During the last yr or so there have been some glorious blanco tequilas launched into the market, so we thought it was excessive time to place collectively a blind tasting occasion to see how these newer merchandise would measure towards some fashionable contenders.
We chosen 4 new tequilas in our Confirmed Additive-Free program that we really feel are of wonderful high quality and put them up towards 2 well-known merchandise to see how they’d examine when tasted blind.
As well as, we thought this blind tasting can be an awesome alternative to check a few myths about tequila preferences. As an example, how a lot does expertise and schooling have an effect on tasters’ preferences? And is it true that girls favor a special type of tequila than males?
To reap this knowledge we got down to steadiness our group of 36 tasters in keeping with gender and expertise: we recognized half of the tasters as aficionados primarily based on their data (skilled tasters and/or members of our Tasting Panel), and half as followers. We additionally cut up the group 50-50 between women and men. This yielded some compelling outcomes, however first, let’s get into the top-line numbers!
The Lineup:
The Total Scores:
1) Wild Frequent Blanco (Lot 01)
— 88.4 factors/common
This daring and brilliant tequila was first launched final yr, amid a lot reward from aficionados. It’s made on the Cascahuín distillery in Arenal, Jalisco, which is understood for its glorious additive-free blancos, together with Cascahuín Tahona, ArteNOM 1123, and Siembra Valles.
The manufacturing course of here’s a mixture of tahona and curler mill; fermentation with and with out fibers in each cement and stainless-steel tanks. It clocks in at 42% abv, barely larger than the others within the lineup.
It’s generally heard that tequila can’t please each aficionados and common drinkers, however on this blind tasting Wild Frequent did simply that. It scored essentially the most factors in each teams. It additionally scored essentially the most factors amongst each women and men.
Tasters commented:
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“Spices, mint, and dry earth, that is undoubtedly a correct tequila! Simple on the palate however with sufficient pop to let you understand it’s legit.”
“The nostril on this was stunning. Cooked agave, kiwi fruit, pineapple, and black pepper. The style didn’t disappoint.”
2) Los Dos Blanco
— 85 factors/common
The second-highest scoring was Los Dos, made on the Vivancos Distillery (NOM 1414) in Arandas, Jalisco. It’s one in all a steady of noteworthy merchandise crafted by Grasp Distiller Sergio Cruz, who additionally makes Gran Dovejo, De-Nada, Yeyo, and Tau tequilas (all confirmed additive-free!)
Agaves from Los Altos are cooked in brick ovens, and extraction is by way of curler mill. They used a gradual (8 days) open-air fermentation course of utilizing champagne yeast. This tequila was then rested in stainless-steel for six months, after which oxygenated earlier than bottling.
The sweetness discovered within the end was attainable because of some modern distillation cuts and mixing finished by Sergio Cruz. The prolonged resting interval can also be a key element that brings the whole lot collectively. That is extra proof that good issues are attainable when a producer isn’t in a rush.
Tasters commented:
3) Inspiro Tequila Luna Blanco
— 84.8 factors/common
In at a really shut third was Inspiro Luna Blanco, a brand new product that markets itself as produced by girls, for ladies. It’s rested for lower than a month in used oak barrels, after which in stainless-steel earlier than bottling. This offers it a smoother profile with faint vanilla barrel notes with out having to make use of components.
The manufacturing course of additionally entails the usage of 2 completely different yeast strains, that are distilled individually after which blended in keeping with style to realize a extra complicated profile.
Actually, it was produced at NOM 1614 (Tequilera TAP) in Amatitan, Jalisco which is a 100% additive-free distillery. The grasp distiller is the extremely revered Ana María Romero Mena, and the model is the concept of Mara Smith, a former lawyer.
Resting a blanco in oak shouldn’t be a typical follow as a result of it requires extra time, however Inspiro wasn’t in a rush. Resting a blanco tequila in oak for lower than 60 days is legally permitted in keeping with the principles. The contact of vanilla imparted by the barrels brought about a few of our raters to marvel if components have been used, however we will affirm that none have been.
Tasters commented:
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“The agave is good and zesty right here. Full texture with medium oils. End is decently lengthy, prolonging some agave and fruit.”
“Aroma has small hints of baked agave, some citrus, and floral notes. Style has agave with numerous pepper and spiciness.”
4) Nueveuno Tequila Blanco
— 84.7 factors/common
This licensed natural and Kosher tequila is made on the Rancho Miravalle distillery (NOM 1426) in Amatitan, Jalisco, and overseen by a grasp distiller Nohemi Partida of the famed Partida household, lengthy identified for tequila making.
Agaves are cooked in brick ovens and extraction is by way of a curler mill. Because the Partida household are additionally agave growers they have been in a position to choose mature Tequila Valley-grown agaves for Nueveuno. The result’s a top quality, conventional product. As soon as once more, the scores have been very shut, with Nueveuno coming in simply 0.1 factors behind Inspiro, and 0.3 factors behind Los Dos.
Tasters commented:
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“Stable, daring, old style agave aroma. Very nice taste — essentially the most constant by far throughout two tastings. Good balanced mixture of candy agave, earth, mint. Respectable end.”
“Considerably muted nostril initially however it opened up after sitting a couple of minutes. Good steadiness of sweetness, agave, pepper notes and ethanol.”
5) Teremana Blanco
— 84.6 factors/common
This tequila took the spirits world by storm in 2020, promoting a document quantity of circumstances (round 300,000) for a brand new product. This was largely as a result of excessive profile of its movie star backer, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who did a formidable job advertising it to his followers. It additionally benefited from a conventional means of brick oven cooking, and distillation in copper pot stills.
We haven’t put Teremana in any blind tastings till now, and we have been desirous to get responses. The tequila has its personal distillery (NOM 1613), which sits on the property of Productos Finos de Agave (NOM 1416). Though the later distillery has a contemporary diffuser and column nonetheless on-site, neither are used within the manufacturing of Teremana.
Though Teremana shouldn’t be (but) on our Confirmed Additive-Free listing, our raters didn’t suspect it of containing any components.
Tasters commented:
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“There’s a large punch of agave on the nostril! It is vitally agave ahead on the flavour with a floral trace. The end has a protracted end of agave.”
“Caramel, funky, overripe fruit and black pepper on the style. End is somewhat bitter.”
6) Casamigos Blanco
— 80.9 factors/common
No tequila has as a lot movie star swag as Casamigos, although founders George Clooney and Randy Gerber bought out in 2017. It has additionally been an enormous vendor, prompting different celebrities to leap into the tequila area, dreaming of a $1 billion exit. Nevertheless, this product has not been as a lot of a success with the aficionados who use our app. It has been referred to as out as being overly candy with heavy vanilla notes.
Not a lot is understood in regards to the manufacturing processes concerned in Casamigos. Once they switched distilleries to NOM 1609 (away from NOM 1416) we misplaced the flexibility to say with first-hand data which sort of manufacturing processes are in use. (Hey, Diageo, we might like to tour your latest facility.)
Nevertheless, the aficionados in our blind tasting overwhelmingly expressed their opinion that this product contained components.
Tasters commented:
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“Aroma is overwhelmingly vanilla, with maybe somewhat little bit of plastic/rubber like scent. The feel is a bit watery. The flavour is good with a great deal of vanilla, somewhat woody. Peppery end.”
“This blanco didn’t scent like tequila in any respect. The nostril was cotton sweet and vanilla. (They) are prevalent with no agave by any means.”
“Bubblegum and toasted marshmallow on the nostril. Not anticipating lots after nosing this.”
Now let’s look somewhat deeper, as a result of that is the place it will get actually fascinating.
Once we have a look at preferences in keeping with aficionados vs. followers the scores are fairly shut on every product, apart from Casamigos. For this product the hole between educated tasters and informal drinkers was a whopping 7.6 factors. (Aficionados gave it 77.7 level common, whereas followers gave it a median rating of 85.3.)
The decrease score by Aficionados for Casamigos was constant, whether or not the taster was male or feminine.
Talking of females, let’s see how the completely different genders rated Inspiro blanco, because it’s focused at girls. Because it seems, males rated this product 0.8 factors larger than girls on common, at 85.2 versus 84.4 amongst girls. So, maybe having a cleaner, barely vanilla profile attracts sippers of all stripes!
One other fascinating takeaway was the notion of worth (or bang for the buck) among the many completely different teams. The largest level unfold was, once more, for Casamigos: Followers rated it a median of seven out of 10 by way of worth, whereas Aficionados scored it decrease at 5 out of 10.
So, what ought to we make of all this? First off, blind score is troublesome (you don’t have any bottle, advertising, or suggestions to go off of), however it additionally ranges the enjoying discipline. The large-name blancos got here out final, whereas the newcomers received over tasters with their aromas, flavors, and mouthfeel.
And, though this was a small pattern of 36 tasters it seems that expertise makes extra of a distinction in relation to shaping preferences, in comparison with gender.
We despatched a follow-up questionnaire to the members after we closed down the score interval. A number of of the tequila followers have been shocked that they rated Casamigos excessive. They talked about that the general expertise was beneficial as a result of it taught them learn how to sharpen their palate to higher establish merchandise that stray away from a pure profile.
So, maintain training your tasting expertise, associates. Make use of our Confirmed Additive-Free listing and practice your palate! Finally, the additive-filled merchandise will grow to be apparent. Salud!
