Tapatio Blanco Tequila, 50 cl

Product Information

The El Tesoro line of tequilas is a personal favorite of mine. They grow their agave in the highlands region of Jalisco in a high altitude with mineral-rich soil. Their blanco is particularly peppery with really pleasant fresh grassy notes. It’s great on its own or makes a surprisingly complex Margarita.” —Bryan Schneider, bar director, Quality Branded, NYC As a MASSIVE tequila fan, I thought I would give this one a go - I had heard that it was great value but, as far as tasting notes went, all I could seem to find on the internet were Speciality Brands' own notes (runner bean nose, peppery palate, white chocolate, blah blah blah), followed by the suggestion (again penned by Speciality Brands) that if I didn't like this tequila, I may as well give up drinking tequila, since Tapatio Blanco is the ESSENCE of what a blanco should be...

Tequila Ocho Plata: It’s an estate-grown tequila with prominent agave flavor and citrus notes that do not overpower other ingredients.” —Eric Lambright, lead bartender, Sorry Charlie’s, Savannah, Ga. Después de la destilación, Tapatio Blanco reposa en tanques de acero inoxidable durante aproximadamente cuatro semanas antes de ser embotellado. Spain lifted the ban for good in 1792, and in 1795 gave a license for the production of tequila to Jose María Guadalupe de Cuervo, maker of what is now the world’s best-selling tequila, Jose Cuervo.Después del conflicto, Don Felipe comenzó a cultivar y vender agave a otros destiladores de Jalisco. En 1937, luego de ahorrar con cuidado y vivir frugalmente durante muchos años, Don Felipe compró una parcela de propiedad en las montañas de Arandas en Jalisco, y abrió las puertas de la Destilería La Alteña.

Producers continued making mezcal with Mexico’s many agave species, but it became clear that one particular plant delivered the best spirits. In 1902, Alsace-born botanist Frédéric Albert Constantin Weber classified this species as Agave tequilana Weber azul, or Weber blue agave. The blue agave plant can reach eight feet in height and matures at around six years old. Sugars collect in the core of the plant, the piña. Producers chop up the piñas and cook them in large ovens, then press the juices from the cooked pieces and ferment them with yeast. Brand new to the US market, Tapatio has a large following amongst tequila lovers. I'd never had any of the juice sold in Mexico, so I was very much looking forward to trying this one.

Tequila may be bottled without maturation or aged in oak barrels. The length of aging determines how it is labeled: Colorless blanco or silver tequila is aged fewer than two months in oak; reposado between two and 12 months; añejo for more than one year. Extra añejo is a category added in 2006 that includes tequila aged at least three years in oak vats under 600 liters. Generally, the longer tequila ages in oak, the smoother and more full-bodied it becomes. Here, I’m not just sharing opinions; I’m weaving tales from the rich tapestry of my experiences over these three decades. Tapatio has been made at the distillery since 1937 and is the pride of the family. To give this tequila 1 star out of 5 is simply ignorant if you like Ocho so much. Ocho & Tapatio Blanco are two of my favourite tequilas, they are very close cousins. If you love one, you will enjoy the other. Durante la Revolución Mexicana, la familia de Camarena se vio obligada a abandonar su rancho, que finalmente fue destruido. I would choose PATRÓN Silver from Jalisco, Mexico, and use it in a classic Margarita. I look for a tequila made with 100 percent Blue Agave, and that’s the case with PATRÓN Silver; it’s crystal clear, light, fresh, and smooth.” —Alex Serena, bar manager, Teleferic Barcelona, Palo Alto, Calif.