Review: El Ateo Blanco Tequila
Most tequila in the world comes from agave grown in Jalisco. El Ateo is made from 100% family estate agave grown on fields Don Luis Villalobos first planted in 1953, in Romita Guanajuato. Guanajuato is one 5 states agave can grow on to be called tequila. El Ateo was founded by the son and grandson of Don Luis, Luis Angel Villalobos, and Luis Villalobos. It is distilled at the family owned Plantaciones Tequilana in Arandas Jalisco. El Ateo is the single brand this distillery makes. Some distilleries produce tequila for hundreds of different brands. El Ateo is small batch distilled starting with hand selected weber azul agave with a very high 39 brix count. The agave is cooked in stone brick ovens and once cooled, tahona crushed. The extracted juice is fermented in open air stainless tanks and double distilled. The tequila is proofed with deep well water and aerate before bottling. The aroma leads with cinnamon, herbal cooked agave, grapefruit peel, and bell pepper. Additional time brings out earthy agave. The sweet cinnamon and cooked agave entry displays the 39 brix of the Guanajuato grown agave. Herbal notes arrive building to a sweet citrus peak. It fades with vanilla and buttery roasted agave and finishes with mineral, saline, citrus, anise, and white pepper.
NOM: 1635
Agave Region: Guanajuato
40% Alcohol
Score: 89
Award: Silver Medal