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: Cazcanes No. 7 Blanco Tequila
Cazcanes No. 7 Blanco Tequila was recently added to the Cazcanes portfolio of tequila expressions joining Cazcanes No. 9 Blanco, No. 7 Reposado, and No. 7 Anejo. Cazcanes is named for the last indigenous people of Mexico to be conquered by the Spaniards. Cazcanes is crafted by Master Distiller Collin Edwards, a winemaker with a love for tequila. The recipe is based on a 300 year old indigenous recipe found in a moonshine jungle still. Cazcanes is made from hand selected Weber blue Lowland agave grown in volcanic tufa soil at 4000-6000 feet, and underground volcanic mountain spring water sourced from Navichi Springs. The spirit is fermented with natural wild yeast in stainless steel vats and distilled in alembic stills. Read more
Review: Tequila Gran Diamante Plata
Tequila Gran Diamante Plata was launched in 2016 by three business partners Charles Harris, Rafi Hannouche, and David Ayala. The brand received a boast in April 2022 when NBA Allstar James Harden invested in the brand. Tequila Gran Diamante is made from 100% estate grown agave grown in the red rich volcanic soil of Los Altos de Jalisco and artesian well water. The trimmed agave is baked in vertical autoclave ovens at medium high pressure for 14 hours. Once cooled the juice is extracted via a 4-mil press and fermented in a 23,000 liter open stainless steel vat screened to keep debris from blowing in for 4 days. The spirit is double distilled. After resting for 23-25 days in stainless steel vats, Tequila Gran Diamante Plata is bottled. Read more
Review: Aha Yeto Blanco Tequila
Aha Yeto Blanco Tequila is currently produced at NOM 1548. It was originally crafted at the now closed NOM 1079. We are reviewing the currently produced Aha Yeto Blanco. In the 1890’s Don Pedro Camarena planted the first baby agave plants in the red soil of Los Altos de Jalisco. Eight years later he established the first tequila distillery in Los Altos de Jalisco. 120 years later his direct ancestors are producing Aha Yeto Tequila. The first thing that stands out is the beautiful blue hand blown glass bottle. This will look great on the back of your bar. Liquor stores may not share that opinion as each bottle takes up a lot of shelf space. Aha Yeto is made from 100% Blue Agave grown in the red soil of Los Altos. The trimmed agave is cut in half and slow cooked in brick ovens. Once extracted the juice is fermented in steel vats and double distilled prior to bottling with no additives. Read more
Review: Celaya Tequila Blanco
Celaya Tequila was founded by brothers and former NFL Pro Bowl tackles Ryan and Matt Kalil. The brothers were inspired by years of stories told to them about their Great Grandfather Jose Celaya. Jose was born in 1855 and he cultivated his own agave and crafted his own homemade tequila in Sonora Mexico. The brothers partnered with Destiladora del Valle de Tequila to create their tequila. It is made from a 50/50 blend of highland and lowland grown agave. The agave is split into equal portions and cooked using two distinct processes. The first batch in an autoclave. The second in traditional hornos for up to 54 hours. The extracted juice is fermented with naturally occurring yeast for up to 60 hours then double distilled. Each of the three Celaya expressions is sold in beautifully designed blown glass bottles. Read more
Review: Curamia Tequila Blanco
Curamia Tequila Blanco was launched in the US October 1 2021. The brand was created by Dafna Mizrahi, an accomplished chef originally from Jalisco. Curamia is not only 100% female owned but it is distilled at Distileria Leyros where 95% of the workers are also female. This distillery crafts several tequila brands including Casa Dragones, Republic, Casazul, and Dahlia. Curamia is made from 100% agave grown in Los Valles, and water sourced from underground natural aquifers 70 meters beneath the earth surface. Once cooked and cooled the extracted juice is fermented with and without agave fibers in a stainless steel tank. It is double distilled and hand bottled at the distillery with no additives. Read more
Review: Tequila Primo 1861 Blanco
Tequila Primo 1861 is a tribute to Pedro Camarena Ramirez by Felipe Camarena. The Camarena family co-founded the town of Arandas in 1761. They were the first to plant blue agave in the region. One hundred years later Pedro was born in 1861. He founded the first tequila tavern in the region and his son co-founded Destileria el Gallito where Tequila Cazadores was produced. Felipe Camarena build El Pandillo in 2011. Tequila Primo 1861 is made from 100% blue agave grown in the Los Altos Region of Jalisco. The agave is cooked with spring water steam ovens designed by Felipe Camarena to distribute the steam evenly during the first 3 hours. The agave are steam cleaned and the bitter honeys are released. The agave is then slow cooked for 24 hours and left in the oven to cool for an additional 24-36 hours. The cooked agave is finely ground and crushed by a 8.5 ton mechanical tahona. The agave juice is fermented for seven days in both wooden and stainless steel tanks. After a double distillation Tequila Primo 1861 Blanco is bottled at a slightly higher than average, 86 proof. El Pandillo crafts several tequila brands including Artenom Seleccion de 1579, G4, Volans, and Terralta. They craft tequila from three water sources rain, spring, and deep well. Tequila Primo 1861 is the only tequila produced at El Pandillo made with 100% spring water. Read more
Review: Casa Rica Tequila Blanco
Casa Rica Tequila Blanco was founded by former restauranteur Justin Urich and Gilberto Lunatajoya. They spent four years developing the Casa Rica brand which also includes Casa Rica Reposado, and Casa Rica Rosado. Rosado is the first rose colored tequila made from juicy agave that has been ripened pink. The other rose colored tequilas on the market today gain their pink color aging in former wine barrels. Each expression of Casa Rica is distilled by Zandra Gomez Santiago at Destiladora de Agave Azul. Zandra is one of only a few female tequila distillers. Casa Rica is made with estate grown 100% agave azul. It is double distilled and triple filtered. Read more
Review: Yave Tequila Blanco
Yave Tequila Blanco is crafted from 100% agave grown in both the Highland and Lowland region, a proprietary yeast, and water naturally filtered through thousands of feet of porous lava rock. Joe Cruz Jr. a New York native with over 25 years in the beverage alcohol industry building spirit brands for others decided to create and build his own brand. He partnered with Destiladora del Valle de Tequila to craft Yave tequila. This distillery currently produces 163 brands of tequila including Cincoro, Hussongs, Nosotros, Los Azulejos, and Siempre. In addition to a blanco expression they produce Yave Reposado, and several flavored tequilas including Yave Mango, Yave Jalapeno, and Yave Coconut. Read more
Review: Zarpado Tequila Blanco
Zarpado Tequila Blanco is crafted from 100% blue agave grown in the mineral rich soils of Los Valles of Jalisco. Zarpado is one of several wine and spirit brands owned by Latitude Beverage. Steel Dust Vodka, Wheel Horse Whiskey, and Copper & Cask Whiskey are a few of the other brands. Zarpado is produced at Cavas de Don Max, a Becherano family owned distillery in Las Pintas Jalisco. Unlike some tequila distilleries that produce dozens of tequila brands Zarpado is one of three brands made there. The others include Cantera Negra, and Mano a Mano. The hand selected agave is slow cooked, fermented in a steel tank, and small batch double distilled in Alembic stills. Read more