Review: Paladar Tequila Blanco
Paladar Tequila Blanco is crafted by fifth generation Master Distiller Eduardo Orendain Jr. The Orendain Family is one of the last independent founding families of tequila. They have been producing tequila on their own family farm since 1900. In 1978 they rebuilt their distillery, El Llano. This is where Paladar is produced. In 1986 Eduardo’s father and uncle launched the Arette tequila brand. One of Eduardo’s earliest memories is walking the agave fields as an 8 year old with his father Eduardo Sr. Paladar is made from 100% estate grown agave, grown in the Lowland region. The hand selected and trimmed agave is slow cooked for 48 hours at 212 degrees in brick ovens. Once cooled the agave is shredded and pressed through a roller mill. The extracted juice is fermented for 120 hours in open air pine vats with wild and proprietary yeast. The spirit is double distilled in Alambique copper and stainless steel stills. Each bottle, made from 100% recycled material is hand dipped in the volcanic soil of their agave fields. The bottles neck is wrapped in locally sourced string. Once filled the bottle is topped with a real cork. Paladar is designed and crafted to stand out from the other tequilas on the market today. They scored on their bottle design. Let’s see if the same can be said about their flavor profile. Read more 
Review: El Tequileno Platinum
El Tequileno is one of 8 brands of tequila made at it’s own distillery. El Tequileno was founded in 1959 by Jorge Salles Cuervo and named to honor of the people of Tequila Mexico. Don Jorge Salles Cuervo pioneered the use of steam pressure autoclaves in 1959. El Tequileno is made with 100% estate grown agave from the Highland region, and pure volcanic spring water. The agave is steam cooked in an autoclave for 36-40 hours. Once cooled the agave is shredded and milled to extract the juice. The juice is open air fermented with yeast influenced by the 150 year old mango trees near the distillery. The spirit is double distilled in copper pot stills and mellowed for a minimum 14 days in American oak barrels for a minimum 14 days before bottling. Read more
Review: Naked Diablo Tequila Blanco
Naked Diablo Tequila Blanco joins a growing list of celebrity owned tequila brands as NFL future HOF quarterback Drew Brees headlines a group of investors who worked with Destiladora del Valle de Tequila to create the Naked Diablo brand. This distillery currently produces tequila for 167 different tequila brands including Cincoro, Hussongs, Siempre, Nosotros, and Los Azulejos. Naked Diablo is a tequila we have been chasing for months, and at last we caught a bottle. Naked Diablo is made from 100% Blue Weber agave grown in both the Highland and Lowland region and natural volcanic spring water. 50% of the agave is slow steam roasted in centuries old traditional thick stone walled ovens for 36-54 hours. The other 50% is cooked in autoclaves. Once cooled the agave is placed in shredding machines to release the juice. The extracted juice is fermented with natural occurring yeast in a 30,000 liter fermentation tank for 48-60 hours. The spirit is double distilled in pot stills and bottled on site. Read more
Review: El Luchador Tequila Blanco
El Luchador Tequila was inspired by the masked wrestlers of Mexico. After Co-Founding Casa Noble, and Founding Tequila 123, David Ravandi launched El Luchador at the same 1480 distillery as Tequila 123. He also creates Mezcal Craneo. David relaunched El Luchador earlier this year with a Blanco, Reposado, and 110 Proof Blanco expression. He has since released El Luchador Anejo. The new El Luchador is made at NOM 1517 with 100% Weber Blue agave, estate grown at 6500 feet above sea level in the Highland Region. The previous El Luchador was actually a Lowland tequila grown at 4200 feet. In fact Casa Noble and Tequila 123, are also made with agave grown in the Lowland Region. El Luchador is slow fermented with native yeast and open air fermented. Once distilled it is bottled in hand blown glass bottles made from recycled glass. Read more
Review: Cuidado Tequila Blanco
Cuidado Tequila Blanco is one of a dozen spirits produced by Mile High Spirits. Mile High partnered with Casa Maestri in creating Cuidado Tequila Blanco. Casa Maestri currently produces tequila for 167 different brands of tequila including 21 Seeds, Agavales, Cincoro, El Hefe, El Padrino, Hussong, Nosotros, Siempre, and Sparkle Donkey. Cuidado is made from 100% Blue Weber agave in Jalisco Mexico. It is double distilled and delivered to Denver at 110 proof where is cut with filtered Rocky Mountain water, and bottled at 80 proof in downtown Denver at the Mile High Spirits distillery. Read more
Review: Compoveda Tequila Blanco
Compoveda Tequila is the Private Label brand of online tequila retailer Sip Tequila. Sip Tequila was launched by Chris Barbin, Keith Antoon, and Lori Csaszak January 2018. They also partnered with Master Distiller Alberto Partida to created Compoveda Tequila Extra Anejo at Tequilera Puerta de Hierro. The Compoveda Family of tequilas now include a Rosa, Reposado, and Blanco expression. Compoveda Blanco is crafted by Master Distiller Sergio Cruz at Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados in Arandas Los Altos Jalisco. It is made from 100% blue weber agave grown in the Los Altos region, double distilled in copper stills, and oxygenated prior to bottling. Priced at $65 Compoveda Blanco is an Ultra-Premium tequila sold primarily online at siptequila.com Recently they have expanded distribution to brick and mortar stores and we have seen Compoveda on store shelves in the Chicago market at select Binny’s Beverage Depot, and Woodman’s locations. A portion of all proceeds supports Isla Urban, dedicated to water sustainability in Mexico communities through rainwater harvesting. Read more
Review: Patsch Tequila Blanco
Patsch Tequila Blanco was launched in the US July 2021 by Martin Schapira and Steven Davis. After a decade long search for a tequila that was equal parts quality and flavor the two friends spend months visiting distillers until they arrived at Tequila Las Americas and fell in love with what has become Patsch Tequila. This additive free distillery crafts some of our highest ranked tequilas including Hermosa, IXA, Don Abraham, 123 Organic, and El Sativo. Patsch is German for “smacked in all the right ways”. It is crafted from 100% organic blue weber agave grown for 7 years in the valley of Jalisco. Once trimmed and cut in half the pinas are brick oven roasted for 24 hours. The agave then cools for 12 hours with the oven doors open. The juice is extracted using mechanical roller mills and then fermented naturally without any yeast for 72 hours. After a double distillation the tequila is hand bottled in a unique hand blown glass bottle with a glass knuckle handle and spiked cap. Read more
Review: Flecha Azul Tequila Reposado
Flecha Azul Tequila was founded by longtime friends Aron Marquez, CEO of Wildcat Oil Tools, and Abraham Ancer, the #1 ranked golfer in Mexico. Mark Wahlberg became the principal investor in 2021. Flecha Azul Reposado is made from 100% Blue Weber Agave grown for 8 years and hand selected . Once trimmed the pinas are slow cooked in traditional masonry ovens. Once cooled the juice is extracted and fermented for 72 hours in an open air steel tank and then double distilled. The tequila rests in steel tanks for 60 days prior to aging in ex-bourbon American oak barrels for 6 months prior to bottling. Read more
Review: Volans Blanco Tequila
Volans Tequila is truly a family brand of tequila. It was founded by Lonnie Allen her son Chad and his wife Cristina. The rest of the family business includes Three Rivers Ranch, a fly fishing ranch, and Three Rivers Ranch Outfitters, both based in Idaho. Cristina grew up in Mexico and her father Miguel is an agronomist who raised agaves, avocadoes, and blueberries in Jalisco and Michoacan. Once the family decided to craft a tequila Miguel found a field in the Los Altos Region and planted agave. After visiting 90 distilleries they partnered with El Pandillo and Master Distiller Felipe Camarena to craft their brand. The Volans name comes from a constellation in the southern sky. Volans represents a tropical fish that can jump out of the water and glide through the air on wings. Volans is crafted from 100% Blue Weber agave grown on the Camarena estate, and a blend of spring, rain, and deep well water. Once trimmed the agave is steam cleaned for 3 hours and then cooked in a dual steam powered stone oven designed with steam jets on the bottom and top to roast the agaves evenly. The pinas then rest for 24-36 hours before they are shredded and crushed with a 19,000 mechanical tahona. The extracted juice is fermented with natural yeast and double distilled in copper pot stills. The spirit is oxygenated prior to bottling. Volans is certified additive free. Read more
Review: 21 Seeds Cucumber Jalapeno Tequila
21 Seeds Cucumber Jalapeno Tequila was launched in 2019 along with 21 Seeds Valencia Orange, and 21 Seeds Grapefruit Hibiscus Tequila. 21 Seeds was created by 2 sisters, Kat Hantas and Nicole Emanuel, and their friend Sarika Singh. The 100% agave base is distilled at the female owned and operated Casa Maestri. The tequila base is infused with the juice of real fruits. A custom built refrigeration system was built at the distillery to ensure all ingredients maintain their optimal freshness prior to infusion. The 21 Seeds brand was acquired by Diageo March 2022. Read more