Over the past yr or so there have been some wonderful blanco tequilas launched into the market, so we thought it was excessive time to place collectively a blind tasting occasion to see how these newer merchandise would measure in opposition to some widespread contenders.
We chosen 4 new tequilas in our Confirmed Additive-Free program that we really feel are of fantastic high quality and put them up in opposition to 2 well-known merchandise to see how they might examine when tasted blind.
As well as, we thought this blind tasting could be an ideal alternative to check a few myths about tequila preferences. As an example, how a lot does expertise and training have an effect on tasters’ preferences? And is it true that girls want a distinct type of tequila than males?
To reap this information we got down to steadiness our group of 36 tasters based on gender and expertise: we recognized half of the tasters as aficionados based mostly on their data (skilled tasters and/or members of our Tasting Panel), and half as followers. We additionally break up the group 50-50 between women and men. This yielded some compelling outcomes, however first, let’s get into the top-line numbers!
The Lineup:
The General Scores:
1) Wild Common Blanco (Lot 01)
— 88.4 factors/common
This daring and brilliant tequila was first launched final yr, amid a lot reward from aficionados. It’s made on the Cascahuín distillery in Arenal, Jalisco, which is thought for its wonderful additive-free blancos, together with Cascahuín Tahona, ArteNOM 1123, and Siembra Valles.
The manufacturing course of here’s a mixture of tahona and curler mill; fermentation with and with out fibers in each cement and stainless-steel tanks. It clocks in at 42% abv, barely increased than the others within the lineup.
It’s generally heard that tequila can’t please each aficionados and common drinkers, however on this blind tasting Wild Widespread did simply that. It scored probably the most factors in each teams. It additionally scored probably the most factors amongst each women and men.
Tasters commented:
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“Spices, mint, and dry earth, that is positively a correct tequila! Straightforward on the palate however with sufficient pop to let you understand it’s legit.”
“The nostril on this was stunning. Cooked agave, kiwi fruit, pineapple, and black pepper. The style didn’t disappoint.”
2) Los Dos Blanco
— 85 factors/common
The second-highest scoring was Los Dos, made on the Vivancos Distillery (NOM 1414) in Arandas, Jalisco. It’s one in every of a secure of noteworthy merchandise crafted by Grasp Distiller Sergio Cruz, who additionally makes Gran Dovejo, De-Nada, Yeyo, and Tau tequilas (all confirmed additive-free!)
Agaves from Los Altos are cooked in brick ovens, and extraction is through curler mill. They used a sluggish (8 days) open-air fermentation course of utilizing champagne yeast. This tequila was then rested in stainless-steel for six months, after which oxygenated earlier than bottling.
The sweetness discovered within the end was doable resulting from some modern distillation cuts and mixing achieved by Sergio Cruz. The prolonged resting interval can also be a key part that brings every thing collectively. That is extra proof that good issues are doable when a producer isn’t in a rush.
Tasters commented:
3) Inspiro Tequila Luna Blanco
— 84.8 factors/common
In at a really shut third was Inspiro Luna Blanco, a brand new product that markets itself as produced by ladies, for girls. It’s rested for lower than a month in used oak barrels, after which in stainless-steel earlier than bottling. This provides it a smoother profile with faint vanilla barrel notes with out having to make use of components.
The manufacturing course of additionally includes using 2 completely different yeast strains, that are distilled individually after which blended based on style to attain a extra advanced profile.
In actual fact, it was produced at NOM 1614 (Tequilera TAP) in Amatitan, Jalisco which is a 100% additive-free distillery. The grasp distiller is the extremely revered Ana María Romero Mena, and the model is the thought of Mara Smith, a former legal professional.
Resting a blanco in oak shouldn’t be a standard follow as a result of it requires extra time, however Inspiro wasn’t in a rush. Resting a blanco tequila in oak for lower than 60 days is legally permitted based on the foundations. The contact of vanilla imparted by the barrels induced a few of our raters to marvel if components had been used, however we will verify that none had been.
Tasters commented:
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“The agave is nice and zesty right here. Full texture with medium oils. End is decently lengthy, prolonging some agave and fruit.”
“Aroma has small hints of baked agave, some citrus, and floral notes. Style has agave with plenty of pepper and spiciness.”
4) Nueveuno Tequila Blanco
— 84.7 factors/common
This licensed natural and Kosher tequila is made on the Rancho Miravalle distillery (NOM 1426) in Amatitan, Jalisco, and overseen by a grasp distiller Nohemi Partida of the famed Partida household, lengthy recognized for tequila making.
Agaves are cooked in brick ovens and extraction is through a curler mill. For the reason that Partida household are additionally agave growers they had been capable of choose mature Tequila Valley-grown agaves for Nueveuno. The result’s a top quality, conventional product. As soon as once more, the scores had been very shut, with Nueveuno coming in simply 0.1 factors behind Inspiro, and 0.3 factors behind Los Dos.
Tasters commented:
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“Stable, daring, old fashioned agave aroma. Very nice taste — probably the most constant by far throughout two tastings. Good balanced mixture of candy agave, earth, mint. Respectable end.”
“Considerably muted nostril initially nevertheless it opened up after sitting a couple of minutes. Good steadiness of sweetness, agave, pepper notes and ethanol.”
5) Teremana Blanco
— 84.6 factors/common
This tequila took the spirits world by storm in 2020, promoting a report quantity of instances (round 300,000) for a brand new product. This was largely because of the excessive profile of its celeb backer, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who did a powerful job advertising and marketing it to his followers. It additionally benefited from a conventional strategy of brick oven cooking, and distillation in copper pot stills.
We haven’t put Teremana in any blind tastings till now, and we had been wanting to get responses. The tequila has its personal distillery (NOM 1613), which sits on the property of Productos Finos de Agave (NOM 1416). Though the later distillery has a contemporary diffuser and column nonetheless on-site, neither are used within the manufacturing of Teremana.
Though Teremana shouldn’t be (but) on our Confirmed Additive-Free listing, our raters didn’t suspect it of containing any components.
Tasters commented:
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“There’s a huge punch of agave on the nostril! It is rather agave ahead on the flavour with a floral trace. The end has an extended end of agave.”
“Caramel, funky, overripe fruit and black pepper on the style. End is just a little bitter.”
6) Casamigos Blanco
— 80.9 factors/common
No tequila has as a lot celeb swag as Casamigos, although founders George Clooney and Randy Gerber bought out in 2017. It has additionally been an enormous vendor, prompting different celebrities to leap into the tequila area, dreaming of a $1 billion exit. Nevertheless, this product has not been as a lot of a success with the aficionados who use our app. It has been known as out as being overly candy with heavy vanilla notes.
Not a lot is thought concerning the manufacturing processes concerned in Casamigos. Once they switched distilleries to NOM 1609 (away from NOM 1416) we misplaced the power to say with first-hand data which kind of manufacturing processes are in use. (Hey, Diageo, we might like to tour your latest facility.)
Nevertheless, the aficionados in our blind tasting overwhelmingly expressed their opinion that this product contained components.
Tasters commented:
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“Aroma is overwhelmingly vanilla, with maybe just a little little bit of plastic/rubber like scent. The feel is a bit watery. The flavour is nice with a great deal of vanilla, just a little woody. Peppery end.”
“This blanco didn’t odor like tequila in any respect. The nostril was cotton sweet and vanilla. (They) are prevalent with no agave in anyway.”
“Bubblegum and toasted marshmallow on the nostril. Not anticipating loads after nosing this.”
Now let’s look just a little deeper, as a result of that is the place it will get actually fascinating.
After we take a look at preferences based on aficionados vs. followers the scores are fairly shut on every product, aside from Casamigos. For this product the hole between educated tasters and informal drinkers was a whopping 7.6 factors. (Aficionados gave it 77.7 level common, whereas followers gave it a mean rating of 85.3.)
The decrease score by Aficionados for Casamigos was constant, whether or not the taster was male or feminine.
Talking of females, let’s see how the completely different genders rated Inspiro blanco, because it’s focused at ladies. Because it seems, males rated this product 0.8 factors increased than ladies on common, at 85.2 versus 84.4 amongst ladies. So, maybe having a cleaner, barely vanilla profile attracts sippers of all stripes!
One other fascinating takeaway was the notion of worth (or bang for the buck) among the many completely different teams. The greatest level unfold was, once more, for Casamigos: Followers rated it a mean of seven out of 10 by way of worth, whereas Aficionados scored it decrease at 5 out of 10.
So, what ought to we make of all this? First off, blind score is tough (you don’t have any bottle, advertising and marketing, or suggestions to go off of), nevertheless it additionally ranges the enjoying area. The massive-name blancos got here out final, whereas the newcomers received over tasters with their aromas, flavors, and mouthfeel.
And, though this was a small pattern of 36 tasters it seems that expertise makes extra of a distinction in relation to shaping preferences, in comparison with gender.
We despatched a follow-up questionnaire to the individuals after we closed down the score interval. A number of of the tequila followers had been shocked that they rated Casamigos excessive. They talked about that the general expertise was helpful as a result of it taught them the way to sharpen their palate to higher determine merchandise that stray away from a pure profile.
So, hold practising your tasting abilities, buddies. Make use of our Confirmed Additive-Free listing and practice your palate! Ultimately, the additive-filled merchandise will grow to be apparent. Salud!
