Review: ArteNom Seleccion de 1579 Blanco Tequila
ArteNom Seleccion de 1579 Blanco Tequila is crafted by Felipe Camarena at Destilera El Pandillo 6788 feet above sea level in the town of Jesus Maria Jalisco Mexico. This distillery produces a limited number of tequilas including G4, Primo 1861, Terralta, Volans, and Don Vicente. Jacob Lustig launched the ArteNom brand in 2010. Jake had worked for 11 years at Southern Wine and Spirits as their in-house expert on agave spirits. He worked closely with over 40 distilleries and over time he discovered his favorite blanco, reposado, and anejo tequilas were made by different distilleries. The ArteNom brand also includes ArteNom 1123, a Blanco rested 28 days in a barrel that previously aged Don Amado Mezcal, ArteNom 1414 Reposado, and ArteNom1146 Anejo. ArteNom 1579 is made with 100% agave grown in the Los Altos region with a brix count of 28, 50% rain water, and 50% mineral rich deep well water. The trimmed pinas are halved and quartered then steam roasted in a brick kiln oven for 30 hours including a 6 hour pre roast to melt off bitters, and a 6 hour cool down. The pinas are macerated intact with their fibers by a mechanical tahona to extract the juice. The spirit is double distilled in copper pot stills followed by a 24 hour oxygenation process before it is bottled. Read more 
Review: Rooster Rojo Tequila Blanco
Rooster Rojo Tequila Blanco was created by Master Distiller Arturo Fuentes Cortes at Fabrica de Tequilas Finos. This distillery produces tequila for 19 brands including Cenote, Kah, Villa One, Tonola, and Thunderstruck. Rooster Rojo was launched by Amber Beverage Group in Europe in 2017 and in the US January 2021. It is made from 100% Blue Weber agave from the Los Altos de Jalisco region. The trimmed agave is cut in half and quarters and steam cooked in a high pressure autoclave for 10 hours. The extracted juice is fermented with a proprietary yeast for 72 hours and double distilled in a stainless steel pot still. The spirit is reduced to proof with water filtered through Mexican Silver. Rooster Rojo is also available in a Reposado, Anejo, and Smoked Pineapple expression. Read more
Review: Tequila Cabal Blanco
Tequila Cabal Blanco is crafted from organic agave grown for 6-7 years at Campo Cabal in Los Valles of Amatitan. Agave has been grown and tequila crafted at the family owned Campo Cabal for over 100 years. The practice of crop rotation is utilized to maintain the nutrients harvest after harvest. The agave is slow cooked for 42 hours in a 32 ton mason oven built in 1911. Once extracted the juice is fermented for 72 hours with natural yeast. The spirit is distilled over 5 tanks and twice distilled. Read more
Review: Nueveuno Tequila Blanco
Nueveuno Tequila Blanco is traditionally crafted with select organic agave from the Amatitan Valley Jalisco, by Master Distiller Nohemi Partida at Agaveros Unidos De Amatitan. Nueveuno was created as an homage to the family’s head, their late grandfather who instilled his love of growing agave and making tequila the historical way to the entire family. Agaveros Unidos De Amatitan is a small distillery that only produces 5 tequila brands. Azunia is probably the best known. Cabo Wabo was previously produced here. The agave is slow cooked in brick ovens, fermented in open air stainless steel tanks and double distilled in stainless pot stills. Read more
Review: Acre Largo Tequila Blanco
Acre Largo Tequila Blanco was launched in 2022 by Portland Oregon natives Seth and Zac Longaker. The brothers attended college in San Diego and fell in love with Mexico. After college they opened Odd Ball Shoes in Portland 1997 selling shoes size 14 and over. The pair both over 6 foot 6 found it hard to find shoes to fit their feet. On a visit to source leather dress shoes in Mexico they came up with the idea to launch their own tequila brand. After several trips to Mexico visiting distilleries, agave farms, and estates they connected with the Lopez sisters and their mother at Destileria Hacienda La Esperanza. This 5th generation family owned distillery just outside Jesus Maria Mexico currently produces tequila for 7 brands including Herencia Mexicana, and U4RIK. Acre Largo in Spanish translates to Long Acre, in case you were wondering how the Longaker brothers came up with their tequila’s name. Acre Largo is made from agave sourced from the distilleries 3000 acre estate and natural spring water. The spirit is open air fermented and double distilled in stainless steel stills. The tequila rests in stainless steel tanks before bottling. Read more
Review: Los Arango Tequila Blanco
Los Arango Tequila Blanco was originally crafted and gifted by an agave field worker to Pancho Villa after he helped defeat the ruling class in the Mexican Revolution. Pancho was so impressed with the quality of the tequila he asked the Master Distiller to put his family name on the bottle. Pancho Villa was born Jose Doroteo Arango. Infinium Spirits revived the brand in 2018. It is one of three tequilas crafted at Tequilera Corralejo. Corralejo and Quinta Penas are the other two. Los Arango is made from 100% blue weber agave harvested after 8-10 years of growth in Guanajuato Mexico. The trimmed pinas are slow cooked for 38 hours in adobe clay ovens followed by a 12 hour rest. The juice is fermented with a specifically formulated yeast developed in house. The spirit is double distilled in a Charentais still before hand bottling in a hand blown bottle. Read more
Review: Gonzalez 1939 Tequila Blanco
Gonzalez 1939 Tequila Blanco is named in honor of Ramona and Francisco Gonzalez who married in 1939 and raised 12 children who worked beside them on their agave farm. Soon a tequila company was born. Today their children and grand children continue the tradition. Gonzalez 1939 is one of four tequila brands produced at Altos Cienega Unidos. 3 Amigos is another and both are sold primarily at Total Wine and More. Gonzalez 1939 is made with agave hand planted and hand picked at the peak of ripeness in the dry season for maximum sweetness. The trimmed pinas are brick oven cooked for 24 hours and the extracted juice is fermented with organic yeast in stainless steel tanks. The spirit is distilled at low temperature in stainless pot stills. Read more
Review: Lo Siento Tequila Blanco
Lo Siento Tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave grown and distilled at the family owned and operated Destileria La Experiencia. Some tequila distilleries produce over 100 different brands. Only three brands are made here. Lo Siento translates to I’m Sorry. Lo Siento was founded by Ryan Tierney with initial distribution in Los Angeles. Lo Siento is now available in the Nashville Tennessee market. Lo Siento is the official tequila at Geodis Park, the largest soccer specific stadium in the US and home to Nashville Soccer Club of the MLS. For those living outside of LA and Nashville Lo Siento is available for sale online direct from Lo Siento, I picked mine up at http://lovescotch.com Read more
Review: PM Spirits Tequila Blanco
PM Spirits Tequila Blanco is distilled by Master Distiller Juan Antonio Gonzalez from Grupo Tequilero who worked with Jose Luis Gutierrez in crafting the tequila. PM Spirits describes themselves as an uber small operation importing and distributing geeky spirits in the US. Their current portfolio includes cognac, armagnac, calvados, mezcal, brandy, sherry, bourbon, gin, and rhum. In my eyes their most famous brand is Frapin Cognac. PM Spirits Tequila is made from 100% estate grown blue weber agave grown for an average 6 years with a brix count of 35. The agave is slow cooked for 40 hours in a single oven. Once extracted the juice is fermented with a proprietary yeast and double distilled in a 3500 liter copper pot still. The first distillation lasts for 8 hours and the second 16 hours. Once complete the 110 proof spirits is reduced to 80 proof using demineralized water. The tequila rests for 15 days in bourbon casks prior to bottling. Read more
Review: Laud Tequila Blanco
Laud Tequila Blanco was just released. How new is it? The bottle I am reviewing is bottle 253 from Batch 1. The ethos of the brand lies in the spirit of the Laud Turtle, most commonly known as The Leatherback. The Leatherback is the largest species of sea turtle in the world. Laud was created by Rocco Brignone, Grandson of Gian Franco Brignone, a former banker who in 1968 settled in Costa Careyes Mexico. Laud is crafted at one of my personal favorite distilleries, Tequilas Las Americas. This distillery also produces the 123 Organic, Hermosa, Patsch, El Sativo, and IXA tequila brands. Laud is made from 100% organic blue weber agave grown and harvested on a single estate in the valley of Jalisco. 7% of the profits from sales go to the Careyes Foundation to continue to help preserve and give a safe nest to the Laud Turtle. Laud is currently available at siptequila.com Read more