Review: Tequila Carrera Cristalino
Tequila Carrera is the result of 5 generations of Maestros Tequileros. The Camarena family settled in Arandas Jalisco around 1761. Since then the Camarena family have gone on to build several distilleries and countless tequila brands. Tequila Carrera is distilled at Fabrica de Tequila el Eden by father and son Mauricio and Eduardo Camarena. Tequila Carrera Cristalino starts with their Blanco which is made from 100% Blue Weber agave grown in the Highland region of Arandas Jalisco. The trimmed agave is stacked inside a brick oven and cooked with steam for 23 hours followed by 23 hours of rest. The agave is run through a five step station roller mill to extract the juice which is fermented in open air steel tanks for 72 hours. After a double distillation the spirit is barrel aged in virgin toasted, not charred American white oak barrels for up to 5 months. The tequila is filtered to a crystal clear color before bottling. The aroma leads with cooked agave, vanilla, and cherry. Additional time brings out oak, cocoa, and black pepper. The sweet agave entry is joined by toasted oak and citrus building to a citrus and fresh cooked agave peak. It fades with cherry and finishes with toasted oak, cocoa, lemon, cooked agave, mint, and black pepper. Forget Top Ten Cristalino Tequila’s, Carrera Cristalino will be competing for our Number 1 Cristalino tequila in March 2024.
NOM: 1465
Region: Highland
40% Alcohol
Score: 94
Award: Gold Medal