Herradura Silver Tequila

Wow, this has a surprisingly high mineral content. It's smooth and not overly spicy, but the mineral taste is overwhelming. The mineral aspect is somewhat like a certain gin and is excessive, almost like unpleasant bread. It dominates everything, but thankfully there's still some sweetness and a little richness. There's also a hint of cardboard, unfortunately. There's a touch of milk chocolate, but it genuinely tastes predominantly of mineral. It could serve as a good mixer, but the excessive mineral content makes it only mildly sippable, even though the other flavors are present. The herbal notes blend well with the minerals, with coriander clearly acting as a connector that also seems to amplify the minerals. A hint of mint is present on the finish, but it's not too strong. If even one off-flavor were present, it would be undrinkable. It's about as mild as a certain Blanco, but it sacrifices some smoke and alcohol for minerals. There's also a rather unpleasant bitterness in the aftertaste that I dislike. It smells very herbal and tastes very mineral (though the herbs are certainly detectable. This one lacks complexity and the flavor isn't particularly good. It's surprisingly reminiscent of a certain gin, but with less character. There is some spice, but it's not overpowering. The overall flavor is drinkable, but not very good. Nothing is truly bad, but the terroir flavor isn't appealing. The richness is a unique quality that makes this an interesting experience, but it's not genuinely enjoyable. That mineral flavor is quite clean but also really unpleasant. There's some harsh alcohol in here too that I don't care for, but it's not entirely a bad drink. It might be suitable as a mixer in certain situations.

Super stoked for this. Not only is Herradura Reposado my usual go-to tequila, but also their choice of barrel aging, even though brief, for their silver expression. My partner mentioned she thinks that would disqualify it as a silver, and while I’m unsure if any official "rules" were bent, I countered that given its color, it’s much closer to a silver hue than totally clear tequilas. Nose is very clean, with a pleasant, balanced presence of agave. With just a touch of grass and black pepper, it barely suggests barrel aging, but quickly returns to fresh agave. Unfortunately, the flavor is as I expected, with vibrant, smooth agave as the star, joined by a faint hint of black pepper and oak in the background. Not prominent enough for cocktails, but noticeable when tasted alongside another silver. The finish is extended and clean, as expected from a good silver, yet its brief barrel time imparts a slightly spicier conclusion, as if the proof were elevated. All in all, a success, and to further back Herradura, this will probably become a regular silver choice. Other tequilas are great for mixing or sipping, but this one is remarkably distinct.

The pour is nearly clear with a faint beige hue. The nose has subtle black pepper and vanilla. The taste mirrors the nose but adds a light earthy, almost woody, flavor. The pepper is less prominent than the vanilla. It has a light to medium mouthfeel and a medium finish. This is my third bottle, following two from the highlands (El Tesoro Rep and Olmeca Altos Rep). Those highland tequilas offered more sweetness and citrus notes, whereas this one is more mellow. It's not lacking flavor, just not as bold as the others. Edit: My appreciation for this grew. I was initially biased, expecting the more citrus-forward profile of highland tequilas. Once I accepted it wouldn't replicate that, I could enjoy it. Its mellow character works well for sipping.

Consumed neat. The aroma is light, featuring earthy, fruity agave, green olive, and some herbs, with no heat. It has a medium mouthfeel. The flavor is rich with sweet agave, cilantro, mint, anise, brine, oak, vanilla, mild cinnamon, and black pepper heat. The finish is long, contrasting the rich agave sweetness with intense bitter saccharine, pepper, and herbs. Overall, it's a literally bittersweet blanco that's more intriguing than most. The flavors are nicely complex, but personally, the finish slightly lowers my rating.

This tequila represents a significant upgrade. It's far superior to Jose Cuervo, and the short barrel aging period adds pleasant woody, oaky characteristics to the blanco. While not ideal for sipping neat, it makes an excellent margarita. I keep this on hand for mixed drinks, reserving Don Julio for sipping.

Wow! This is excellent tequila. The quality is evident. We've all had terrible tequila experiences, but not with this one. Unless you finish the entire bottle, which is plausible because it is so incredibly delicious. Clearly agave with a pleasant anise flavor on the finish. It's smooth and warm, but not overpowering. This might just be my new favorite tequila!