORE

“Nose: Cooked agave, fresh lemon, honeydew melon, and orange peel. Bright, clean, and expressive without being thin. Palate: Agave sweetness up front with delicate white florals, honeysuckle, orange blossom, and a soft cinnamon note threading through. Lifted minerality creates an almost effervescent texture mid-palate. Finish: Warm, bright, and clean. Candied lemon peel, green pepper, and a crack of pink peppercorn fading gently. Overall: As the prominent mezcal brand’s first foray into the tequila space, this is a genuinely expressive Highland blanco at a fair price. The champagne yeast and red clay terroir tell a clear story from nose to finish. Worth watching as the brand builds its credibility. At $35 it earns its shelf space on quality alone.”

Frank T. rated 25d ago

Jose Cuervo Especial Gold

30 SCORE

“Nose: Artificial caramel, vanilla, and a sharp ethanol bite. Light agave note buried underneath sweetener. Not much else. Palate: Loaded with additives. Caramel, artificial vanilla, and a medicinal quality with very little agave presence. Hot and one dimensional throughout. Finish: Short and harsh. Alcohol heat with a sticky sweetness that lingers uncomfortably. Overall: The most consumed tequila on the planet and arguably the most responsible for people having had a “bad experience” with tequila. ”

Frank T. rated 26d ago

Tequila G4 Reposado

89 SCORE

“Nose: Cooked agave, caramel, grapefruit, and a light smoke. Palate: Cooked agave leads into vanilla, black pepper, citrus peel, and butterscotch with minerals threading throughout. The barrel supports rather than dominates. Finish: Moderately long and dry. Vanilla, mild pepper, and sweet agave fading cleanly together. Overall: The blanco is my benchmark but the reposado is the more complete sipper. Six months in bourbon oak adds just enough without taking anything away. The rainwater character comes through even here — that signature G4 minerality that no other distillery replicates. A natural step up for anyone who already loves the blanco.”