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. The nose leads with pine, vanilla, and herbal agave. Additional time brings out salted caramel, lime, and peppery notes. The sweet agave and citrus entry is joined by vanilla building to a creamy vanilla, lemon, lime, agave peak. It fades with salted caramel, and pine. The finish is warm, semi-dry, and peppery with mineral, saline, wood, lemon peel, earthy agave, and lime.
NOM: 1109
Lowland Region
40% Alcohol
Score: 90
Award: Silver Medal