Hard Drinkers, Lets Drink Hard (Spirits, Liquors and Cocktails)
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thanks @Jett129
Here was the final lineup. They had bottles that fleshed things out such that we had two expressions from the same producer three times!
The sole instance falling out of that was probably my favorite. It was interesting to note the differences. We felt the Volans diverged more than the Fortaleza blancos. Everything was great!
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@mclaincausey A couple of questions. Did you know what you were drinking beforehand or did you do blind taste testing? My wife and I both had careers in Market Research and can be pretty anal about taste testing. Where did you land on the 1123?
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@mclaincausey Two other tequilas that I’ve had from Nom 1579,and would highly recommend,are G4 and Primo 1861.
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No this was very casual and not blinded; sort of a background to socializing. We did go through them in the sequence pictured.
1123 was my favorite tequila and equal to the Arrogqueno:) It would have stuck out even blinded as the only one to rest in a barrel. So good!! @Jett129
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I started higher end sipping tequilas with reposados. Immediately liked it. I'm not sure what the reviews say, but I found Santo reposado to be smooth and delicious, dangerous on a hot day. We actually had to make a rule prohibiting hard liquor at family gatherings after my niece's husband had like seven too-many.
I then tried ArteNom 1146 añejo. It was complex. I'm not good at putting words to tastes, but it really made me revisit my long-held assumptions of what tequila was and wasn't.
Not being one to be satisfied with something great (greater might be right around the corner!), I went with a bottle of Herencia Mexicana extra añejo. I think I prefer the ArteNom 1146, but wow, this one had me going back for multiples just to figure it out. Caramel, oak, and vanilla? Real nice!
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@Jett129 said in Hard Drinkers, Lets Drink Hard (Spirits, Liquors and Cocktails):
I had a serious Herencia Habit for a while,but sadly,it’s no longer available in my area. Thought it was one of the best spirit values out there.
Wonderful, I'm in good company!
There's a great store about 25 minutes away from me in southern California, and they had a few bottles.
Any other extra añejo that you recommend? I was also looking at Don Pilar (1443) and Don Abraham (1480), just based on reviews and availability.
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@Paul9221 The El Tesoro Extra Anejo spends 5 years in a bourbon barrel and for me that one checks a lot of boxes. In my area prices range from a low of about $109-$149 a bottle. I highly recommend getting the Tequila Matchmaker App. Every tequila is rated by a panel of experts,and then separately by the community which includes me and you. It also lets you know if a tequila is additive free,as well as a bunch of other helpful/useful information. I would also recommend trying any of the Don Fulano tequilas as they are also made at Nom1146.
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@Paul9221 If you happen to come across this I would recommend it if for nothing else it’s bottled at 91 proof,the same proof as the Widow Jane bourbon. They only rested it for 8 week and 8 days,so there’s not a whole lot of oakiness from the barrel,but the added proof puts the agave taste front and center and it’s quite delicious. It’s a little bit pricey for what it is
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@Jett129 said in Hard Drinkers, Lets Drink Hard (Spirits, Liquors and Cocktails):
@Paul9221 The El Tesoro Extra Anejo spends 5 years in a bourbon barrel and for me that one checks a lot of boxes. In my area prices range from a low of about $109-$149 a bottle. I highly recommend getting the Tequila Matchmaker App. Every tequila is rated by a panel of experts,and then separately by the community which includes me and you. It also lets you know if a tequila is additive free,as well as a bunch of other helpful/useful information. I would also recommend trying any of the Don Fulano tequilas as they are also made at Nom1146.
The only El Tesoro XA than I see at my local shop is the 85th anniversary at a whopping $499!
As for the Don Fulano, it was 3rd in line when I went to pick up the Herencia. I'll definitely give it a go next! And my son, who loves these bottles, would love that square blue bottle it comes in
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@Jett129 said in Hard Drinkers, Lets Drink Hard (Spirits, Liquors and Cocktails):
@Paul9221 If you happen to come across this I would recommend it if for nothing else it’s bottled at 91 proof,the same proof as the Widow Jane bourbon. They only rested it for 8 week and 8 days,so there’s not a whole lot of oakiness from the barrel,but the added proof puts the agave taste front and center and it’s quite delicious. It’s a little bit pricey for what it is!
I'll keep an eye out for this one. My local shop only has this version of the reposado:
https://www.hitimewine.net/tequila-ocho-reposado-2022-el-nacimiento-nom-1474-single-estate-167085
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@Jett129 said in Hard Drinkers, Lets Drink Hard (Spirits, Liquors and Cocktails):
@Paul9221 I just checked and they have really great prices on all the Don Fulano tequilas,especially the overproof Fuerte. That one’s a steal as is the Extra Anejo at $159.
Thanks for looking, Jett! Don Fulano is now at the top of the list! I'll report back, but it might be a couple of weeks since I just picked up Herencia.
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I normally don’t like beyond reposado aged agave spirits because I find they take on a cloying note. One of the interesting styles that I find more enjoyable is when they filter anejo or extra anejo through activated charcoal. Don Julio 70 is an example of that that I enjoyed.
Still prefer blanco or reposado generally though.
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@mclaincausey I would say that over 90% of the tequila I drink is blanco,and I won’t try a repo or an anejo from a distillery unless I’ve loved their blanco, because the blancos,in my opinion, are the foundation of tequila,and I can’t imagine a crappy blanco becoming a great repo or anejo. The old garbage in garbage out. I try,when possible, to find out what kind of barrels were used in the aging process,as I’m partial to bourbon barrel aging,because of my extensive bourbon background. I ‘ve had some tequilas that had been aged in cognac,or scotch barrels and didn’t especially like them. I would love to try the Cascahuin repo and anejo tequilas but I’m not optimistic about finding them. Last but not least. Would you consider the 1123 a blanco or maybe a repo?
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Makes sense to me.
I consider it a reposado I guess but very lightly rested. Which is really good for someone with my preferences.
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Arte Nom 11 mf’n 23 is some good juice. Thanks again @Jett129
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@mclaincausey I haven’t had every tequila in that series,but definitely my favorite of the ones that I have had. Last time I was in California,I popped into a convenience store and the had an aisle for spirits,and there it was for $54.95. I immediately bought 2 bottles as I had paid $70 in NYC and it was a special order. Glad to hear you’re enjoying it. My wife spits it out. Go figure.
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@mclaincausey Thought you might like this…
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Trying to finish a bottle if campari so I can switch over to the Leopold version, all this talk of tequila, and having an almost finished bottle of cocchi Americano had me mixing up a riff inspired from a La Rosita I might as well call a La Rosalia.
1oz tequila
1oz cocchi Americano
.5oz mezcal
.5oz Campari
Barspoon of agave nectar or to taste
1 dash ea of orange and grapefruit bitters
Grapefruit twist
