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Articles by Greg Bartolotta
Viamundi Blanco
Are you looking for a small-batch craft tequila? Look no further. Viamundi, meaning “journey of the world,” reflects the brand’s focus. It produces various small-batch agave spirits from different places of origin. Viamundi Spirits was co-founded by industry veterans Adam Castelsky and David Weissman.
Dos Locos Blanco
Dos Locos, “the spirit of the party,” is produced at the same distillery as Arriesgado, with the same “artesanal” mark on the label. It also identifies as an “ensamble,” so let’s dive into this interesting production story. This budget-friendly blanco is produced primarily with autoclave-cooked agaves, roller mill extraction, stainless steel fermentation, and distillation in stainless steel pot stills.
KOKORO Plata
KOKORO Spirits founder Howard Cao was inspired by the Japanese concept of heart, mind, and spirit when forming his brand. He brings together Mexican craftsmanship with a philosophy of harmony. From the unique, beautiful bottle design to the traditional methods used to produce this blanco, every step is intentional. KOKORO Plata is a fine example of that craftsmanship. This time, I’m tasting Lote 2 of this blanco.
Dos Hombres Reposado
Celebrity tequila? It’s not that simple—this is a well-made, reasonably priced reposado. Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul have stepped into the world of tequila. Dos Hombres built its name with a mass-appeal mezcal and is now expanding into tequila with a new lineup. Under the watchful eye of master distiller Julio Cova, Dos Hombres released its blanco earlier this year and is now introducing its reposado.
Arriesgado Añejo
NOM 1459 may not have been known for making artisanal or ancestral tequilas in the past. This is why Arriesgado—which means “daring” or “risky”—built a separate area just for the production of its tequila. Fourth-generation tequilero Roberto Real pays tribute to his family’s history by making a high-quality craft tequila. Rediscovering methods associated with mezcal and raicilla production, he prioritizes traditional techniques that deliver a refined tequila.
Carreta de Oro Añejo
Carreta de Oro is a Mexican-owned brand founded in 2004 by 40 agave farmers. It sources agave from more than 80 local farms that use no chemicals or fertilizers. Carreta de Oro is overseen by co-founders Samuel De la Cerda and Ronak Patel, along with master distiller Juan Carlos Silva Rodriguez. With new ownership and a redesigned bottle, they are starting to make an impression on our tequila-drinking community.
Don Vicente Fuerte Blanco
“Fuerte” means strong or high proof, and this one delivers every bit of that at 54% ABV. All the agave goes into masonry ovens that cook it evenly from the top and bottom—one of master distiller Felipe Camarena’s innovations. Another is “Felipestein,” a one-of-a-kind mechanical tahona that gently crushes the agave fibers. What makes this Fuerte particularly special is the fermentation process.
Santo Fino | The Tequila Report
Sammy Hagar and Guy Fieri bring the name, but the glass brings the goods
El Tesoro Paradiso Extra Añejo
El Tesoro translates as the “treasure,” and this Paradiso is a special benchmark for all extra añejos. This tequila was created by Don Felipe Camarena—Carlos Camarena’s grandfather and the founder of La Alteña Distillery in 1937—in collaboration with Alain Royer of A. de Fussigny Cognac. Carlos oversaw El Tesoro for 30 years, and now the reins have been passed to his sister, Jenny Camarena.
Corralejo Reposado
Guanajuato is one of only five Mexican states legally authorized to produce tequila. The area’s mineral-rich volcanic soil is well suited to growing Blue Weber agave. It is also the birthplace of Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the Father of Mexican Independence. Hacienda Corralejo is located in Pénjamo, Guanajuato, and is one of Mexico’s oldest tequila estates, dating back to 1755. Corralejo is rich in history, not only in the tequila world but also in Mexican heritage.
El Tesoro Reposado
El Tesoro translates as “the treasure,” and their reposado is one of my go-tos for making cocktails or as an everyday sipper. El Tesoro is fairly unique in that it distills to proof rather than diluting with water after distillation for all its expressions. El Tesoro produces a benchmark for traditionally made tequila: horno cooked, tahano crushed, wood-fermented with fibers, and copper distillation, checking all the boxes for me.
Siempre Exclusivo Muerto Blanco
Against all odds, Monica Sanita and Alex Lacroix decided to jump into the tequila game with only $9,000 and a credit card. They have come a long way in the past ten years with Siempre Tequila, now an award-winning, international brand. With stops at NOM 1137 and 1438, in 2022 they finally landed at the famed Vivanco distillery (NOM 1414), working with master distiller Sergio Cruz. One day, the steam boiler goes down at the distillery and takes weeks to repair.
El Bagazo Blanco
Destilería El Bagazo (NOM 1677) is a Casa Endémica project led by Esteban Morales, the 18-year industry veteran behind La Venenosa raicilla. The brand-new Bagazo distillery is a very unique stand-alone facility located near the western Jalisco town of Mascota, far from the Tequila Valley or the Highlands. They are creating renewable energy by using the bagazo (leftover cooked agave fibers) as fuel for cooking the agaves and for powering the entire distillery.
Flecha Azul Reposado
Is Flecha Azul just another celebrity brand tequila? Co-founded in 2016 by Mexican PGA golfer Abraham Ancer and entrepreneur Aron Marquez, celebrities in their own right, the brand finally launched in 2020. But Flecha Azul gained major notoriety in 2022 when actor Mark Wahlberg became a principal investor. Flecha Azul, which translates to Blue Arrow, is a sign of their perseverance, moving forward, with a nod to the quality of the Blue Weber agave used.
G4 Reposado
G4 is crafted by master distiller Felipe Camarena, nicknamed “the Mad Scientist.” He is a man driven by purpose. Felipe has said many times that he is not in the business of pretty bottles; he is in the business of making great tequila. G4 Reposado is, in fact, a great tequila. Felipe likes to say he rests his aged expressions rather than aging them, letting the agave shine without being overpowered by the wood.
Cultura 100 High Proof Blanco
The owner, Jaime Juarez—who also owns Unified Spirits—has been involved in tequila distribution for while. He finally decided to start his own brand and was fortunate enough to team up with the Vivanco family distillery (NOM 1414) and master distiller Sergio Cruz. Together they have created a strong buzz in the tequila community with a philosophy of being 100% authentic to the culture of tequila.
G4 Blanco Madera
G4 represents the four generations of the Camarena family, now lead by Felipe Camarena, a true innovator in the tequila industry. All their agaves go into proprietary stone ovens that cook from the top and bottom for an even roast. Industry standard is to steam from only one direction. A custom “Felipestein” mechanical tahona gently crushes all the agave fibers, another example of Felipe’s innovation. The G4 Blanco de Madera is unlike their standard G4 blanco.
Santo Fino Añejo
Santo translates to “Holy” or “Saint”. Fino translates to “fine or “Refined”. This brand was co-founded by celebrity chef Guy Fieri and rock n’ roller Sammy Hagar. Yes, Sammy was the original founder of the famed Cabo Wabo tequila. In fact Santo Fino is being produced at the same distillery that created Cabo Wabo (now made elsewhere after being acquired many years ago).
Patrón 100 Silver
Master Distiller David Rodriguez now leads production, having succeeded his mentor — the legendary Francisco Alcaraz. Patrón was founded in 1989 by John Paul DeJoria and Martin Crowley, originally produced at Siete Leguas, one of Mexico's oldest distilleries. In 2002, the brand built Hacienda Patrón, its own distillery. In 2018, Bacardi acquired the company.
Señora Leona Blanco
Señora Leona is a tribute to Leona Vicario “Mother of the Homeland” a patriot, a journalist and one of the first women to be recognized as a heroine of Mexico. Leona was one of the most important people in the Mexico’s War of Independence. In a world where woman were told to keep silent, she used her voice and wealth to support the fighting. She was part of a secret alliance, gathering intelligence, raising funds, and smuggling supplies to the rebel fighters against the Spanish invaders.
Casa Komos Añejo Reserva
Tequila Komos was started in 2019 by Richard Betts, a master sommelier, and Joe Marchese, a media and technology executive. They offer six expressions of their tequila, and most of it is made at Tequila Orendain, NOM 1110. Komos’s Añejo Reserva is produced at Grupo Solave (NOM 1607) in Amatitán, the home of 818, Laelia, Astral & Superbird tequila, (Komos’s sister brand). For the Komos Añejo Reserva, they source agaves from both the highlands and the lowlands.
Mijenta Añejo Symphony Series No. 3
Mijenta Tequila, co-founded in 2020 by former Bacardi CEO Mike Dolan & sustainability designer Elise Som, along with mixologist Juan Coronado. Mijenta is the first tequila producer to achieve B Corp certification for high standards of verified social & environmental performance, accountability and transparency. This Symphony Series consists of two releases a year, Romer.
El Tesoro | The Tequila Report
Tahona, horno, and wood fermentation — still setting the standard
Gran Coramino Cristalino Reposado
Gran Coramino is the brainchild of famed actor and comedian Kevin Hart and 11th generation tequila maker Juan Domingo Beckmann, from the Cuervo tequila family. This tequila featuresa beautiful bottle design; it’s slightly twisted or swirling. It’s definitely made to stand out among other bottles. Gran Coramino means big heart, and the production method for this tequila does have a lot of heart and artistry in it.
Los Linderos Still Strength Blanco
This newer tequila brand is made by Sergio Cruz at the Vivanco Family Distillery at NOM 1414 in the Highlands. Los Linderos, loosely translated to mean the borders (“go beyond”). Carr Scott an entrepreneur from the Atlanta, Georgia area, along with famed Ohio State football coach Urban Meyers and his wife Shelley, are all behind this brand. Using only single estate, mature highland agaves, this is also a beautiful bottle with a painted agave on the front.
Los Linderos | The Tequila Report
All 2 Los Linderos tequilas reviewed and scored by our panel, with tasting notes and prices. Ranked #70 of 150. NOM 1414.
Socorro Añejo Tequila Review
Founded by Texans Josh Ervin and Pablo Antinori, Socorro (Spanish for "help") lives up to its name by donating a portion of all proceeds to provide clean water to Jalisco orphanages. Produced at NOM 1610 (Casa Camarena) in Arandas, this Highlands tequila is built on value and integrity, earning a prestigious spot as a featured spirit on American Airlines.
Cascahuín Extra Añejo Tequila
This current release is exclusive to Mexico and well worth the trip to grab one or more of these bottles. This Cascahuin Extra Añejo is one of the best XAs, if not the best, coming in at 86 proof. The sweet cooked agave notes shine at its slightly elevated ABV. Absolutely delicious. Chava and his team definitely know what they are doing. Barrel-rested for 4 years in used American White Oak Bourbon barrels, this Extra Añejo is a benchmark. It has a light golden appearance. Aromas: The nose is amazing.
Partida Roble Fino Reposado
Roble Fino (translation - Fine Oak) tequila is a double barrel reposado. It starts with Partida’s reposado, which was originally rested for a minimum of 6 months in medium toasted ex-Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels. Then it’s finished for an additional 2 months in Oloroso Sherry Casks, which previously held Macallan’s Single Malt Scotch, making this a very unique and special offering. This is the “Single Malt” of Tequila.
Cazcanes No. 10 Blanco
Combining ancestral recipes with modern distilling practices, Cazcanes (referring to an indigenous people of Mexico who resisted the Spanish conquest) is all about their water source. Trucking in water from the pristine Navichi Springs outside the community of Hostotipaquillo, in central-western Jalisco, Mexico. This blanco is one of three made by the brand. #7 is standard 40% ABB. #9 is 50% ABV. And this #10 is the top of the range at 54% ABV. Aromas: Cooked agave, citrus notes, especially lime.
Cascahuín Reposado (Square Bottle)
Located in El Arenal “the gateway to agave” Cascahuín is loosely translated to “Mountain of Light” or the one I like most: “Party on the Hill”! The Cascahuín square bottle reposado has been kicked up a notch to 84 proof, which I think makes a big difference in flavor for this reposado. Absolutely delicious. Barrel rested 6-8 months in used American white oak bourbon barrels.
Wild Common Tequila Añejo
From Brand owner Andy Bardon (a National Geographic Photographer), comes the brand’s first-ever anejo, made at the venerable Cascahuin distillery in El Arenal, Jalisco. Twenty-three barrels made in this batch in total (batch #1), aged in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels for 14 months. This was also barreled at cask strength, and that extra ABV really shines. A dark golden hue in color.
Terralta Tequila Extra Añejo
Terralta literally means “Highlands”. What makes all brands made at El Pandillo (NOM 1579) different from one to another, is the water sources used. Terralta uses deep well water (150 meters down), giving all the expressions of Terralta tequila that great minerality! As Master Distiller Felipe Camarena likes to say, “I’m not in the business of making fancy bottles. I’m in the business of making great tequila” and he certainly does.
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