Tequila Cabeza Blanco

The alcohol presence is quite pronounced here. It tastes strongly of alcohol and is rather harsh and spicy. The smell is also very alcohol-forward. It’s quite minty with a subtle sweet, savory richness that reminds me somewhat of Art’s Añejo. The richness is more significant than it first appears, but the flavor remains mild. The bitter alcoholic finish is somewhat off-putting. There's a hint of pear and pineapple in the background. It has a slightly briny, vegetal quality, but it’s not overly unpleasant. This is surprisingly smoky, both in aroma and on the palate. In that respect, it’s similar to a mezcal. There’s a vegetal component characterized by a sun-dried tomato taste. Earthiness and spice are also present. The black pepper spice might be a bit intense, but it’s manageable. There’s some mint and the faintest hint of caramel sweetness. Hints of pineapple accompany the caramel, but they aren’t very strong. There’s a fair amount happening here, and the alcohol never becomes overpowering. The flavor profile definitely leans towards spicy and bitter, but there are also fruity and vegetal elements. It’s reasonably balanced in that regard. The spice might be a bit too dominant, but the overall taste doesn’t have a strong, unpleasant alcoholic bite; what bite there is tastes naturally vegetal. It has an oily texture, but not in an undesirable way. The taste is quite fruity, with tropical notes including banana, though not overwhelmingly so. Mango and pineapple are certainly present. There's also some spice, red bell pepper, and a twist of lime. It’s enjoyable and balanced. This is an excellent Blanco tequila. Compared to El Tesoro Blanco, it tastes a bit more savory and flavorful, with bolder spice, vegetation, and brighter fruits. After tasting this, El Tesoro seems a bit smoky, but not much else. After the El Tesoro, this smells like spiced meat and pineapples, much like Al pastor. The flavor also evokes Al pastor, bringing a sort of chili smoke essence. It definitely leans savory with a sweetness that balances it. I like it slightly more than El Tesoro Blanco. Casamigos Blanco is sweeter and more chocolatey. Casamigos is nice due to its smoothness. This is bolder, but also more complex with prominent savory and pineapple notes. It’s certainly a sipper, but would also work as a mixer. It’s a good tequila, but not truly outstanding. The flavor is quite spicy with some sweet fruit (underripe pineapple), sun-dried tomato, and clean herbal notes. There's a slight astringency from green olive and some smoke. It’s fairly dry, but not excessively so. It’s a good tequila that borders on being sippable, which is about all one can expect from a blanco. The subtle mineral note is not unpleasant at all. In contrast to Casamigos Blanco, this has a more traditional tequila character with slightly more complexity and less richness (and certainly less smoke). This is very fruity. It’s tropical with a lot going on, but there's also a pork belly umami quality. It’s drying but subtly complex. Sip this, don’t mix it (though it would be good in a fruity beverage). The finish is complex in a way that shows merit. It doesn’t reach the standard of Fuentesca Extra Añejo, but that’s a high benchmark.

A Silver artisan Agave Spirit created at NOM 1414. It begins delicately with notes of agave, fruits, nuts, herbs & spices; a tropical phase adds coconut & mango notes; leading to a balanced, medium-length finish with a touch of pepper. May 2017