Blind Style Check Outcomes Are In from 24 Tasting Panel Members
It is a nice time for blanco tequila lovers, with quite a few wonderful, additive-free decisions available in the market. Though we’re fortunate sufficient to strive all of the manufacturers in our Additive-Free program, we observed that a few of our day by day sippers are typically neglected.
So, we assembled kits of 10 high quality blanco tequilas from our additive-free listing, and requested 24 Tequila Matchmaker panel members to charge them blind. We needed to see how a number of the newer or lesser-known manufacturers would measure up in opposition to an outdated favourite.
We delivered 10 blind samples in 2 oz. bottles to members of the Tequila Matchmaker Tasting Panel. Picture: Doug Worth / Agave Social Membership
Earlier than we get into the outcomes, we’d like to notice that these samples had been chosen not simply because we like them, however as a result of they symbolize all kinds of aromas and flavors, suited to every kind of drinkers. Additionally, the ultimate outcomes present that almost all samples had been rated comparatively excessive.
So, right here’s how they landed:
Volcan de Mi Tierra Blanco
The highest scoring tequila was Volcan de mi Tierra Blanco, with a mean ranking of 88.71. Tasters famous that it has a delicate nostril, however “huge flavors” of cooked agave, fruit and minerality, with a pleasant oily end.
This product, partially owned by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy (LVMH), has been aimed extra towards the luxurious crowd, and will have missed the eyes of aficionados searching for conventional flavors. However these blind scores point out that its fancy bottle is backed up by high quality juice.
As one taster commented, “The Volcán was a shock, on condition that I had not tried it earlier than, and had been passing on it in each retailer. .. however I rated it larger than the panel (common)!”
Tequila El Mexicano Blanco
Curiously, the second highest scoring (87.25) was El Mexicano Blanco, which brings an enormous punch of old skool taste at an amazing worth level (It often sells for round $30, however one retailer even lists it as little as $20.) Tasters discovered upfront agave, citrus, and baking spices, with a end that’s as one taster put, “tender and clear as a whistle. (The) cooked agave taste profile fades slowly.”
One other taster commented that they had been shocked that “El Mexicano was in a position to present up sturdy on the again of its nice worth.” In actual fact, a number of panel members mentioned they’d purchase a bottle after this expertise.
Tequila Primo 1861 Blanco
Coming in on El Mexicano’s heels was the comparatively new Tequila Primo 1861 Blanco, with 87.04 factors. Panel members discovered cooked agave, butter, fruit aromas and flavors, and a pleasant minerality. Primo comes from the favored El Pandillo distillery (1579) with Grasp Distiller Felipe Camarena, so it was not stunning to us that this did properly.
The model will get its title as a result of it’s a collaboration between Felipe and his nephew Pedro Camarena. (The phrase “primo” means cousin in Spanish.) The “1861” quantity is the 12 months that Pedro Camarena Ramírez (a distant cousin of Felipe and Pedro) was born, founding father of the primary tequila tavern within the Arandas space.
It’s additionally distinctive in that it’s the solely product from El Pandillo that’s utilizing 100% spring water, and fermentation was achieved in each wooden tanks (20%) and chrome steel (80%).
Yeyo Tequila Blanco
The following highest-scoring tequila, with 86.33 factors, was Yeyo Blanco. Yeyo comes from one other well-respected distillery, NOM 1414, in Arandas. Tasters discovered cooked agave, anise, baking spices, and white pepper with a “stable end.”
As one reviewer mentioned, “I’ll all the time have a bottle of Yeyo in my cupboard transferring ahead!”
The grasp distiller for Yeyo is Sergio Cruz, who is thought for a lot of different top quality, additive-free creations from the Vivanco distillery. (This explicit batch was bottled on 06/12/2019.)
“This opened up and softened after my preliminary sip. I actually loved this well-made blanco,” mentioned one other panel member.
Santanera Tahona Blanco
Scoring the very best by way of aroma, taste, and end alone (however dinged for worth at round $110 a bottle) was Santanera Natural Tahona Blanco with 85.46 factors. Made at an aficionado accepted distillery, Cascahuín (NOM 1123), in El Arenal, this blanco was praised for its nice spice, candy agave, and vegetal notes, together with its oily mouthfeel and heat end.
Because the title would recommend, this tequila is made utilizing the normal tahona wheel, one of many extraction strategies obtainable at Cascahuín. Additionally it is fermented in cement tanks with agave fibers included, and is bottled at 41% abv.
The excessive pricetag on this one actually introduced down their total ranking. However if you take a look at simply the standard of the tequila itself, it scored probably the most factors within the lineup. That is one other instance of the varieties of wonderful additive-free merchandise coming from this family-owned distillery.
LALO Tequila Blanco
Subsequent up was LALO Blanco with 85.17 factors. Scoring simply 3.54 factors decrease than top-rated Volcán, tasters discovered a “refined however mild nostril” of creamy cooked agave, cinnamon, fruit, and brine with an extended end.
“That is an on a regular basis sipper for me,” commented one taster. “(It’s a) easy blanco, top quality, and has every thing I like.”
It’s value noting that the LALO blanco obtainable on the time of the tasting was from their former distillery, “El Nacimiento.” They not too long ago switched to a brand new distillery with a sequence of recent copper pot stills. Some tasters thought the unique blanco was a bit tender, however the newest model has a bolder profile so we’re curious to see how they’ll charge the brand new batches.
(Sure, we tried the brand new stuff on the distillery, each direct from the nonetheless and the ultimate bottled model and our private opinion is that it’s higher than the earlier batches. You gained’t be capable to establish the brand new batches by NOM quantity as a result of they saved the identical quantity, so search for the date printed on the facet of the bottle. Whether it is on or earlier than 17/05/22, then it’s from the brand new distillery.)
Insolito Blanco
Talking of a extra delicate profile, tasters loved Insólito, however thought that the Tequila Valley model was a bit muted, though it nonetheless had a pleasant aroma of toasted nuts, cooked agave and natural notes with a lightweight sweetness and creamy mouth really feel. They gave it a mean rating of 84.58.
“(I) by no means had Insólito earlier than, and it occurred to be my #1 out of the group,” one taster mentioned.
It’s made on the similar distillery that makes Tierra-Noble tequila, on the outskirts of the city of Mazamitla, Jalisco, at an elevation of seven,200 ft above sea degree. And, it’s distilled solely in chrome steel pot stills.
Subsequent up was Siete Leguas Blanco, with 84.17 factors. We put this within the lineup as a result of it’s an old-school favourite and we needed to see how the newer merchandise would fare in opposition to this traditional profile. We had been admittedly a bit shocked to see it are available as quantity seven, and so had been a number of the tasters who hold Siete Leguas on their dwelling bars.
Siete Leguas Blanco
“I’m shocked I rated (Siete Leguas) in the midst of the pack, as an alternative of on the very high,” mentioned one taster.
One other added, “Essentially the most stunning a part of the entire blind style take a look at had been the outcomes and feedback I gave to Siete Leguas Blanco. Prior to now I’ve very a lot loved all of the Siete Leguas expressions, particularly the Blanco, so it was laborious to wrap my head round my scores, maybe variations within the batches? Variations in my palate?”
(Observe: Each are fairly potential. And typically temper and what else you’re consuming and ingesting have an effect on your perceptions. Blind tasting could be tough! That’s why it’s a good suggestion to revisit samples a number of occasions.)
However total, the panel members loved Siete Leguas’ natural, citrus, black pepper, and wealthy cooked agave nostril and flavors, however some thought the mouthfeel was rather less oily than others. However as one taster put it, this product has “Agave, agave, agave”!
Arette Artesenal Suave
Rounding out the flight had been Arette Artesanal Blanco Suave, with 81.88 factors, and Atanasio Blanco with 78.83.
Tasters praised Arette’s earthy and vegetal nostril, minerality, and silky mouthfeel. “(I) actually take pleasure in how balanced and clear this one was on the palate/end,” one taster commented.
When it got here to Atanasio, its distinct lactic nostril break up the group. Some referred to as it “tacky” or “bitter” whereas others “liked the funk!”
Though we’ve had much less lactic variations of this product earlier than, the truth that the newest bottling is totally different simply goes to point out that tequila is a pure product and authenticity beats consistency.
Atanasio Tequila Blanco
In abstract, this blind tasting demonstrated that there’s a lot of selection and high quality within the tequila market proper now. The ten blancos had been separated by lower than 10 factors, with every highlighting its personal distinct profile.
Right here’s a helpful chart, in case you need to take check out the underlying information.
The chart above consists of the entire outcomes for the lineup. Every tequila obtained 2 averages: “All Factors” consists of the scores for “worth”, “advocate”, and “purchase/drink once more”; and “Aroma/Taste/End Solely” omits these factors to offer us a relative rating for what the panel members considered the standard of the tequila alone.
Not all tequilas style the identical! There was nice selection on this lineup, and it goes to point out that you just don’t want to make use of components to create a distinct taste profile.
What number of of those blancos have you ever tried? Tell us!
To take part in blind tastings like this, be a part of the Tequila Matchmaker Tasting panel.
