Review: Playa Real Silver Tequila
Playa Real Silver Tequila was released May 2018 along with Playa Real Pineapple, and Playa Real Mandarin. Playa Real doesn’t quite qualify as a celebrity owned tequila brand, it was launched by Matt Davis and Auturo Vargas. I say not quite because Matt is the husband of Fashion Designer, and Jewelry Store Owner Kendra Scott. Matt and Auturo worked together at Heineken for ten years before creating the brand. Playa Real is produced at La Cofradia. This is one of the most prolific distilleries. They currently produce nearly 70 tequila brands including Casa Noble, 512, Ja Ja, Tequila Mi Campo, and Astral Tequila. Playa Real is handcrafted using a precise triple distillation process. Read more 
Review: Prospero Blanco Tequila
Prospero Blanco Tequila was launched April 2019. It was developed by Master Distiller Stella Anguiano for Conecuh Brands and is made at Don Roberto Distillery. Stella has been crafting tequila for over 30 years. The Conecuh Brands portfolio also includes Clyde Mays American Whiskey and McConnell’s Irish Whiskey. The distillery produces several other tequilas including Bribon, Don Roberto, and Chavo Malo. International Pop Star and actress, Rita Ora is Part Owner, and Chief Creative Partner. Prospero is made from 100% Blue Agave grown in the Lowlands of Jalisco. Read more
Review: Padre Azul Silver Tequila
Padre Azul Silver Tequila was launched in Europe in 2016 and was later released in the US February 2017. The story begins in Heidelberg Germany where HP Elder from Austria met and fell in love with Adriana Alvarez Maxemin from Guadalajara Mexico. They soon married and with the help of his Father in law, HP Elder set out to create the finest tequila. Their quest led them to a small distillery in Amatitan. Padre Azul Silver is made from 100% Weber Blue Agave grown for 8-10 years in the valleys of the Lowland Region by Master Distiller Erika Sangeado. The extra growing period produces more sugars for fermentation. The agave are slow cooked in traditional masonry ovens that steam the pinas for 24 to 48 hours. The pinas rest and cool for 24 hours before the juice is extracted. Only natural occurring yeasts are used for fermentation which takes between 72 and 96 hours in stainless steel tanks. A double distillation at low temperatures so as not to burn off the sugars follows. The hand blown bottles are topped with a 270 gram solid metal skull paying homage to Dia de los Muertos and eternal friendship. The leather jacket with lacing is a tribute to the Mexican Lucha Libre wrestling mask and is a tribute to El Santo, the most famous Luchador in Mexico. Read more
Review: Number Juan Blanco Tequila
Number Juan Blanco is another celebrity owned tequila. Ron White, aka Tater Salad, one of the stars of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, and Alex Reymundo, a member of the Latin Kings of Comedy, are lead owners of this brand. They also produce a Reposado and Extra Anejo expression. Ron and Alex have known each other for over 30 years. Their first encounter came after Ron White’s first stand up gig when Alex, then a bartender, served Ron a beer and a shot at a bar in Texas after the show. They have been friends ever since. Ron even married Alex’s sister. Years later Alex gave Ron a bottle of Regalo de Dios Tequila, which translates to Gift of God. Ron thought it was the best tequila he had ever tasted. It was produced by the Rivera family who had been making tequila for three generations spanning almost 100 years. The tequila was not sold outside of Mexico. It took several years for Alex and Ron to convince the family to partner with them to launch this tequila under the Number Juan label in the US. Number Juan is made from 100% blue weber agave grown for a minimum of 7 years in the Lowland region of Amatitan Jalisco. The tequila is double distilled and reduced to 80 proof with natural spring water from the great volcano tequila, and sold in a beautifully design pina shaped bottle. Read more
Review: Senor Rio Blanco Tequila
Senor Rio Blanco Tequila was launched 10 years ago, on Cinco De Mayo 2009 by Co-Founders Jonathan and Debbie Medina Gach, from a family recipe handed down by Debbie’s father. His image appears on each bottle and glass bottle stopper of Senor Rio Tequila. Senor Rio is made from 100% estate grown blue weber agave grown 8-12 years in the Lowlands of Jalisco. The agave is slow cooked for 36-40 hours under high steam pressure at temperatures of 90-105 degrees. Once cooked the agave stays in the oven with the doors closed for 6-8 hours. After the agave is cooled the juice is extracted using a tearing machine in combination with roller train mills. The juice is fermented with yeast from the honey of agaves extracted during the cooking process in open tanks so the fragrance from the fruit trees surrounding the distillery blends into the tequila. The tequila is double distilled and then rested for 24 hours before bottling at 80 proof. Read more
Review: Siembra Valles Blanco Tequila
Siembra Valles Blanco Tequila was released November 2014. Brand creator David Suro partnered with the Rosales family and their Distileria Cascahuin. This is the first tequila distillery David visited many years ago. Valles is a sub-region of the Lowland Region and each bottle of Siembra Valles Blanco Tequila shows exactly where the agave used to craft each bottle comes from. The bottle I’m reviewing is made from agave sourced from the following estates. 42% Mesa del Charco, 34% El Jaguey, and 24% Mesa del Ocotillo. The pina’s are sliced in half and roasted for 72 hours at a temperature of 90-100 celsius. The agave is shredded four times to ensure as many of the sugars are extracted as possible. The agave juice is fermented with yeast and bagasse. Bagasse is the roasted fibrous remains of the agave after extraction. The first 30.68% is fermented in a mamposteria, a stone structure enclosed by fiberglass. The remaining 69.32% is fermented in stainless steel tanks. After a double distilling the tequila is hand bottled. Read more
Review: Grand Mayan Silver Tequila
Grand Mayan Silver Tequila is made from 100% estate grown Weber Blue agave from the Lowland region, and natural spring water. The spirit is slow distilled three times and bottled in a hand-made ceramic talavera bottle crafted by Mexican artists. Each decanter bakes for 8 hours before it is hand painting and numbered. Grand Mayan is made at Corporativo Destileria Santa Lucia. This distillery has produced tequila for over 70 years and it is where several other tequila brands are crafted. These brands include El Capo, Amate, El Destilador, and Tierra Azteca. Read more
Review: Blue Nectar Silver Tequila
Blue Nectar Silver Tequila was introduced October 2011 in Colorado and Michigan. Since then distribution has expanded. Blue Nectar is the result of a father and son with a shared love for tequila. It started with a birthday ritual of gifting exceptional tequilas, and resulted in the creation of their own brand. Blue Nectar is made from 100% blue agave, estate grown for 8-10 years in the volcanic soils of a 1700 hectares field, adjacent to the distillery, at an elevation of 4139 feet. The pinas are slow cooked and cooled for 24 hours in an autoclave. Once the juice is extracted it is fermented for 3-5 days in stainless steel tanks and then triple distilled. Read more
Review: Azunia Blanco Tequila
Azunia Blanco Tequila was first released as Azunia Platinum Tequila in 2010. Jim Riley a former VP of PR and Events for Kettle One Vodka partnered with the family owned and operated Rancho Miravalle Estate to create Azunia Tequila. Hall of Fame Basketball legend Bill Walton is also an equity partner. In 2013 the brand redesigned their bottle. Gone is the twist off cap in favor of a new more modern looking design that featured textured paper labels, wood caps and hand crafted glass bottles. Some time between then and now the name was changed, the packaging was redesigned again, and Azunia Blanco Tequila is now made from 100% Organic blue agave grown for 8-10 years in the valleys of Jalisco on land owned and maintained by Sergio Zuniga and Family. The agave is hand harvested and split in the field, then taken to the estate owned distillery. The pinas are slow roasted for 36 hours in traditional clay hornos. Once cooled the pinas are crushed in the pressing mills to extract the agave juice. Yeast is produced naturally through a 5-7 day open air fermentation. It is double distilled in small batches in a pot still. Pristine water from a deep artesian well is blended to reduce to 80 proof. A unique filtration follows before it is bottled and hand labeled. Read more
Review: Feria de Jalisco Blanco Tequila
Feria de Jalisco Blanco Tequila is made at Grupo Tequilero Weber Distillery by Hugo Yerenas, son of Luis Yerenas a 40 year career Master distiller for Casa Cuervo’s super premiums including 1800. Feria De Jalisco is made from 100% single estate agave, grown for 7-8 years in the Lowland Region. The pinas are slow baked in a traditional stone oven. Once extracted the agave juice is naturally fermented for 72 hours. A Stainless steel/ Copper Alembic double distillation follows. Read more