Review: El Rey Silver Tequila

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Free sample bottled provided by El Rey.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Citryve International

• Distilled by: Tequila Cascahuin (NOM 1123), El Arenal, Jalisco, Mexico

• Agave: Tequilana Azul

• Cooking: Brick Ovens

• Crush: Roller Mill

• Fermentation: Stainless Steel Tanks

• Still Type: Stainless Steel Pot Still with Copper Coils

• Spirit Type: 100% Agave Blanco Tequila

• Strength: 40%

• Price: $35

Tequila El Rey Silver is a 100% agave tequila from Tequila Cascahuin NOM 1123, in the lowland valleys of Jalisco. Tequila Cascahuin was founded in 1904 by Salvador Rosales Briseno and they allow at least two percent of their agaves to flower. While this is a good start, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Universidad Autónoma de Mexico have suggested that a minimum of 5% of agaves (about 200 per hecter) should be allowed to flower to maintain both a healthy bat population and enough genetic diversity in the plans.

According to the brand, 8 year old blue agaves are harvested from the lowlands surrounding Mount Cascahuín outside the town of El Arenal. The agave piñas are halved and then cooked for 72 hours in brick ovens. The Cooked piñas are then shredded and pressed with a roller mill and the juice is pumped into large open top fermentors made of stainless steel. The must is allowed to ferment with the ambient yeast in the distillery before it is double distilled in stainless steel pot still that have an internal copper coil. The coil serves the dual purpose of heating the contents of the still and helps remove any sulfur from the spirit that might taint the flavor. After distillation the silver tequila is allowed to rest for 3 months before it is filtered and bottled at 40% ABV.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose is wonderfully bright and inviting. It comes right out of the glass to great you with classic aromas of tropical fruit and bright green vegetal notes. There is no alcohol character, just pure aromatic essence.

Palate: The tequila is really pretty and a joy to drink. On the palate citrus flavors come trough and are nicely balanced with a touch of pepper, which gives the tequila a little warmth but without any burn. All of this is supported with underlying flavors of green vegetal notes, giving the tequila great character and complexity.

Finish: The finish is clean and fresh with lovely soft notes of citrus and a slight greenness.

Conclusion: Despite some odd design choices with the stopper, El Rey Silver is a fantastic example of classic tequila and is wonderful to drink neat. If you are inclined towards cocktails a tequila daiquiri would be great. The bright citrus notes in the tequila are strong enough to not really need the orange liqueur call for in margarita recipes. In the summer, the silver would also work well in a tall drink like a tequila and soda or tequila and tonic with a lime wheel garnish. If you like blanco tequila El Rey Silver is a must try.

El Rey Blanco Tequila Review | Tequila Aficionado Sipping off the Cuff

Review: Santo Cuviso Bacanora Anis

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Free sample bottled provided by Preiss Imports.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Casa TresAmigos

• Distilled by: Manuel “El Toro” Chacón in Bacanora, Sonora

• Agave: Angustifolia

• Cooking: Horno (earthen pit oven)

• Crush: Mechanical Mill

• Fermentation: Natural fermentation

• Still Type: Copper Pot

• Flavored: Whole Star Anise Pods

• Spirit Type: Flavored Bacanora

• Strength: 40%

• Price: $90+/-

The agave spirit known as bacanora is named after the town of Bacanora in the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Like many other spirits indigenous to Mexico, bacanora went though a period of prohibition. But, even after prohibition ended, bacanora was almost exclusively consumed locally. However in 2000, the Mexican government gave bacanora its own denomination of origin to protect its production as they did with tequila and mezcal.

Santo Cuviso is made in the town of Bacanora by maestro Manuel “El Toro” Chacón, a third generation bacanoro. El Toro, harvest mature cultivated agave angustifolia, also know as espadin in Oaxaca, and cooks them in a conical earthen pit oven. Once the agaves are cooked, they are milled and ferment naturally by wild yeast for up to 12 days. After fermentation, the must is double distilled in copper pot stills. Post-distillation, some of the blanco bacanora is mixed with a concentrated infusion of star anise and then it is allowed to rest in 5 liter glass jugs between 10 and 14 days. This rest period allows the spirit to settle which is a well know practice for making spirits more refined. After the rest period the spirit is bottled at 40% ABV.

In April 2019, Santo Cuvios Bacanora Anis earned a Double Gold medal and named Best Flavored Bacanora from the American Distilling Institute’s Judging of Craft Spirits.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: Like with the other Santo Cuvios bacanoras, the aroma on the anis is really fantastic, full of earth and fruit, layered with notes of smoke and aromatic aromas of anise and fresh fennel. The aroma is light and herbaceous without the overpowering black licorice smell that can be off putting to some drinkers.

Palate: On the palate the body is rich and luscious, with an elegant medicinal character pairs really well with the underlying agave flavor.

Finish: The finish is long with a strong earthiness and light notes of anise that linger on the tongue.

Conclusion: Santo Cuviso Anis is a fantastic spirit that is delicious and shines in a number of settings. The herbaceous character of the anis lends itself to being an excellent digestive after a large meal. It also shows well in a hot toddy as the weather starts to turn cold. The anis can also be used as a absinthe substitute in a Sazerac or an number of classic cocktails adding a slight smoky character. The nice thing about this spirit is that it has enough agave character to please fans of bacanora and artisanal mezcal, but at the same time, drinkers unfamiliar with those spirits will find this very approachable and enjoy its beauty.

Santo Cuviso Bacanora Anis Review | Tequila Aficionado Sipping off the Cuff

Reivew: Santo Cuviso Bacanora Uvalama

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Free sample bottled provided by Preiss Imports.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Casa TresAmigos

• Distilled by: Manuel “El Toro” Chacón in Bacanora, Sonora

• Agave: Angustifolia

• Cooking: Horno (earthen pit oven)

• Crush: Mechanical Mill

• Fermentation: Natural fermentation

• Still Type: Copper Pot

• Flavored: Whole Uvalama Berries

• Spirit Type: Flavored Bacanora

• Strength: 45%

• Price: $90+

The agave spirit known as bacanora is named after the town of Bacanora in the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Like many other spirits indigenous to Mexico, bacanora went though a period of prohibition. But, even after prohibition ended, bacanora was almost exclusively consumed locally. However in 2000, the Mexican government gave bacanora its own denomination of origin to protect its production as they had with tequila and mezcal.

Santo Cuviso is made in the town of Bacanora by maestro Manuel “El Toro” Chacón, a third generation bacanoro. El Toro, harvests mature cultivated agave angustifolia, also know as espadin in Oaxaca, and cooks them in a conical earthen pit oven. Once cooked, the agaves are milled and ferment naturally by wild yeast for up to 12 days. After fermentation, the must is double distilled in copper pot stills. Post-distillation, some of the blanco bacanora is mixed with a concentrated infusion of uvalama berry, a local Sonoran fruit. Once mixed the flavored bacanora is allowed to rest in 5 liter glass jugs between 10 and 14 days to allow the the spirit to settle . After this rest period the spirit is bottled at 45% ABV.

In April 2019, Santo Cuvios Bacanora Uvalama earned a Gold medal from the American Distilling Institute’s Judging of Craft Spirits.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose is lovely with notes of blackberry fruit and phenols from the skin of the berry, layered on top of earthy vegetal aromas, and citrus.

Palate: On the palate the spirit is well structured and has a luxurious round body that is velvety on the tongue. The flavor is delicious and bursts with flavors of berry fruit, mixed with a slight woody stem character, not to dissimilar to grappa. The spirit dances across tongue and invites you to take another sip.

Finish: The finish is medium long with lingering notes of berries, light smoke and a hint of dry tobacco.

Conclusion: Santo Cuviso Bacanora Uvalama is a delicious festival of flavors and aromas that should be celebrated with friends and family. In Mexico, berry infused agave spirits are commonly shared at big life events and this spirit is perfect for your next wedding party, birth celebration, quinceañera, or gathering to celebrate life. While I am sure there will be a number of talented bartenders who will come up with creative ways to use this in cocktails, I suggest drinking it neat with others. Lastly, because of its fruity sweetness, I think the uvalama will pair nicely with a light bodied cigar. But however you drink it, enjoy!

Santo Cuviso Bacanora Uvalama Review | Tequila Aficionado Sipping off the Cuff

Review: Santo Cuviso Bacanora Blanco

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Free sample bottled provided by Preiss Imports.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Casa TresAmigos

• Distilled by: Manuel “El Toro” Chacón in Bacanora, Sonora

• Agave: Angustifolia

• Cooking: Horno (earthen pit oven)

• Crush: Mechanical Mill

• Fermentation: Natural fermentation

• Still Type: Copper Pot

• Spirit Type: Bacanora

• Strength: 45% ABV

• Price: $88

The agave spirit known as bacanora is named after the town of Bacanora in the northern Mexican state of Sonora. Like many other indigenous spirits, bacanora went though a period of prohibition. But, even after prohibition ended, bacanora was almost exclusively consumed locally. However in 2000, the Mexican government gave bacanora its own denomination of origin to protect its production and name like they did with tequila and mezcal.

Santo Cuviso is made in the town of Bacanora by maestro Manuel “El Toro” Chacón, a third generation bacanoro. El Toro, harvest mature cultivated agave angustifolia, also know as espadin in Oaxaca, and cooks them in a conical earthen pit oven. Once the agaves are cooked, they are milled and ferment naturally by wild yeast for up to 12 days. After fermentation, the must is double distilled in copper pot stills. Post-distillation, the spirit is allowed to rest in 5 liter glass jugs between 10 and 14 days. This rest period allows the spirit to settle which is a well know practice for making unaged spirits more refined. After the rest period the spirit is bottled at 45% ABV.

In April 2019, Santo Cuvios Bacanora Blanco earned a Gold medal and named Agave Spirit of the Year from the American Distilling Institute’s Judging of Craft Spirits.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose has a fantastic aromas of fruit, citrus and a bright green vegetal note. As the spirit warms, the aroma opens and develop into notes of hard aged cheese or even a salty Oaxacan cheese.

Palate: On the palate the spirit is smooth and elegant with just a touch of sweetness. Then the flavors explode with wonderful notes of fruit and green agave.

Finish: On the finish, the bright fruitiness lingers with a somewhat dry ashy character the serves as a nice counterpoint to the fruit. Again, as the spirit warms in the glass, the finish transforms into chocolate caramel!

Conclusion: Santo Cuviso Bacanora Blanco is simply outstanding and if you are a fan of artisanal mezcal or you have tried other bacanoras then do yourself a favor and go find a bottle or ask your local liquor store to order one for you. The spirit is packed with flavor, complexity and it is extremely well balanced. Words alone cannot do this justice so go tastes some fast.

Santo Cuviso Bacanora Blanco Review | Tequila Aficionado Sipping off the Cuff

Review: Miel de Tierra Añejo Mezcal

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Free sample bottled provided by Preiss Imports.

AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Miel de Tierra

• Distilled by: Doña Teresa Rubio Murillo in Jalpa, Zacateca

• Agave: Tequilana Weber Azul

• Cooking: Autoclave

• Crush: Roller Mill

• Fermentation: Stainless Steel Vats

• Still Type: Copper Alembic Pot Still

• Age Statement: 2-5 Years

• Spirit Type: Añejo Mezcal Artesanal

• Strength: 40% ABV

• Price: $65

Miel de Tierra Añejo Mezcal Artesanal is distilled by maestra mezcalera Doña Teresa Rubio Murillo in Jalpa, Zacateca. The agaves are harvested at 10 years old and then cooked in autoclave. The cooked piñas are then crushed with a mechanical grinder, before being fermented in stainless steel vats with a commercial yeast. Given the flavor profile, my guess is the juice is being fermented without the fibers. After fermentation, the must is double distilled in a copper alembic pot stills and the spirit is aged in virgin white oak casks. Doña Teresa then selects casks that had aged between two and five years, vatts them together, and proofs the spirit to 40% ABV before bottling. The town of Jalpa is just 40 miles from the border of Jalisco, so given its proximity, it is not surprising that this mezcal is made almost identically to may añejo tequilas. According to the brand, Miel de Tierra shares a portion of the profits from every bottle sold in helping to conserve wild honeybees in rural Mexico.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose has a lot of wood character, which is not surprising given its age. The aroma consist primarily of sweet aromas of caramel followed by light spicy notes from the oak, and a hint of black licorice.

Palate: On the palate, the flavor has a delicate character from the wood with virtually no flavors from the agave.

Finish: Wood notes of vanilla, caramel oak slowly fade on the finish and ends very soft and light.

Conclusion: Miel de Tierra Añejo is a bit of a disappointment in that all the agave character seems to have been lost during the maturation process. Given how it is made, my guess is that blanco spirit is so clean and well made that, what are probably very delicate flavors and aromas in the joven just get lost in the two plus year of aging. Because of this most fans of mezcal will probably not be excited by this. However, at $65 this is still a pretty good deal for an añejo and would likely appeal to a large number of Tequila drinkers who prefer smooth and sweet añejos without much agave character.

For more information watch my review with Mike Morales on Tequila Aficionado’s Sipping off the Cuff.

Miel de Tierra Añejo Mezcal Artesanal Review | Tequila Aficionado Sipping off the Cuff