Review: 818 Tequila Blanco
After several trips to the La Cofradia Distillery, and dozens of blind taste tests, Kendall Jenner’s nearly four year journey to create the best tasting tequila has resulted in the release of 818 Tequila Blanco. It is currently only available in California. 818 is the area code of the greater San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles including Calabasas California, the home of brand creator Kendall Jenner. 818 is not the first celebrity owned tequila brand, and most certainly will not be the last. 818 is crafted at La Cofradia. This distillery currently produces 67 tequila brands including Casa Noble, Astral, Cazul 100, Senor Rio, Tequila Mi Campo, and Tequila 512. 818 is made from 100% Blue Weber agave, hand picked from farms in the Lowland and Highland Regions of Jalisco. Once hand trimmed the pina’s are roasted in adobe brick ovens for 40 hours. Large stone tahonas are then used to extract and collect the juice by crushing the cooked agave. The juice is fermented for 70 hours and then double distilled in small batches in alembic pot stills. Each batch rests in French oak barrels prior to bottling. 818 is a proud member of 1% for the Planet. For every bottle sold they will donate 1% of revenue to environmental non profit partners to ensure our planet and future generations thrive. Read more 
Review: Hussong’s Silver Tequila
Hussong’s Silver Tequila was recently released. It is one of four tequila expressions crafted at Destiladora del Valle de Tequila. Hussong’s tequila had been produced at several other distilleries in the past. Hussong’s is named for Hussong’s Cantina which opened in 1892 in Ensenada Mexico. They claim to be home of the Original Margarita. Hussong’s Cantina also has a location in Las Vegas. Hussong’s Silver Tequila is made from Highland and Lowland grown agave. Fifty percent of the trimmed agave hearts are slow steam roasted in century old stone walled brick ovens for 45 hours. The second half is cooked in stainless steel autoclaves for 35 hours. The cooled agave is shredded, releasing the juice. The juice enters an oxygenation machine to enhance its smoothness. Natural yeast is added to the agave juice and fermented for 50 hours. After a slow double distillation, the spirit is chill filtered down to -2 degrees for 12 hours, then transferred to a cooling tank to bring it back to room temperature before hand bottling in clay jugs. Read more
Review: El Sativo Blanco Tequila
El Sativo Blanco Tequila is crafted from estate grown organic Non-GMO blue agave grown in the Lowlands of Amititan Jalisco. El Sativo was awarded as the Best Blanco Tequila in 2020 at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The agave is slow steamed for 72 hours in small batch stone ovens. No autoclaves or Diffusers are used. It is fermented with environmentally occurring yeast. A one of a kind proprietary compound focused distillation follows. Pure well water purified and filtered through 135 feet of volcanic rock is blended to reduce to proof. For every bottle sold they give back to the Ocean Conservancy and Clean Water Relief. Read more
Review: Painted Donkey Blanco Tequila
Painted Donkey Blanco Tequila is produced at Destiladora Del Valle De Tequila. They currently produce 135 different brands of tequila at this distillery including 21 Seeds, Aguamiel, Casa Maestri, Chimayo, Cincoro, Contigo, Don Sergio, Hussong’s, Los Azulejos, Los Sundays, and Sparkle Donkey. Painted Donkey is one of several spirit brands owned by Dynasty Spirits Brands. Some of the other brands include Tower Vodka, Greenhouse Gin, and Column 5 Vodka. Read more
Review: Tierra Noble Blanco Tequila
Tierra Noble Blanco Tequila is crafted by Master Distiller Alberto Herrera with 8-10 year old agave from small farms. 20% of the Weber Azul Agave is grown in Los Altos and 80% in the Valley of Tequila. The pinas are slow cooked in steel ovens without pressurization. Once cooled the juice is extracted and fermented for 10 days in a double fermentation process with Montpelier wine yeast. The tequila is small batch double distilled in small stills with high capitals and long necks that create a slow distillation. The distillery, Premium de Jalisco La Estacada is located at 7200 feet in the Sierra del Tigre Mountains. This is the highest mountain distillery in Mexico. Tierra is one of seven tequila brands currently produced at this distillery including Dos Armadillos, Insolito, Pura Vida, Religion, Salt, and Tavi. Read more
Review: Batanga Tequila Blanco
Batanga Tequila Blanco is made from Lowland Region agave, estate grown, primarily in El Cerro de Tepecoste. Batanga is named for a simple drink created in the 1950’s at La CaPilla by Don Javier Delgado. The recipe can be found below. Batanga is distilled at Tequila Orendain de Jalisco. The Orendain Family is one of the four founding families of the tequila industry. Their distillery opened in 1926. Some of the other tequilas crafted at this distillery include Suavecito, Rayador Cutwater, Gran Orendain, and Excellia. Hood River Distillers introduced Batanga Blanco and Batanga Reposado Tequila in the US, September 2019. Read more
Review: Vida de Louie Blanco Tequila
Vida de Louie Blanco Tequila was launched 2018. It is made from a blend of Highland and Lowland grown agave and volcanic spring water. The pinas are slow cooked for 36-48 hours in brick ovens and stainless steel autoclaves. Once cooled the pinas are shredded and the juice is extracted and fermented with a German yeast strain for 72 hours. After a double distillation the tequila is oxygenated for 48 hours prior to bottling. Vida de Louie is produced and bottled by Destiladora del Valle de Tequila. This distillery produces several dozen tequila brands including 21 Seeds, 6 Degree, Aguamiel, Cincoro, Contigo, Los Azulejos, Los Sundays, Sparkle Donkey, and Siempre Tequila. Read more
Review: Hermosa Organic Tequila Silver
Hermosa Organic Tequila Silver is a certified organic, true farm to bottle artisan distilled small batch tequila. Founder Will Elger wanted to create a brand based on the bottle of tequila given to his father using the original 1939 Hermosa Tequila recipe. He selected Tequila Las Americas and Master Distiller Eladio Montes to craft the tequila. This is a third generation family owned distillery and Eladio Montes is a third generation Master Distiller. The organic Tequilana Weber Blue agave is grown on a family owned single estate 5000 feet above sea level. The agave is grown in mineral rich rust colored volcanic soil for 8-12 years, hand selected and hand trimmed based on its brix level. The agave hearts are slow cooked and steamed in traditional stone ovens for 48 hours, and left in the oven to cool for another 24 hours to prevent the natural sugars from caramelizing. Once extracted the juice is open air fermented for 5 days without the use of yeast, as yeast will impact the flavor of the organic agave. Citrus trees surround the distillery and if there is an impact to the final nose and flavor profile of the finished product it is only that, as no artificial or natural additives are used. Once fermented the spirit is small batch double distilled on a Alambique still. Mineral rich water is added to bring to proof. Hermosa Organic Tequila is committed to respecting the environment and sustainability. For every bottle sold they will plant a tree. Silver is currently the only Hermosa Tequila product available, but Hermosa tequila is currently barrel aging and when the time is right both Hermosa Reposado, and Hermosa Anejo will arrive.
Review: Dos Primos Tequila Blanco
Dos Primos Tequila Blanco was recently released. Spanish for two cousins, Dos Primos was dreamed up by cousins Jeff Worn, CEO of Southern Georgia Pecan, and Country Music Superstar Thomas Rhett, while the two enjoyed a ski trip several years ago. Three years in development, Dos Primos is crafted by Master Distiller Rodolpho Gonzalez from a blend of hand harvested 100% Weber Blue agave, estate grown in both Los Altos and the valley area of Jalisco, at Distillery Destiladora Gonzalez Lux. The distillery, located just outside the city of Arandas Mexico is a new distillery build by the Gonzalez and Lux families. The hand selected agave is slow cooked in stainless steel ovens. The freshly cooked agave hearts are shredded and gently pressed to extract the rich agave juice. It is fermented with a family secret heirloom yeast strain and double distilled before bottling onsite. Read more
Review: CasAgave Blanco Tequila
CasAgave Blanco Tequila was released October 2020. It is sold exclusively at Total Wine and More. CasAgave is one of 130 tequila brands currently crafted at Destiladora Del Valle De Tequila. Some of the other brands produced there include 21 Seed, 6 Degree, Aquamiel, Casa Maestri, Chimayo, Cincoro, Contigo, Los Azulejos, Siempre, and Sparkle Donkey. CasAgave is made from 100% Blue Weber agave, estate grown in the Highlands Region on a farm located in San Julian Jalisco. The agave is slow steam roasted in centuries old traditional thick stone walled brick ovens for 36-54 hours. Once cooled the pinas are shredded and the juice is medium slow fermented before being double distilled. Read more