Sometimes curiosity gets the better of me, and I just have to find out if something is worth drinking. That’s how it went with Yeyo. During 2011 the web was alight with talk of a new tequila on the scene, stimulated by a very heavy social networking presence. Boasting modern design and with high praise being thrown from pillar to post I quite simply had to find a way to get my hands on a bottle and try it.  Luckily Jon Bullinger himself was kind enough to send us one to taste, although to be honest I wasn’t that much against having to jump the pond and head State-Side at some point this year to pick one up. Either way we finally got a chance to see just what all the fuss was about.

Tequila Details

Name: Yeyo Tequila Silver (Blanco)
NOM: 1414
Distillery: Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados, S.A. de C.V.
Location: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://www.yeyotequila.com

Review Notes

From the off you’ll notice the frosted bottle oozing modern design. If you’ve done your homework, you’ll know by now that Jon Bullinger holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in both Business Management and Marketing from the University of Phoenix, and that this product is clearly reaping the benefits of his education. Jon’s vision for his tequila brand can be felt through all the marketing surrounding Yeyo, everything is modern, minimalistic, puts the focus of the consumer squarely on the bottle and, more importantly, the tequila.

I crack open the screw top and here the discussion begins. I’m a traditionalist and I do like to pull a cork out of my bottle. Jon states that the cap “leaves the flavor of the tequila completely unaltered from start to finish”, I can’t help but miss the cork though. Despite Jon’s logic I guess I’m just a romantic at heart.

As I swirl the Yeyo around my glass I’m unable to detect the presence of strong alcohol, which could be regarded by some as either hot or burning, as well as any other harsh aromas in the nose. Additionally I’m also unable to detect any overly strong ester or chemical fragrances, so it’s certainly not smelling like this tequila is going to be headache juice. As I’m swirling I notice that thin legs are quickly forming on the side of my glass, which in turn are quick to pearl. One would assume by now that it goes without saying that this blanco tequila is crystal clear, but for the sake of going on the record, this blanco is crystal clear.

I take a sip and what strikes me first is how sweet and easy going this tequila is, there are absolutely no bitter qualities to it. During Yeyo’s inception Jon Bullinger polled his friends in search of the ultimate taste qualities for his tequila. The goal was to create a tequila that would appeal to the American palate. I would imagine that they were looking to create a smooth blend, but to me it’s left the tequila feeling just a tiny bit too thin in the mouth. Yeyo, much like in the nose, isn’t particularly hot on the tongue either and has just a slight burn going on in the after taste. However, what I like the most about Yeyo is the hint of fresh pears in the mouth when you sip, a flavour which you simply don’t come across that often and I’m a huge fan of it, I’d be willing to speculate that this would be due to the yeast that they’re using during fermentation. Along with that wonderful pear flavour you can clearly taste those agave in the mix.

Like many others that have tasted Yeyo I do have some minor concerns regarding the price. Jon Bullinger is from Oregon, and due to the crazy tax laws over there, you’re looking at having to pay out $49.95 in Oregon for a bottle of Yeyo. Jon has previously mentioned himself that there’s very little he can do about this as the price is  governed by that particular state, apparently buying tequila in Oregon isn’t for the faint of heart. However, in the Dallas Fort-Worth area (Texas) the price of Yeyo can be found for a much more reasonable $32.99.

Personally I can see this tequila doing very well in clubs and bars, either by the glass or as a mixer due to the strong and somewhat youth orientated marketing approach. Jon’s vision is clearly to turn his brand into a household name and I believe, in time, it will be. Jon Bullinger is a man that knows what he wants, and then goes out and gets it. Additionally I also believe that in time this particular marketing campaign will work in the favour of the consumer, providing a greater opportunity for people to get their hands on Yeyo and, with any luck, allow Jon to get that tequila into a lower price bracket where it ultimately belongs. Remember however that just because you can potentially use Yeyo as a mixer…it doesn’t mean that you should!

¡Salud y’all!

For ages I’d been desperate to get my hands on a bottle of this stuff. It’s won countless awards and I’ve even seen a documentary about the brand on the Discovery Channel. I know, who’d blame me for adding it to my wish list. Once again I find myself in Berlin and a trip to KaDeWe reveals a nicely stocked liquor department with some bottles of tequila that I’ve not been previously able to buy. I cruise past the bottle of Vodka that was retailing for a cool million euros, wander over to the tequila section, grabbed a bottle or two, and hit that checkout one happy customer.

Tequila Details

Name: Leyenda del Milagro Silver (Blanco)
NOM: 1420
Distillery: Industrializadora de Agave San Isidro, SA de CV
Location: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://www.milagrotequila.com

Review Notes

Milagro is crystal clear and the first thing that strikes me is the smokey pear aromas that are drifting from the glass. There is however something in the nose of this tequila that I don’t like, but I can’t decide what it is…it could just be that I’m not to keen on pears. There’s a strong alcohol aroma which I’m afraid to say is not helping those wonderful agave smell, why they have allowed that I’ll never know. It’s a very vegetal tequila and there is just a hint of vanilla there. As I coat the sides of my glass I notice that it’s thick and oily, it’s got slow tears and it doesn’t really want to bead. The agave, unlike in the nose, is however there in taste and just like appearances it has an oily texture, whilst at the same time having a sort of ‘watered down’ feel to it. Quite odd. There’s a very short burn to the tequila which hangs around just long enough to make your tongue go numb and then fades, I feel that has more to do with alcohol than agave. Mixed in between all of this is vanilla, it’s presence in taste is much greater than it was in the nose. As I inhale across my tongue I can vividly taste and smell the vanilla, regrettably I’m not enjoying it all that much as there is an incredibly strong bitter mint flavour  in the finish which is really not doing it for me. I find this blanco to be lackluster.

Even Milagro think you should be using their product for mixing

Now, I had expected much of this tequila and perhaps that’s not the best way to go into a tasting. This tequila has won numerous awards (albeit for cocktails) and perhaps I’m missing something…but I doubt it. I’ve drunk from this bottle three times to write this review and each time it’s the same story. Milagro I feel that you’ve let me down. You built up my hopes just to dash them as soon as we began. Quite how this tequila is picking up awards simply amazes me.

This is in no way a sipping tequila, it has no business being in a Riedel glass. All in all you’re going to have more enjoyment out of this tequila by using it as a mixer. Yes, yes it’s an relatively inexpensive tequila…but still! Perhaps the qualities that make is unsuitable as sipping tequila lend itself to the creation of cocktails?

I’m underwhelmed, disappointed…oh, and did I mention I’ve got a bottle of the Reposado here too?!

¡Salud y’all!

Yes, as so many people have observed this tequila is real and not just a prop used on the TV series ‘Entourage’. Tequila Avión is a newcomer to the tequila market and unlike other newcomers they’re entering the market with the full range and not just the blanco. Now either Tequila Avión have been sitting in the wings for some time planning the release or they’re pushing this juice for someone else. Now we’ve been drinking this for the last week so I’m sure it’s the former rather than the latter.

Tequila Details

Name: Tequila Avión Silver
NOM: 1416
Distillery: Productos Finos de Agave, S.A. de C.V.
Location: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://www.tequilaavion.com

Review Notes

Tequila Avión is a highlands tequila and that’s obvious from the first sniff. The floral and sweet aromas typical of highlands tequila are there. We’ve sat on this review for quite a while now as we wanted to do it justice, Tequila Avión is an incredibly balanced high-end tequila. Now I’ve been drinking tequila for quite some time so I knew from the first sip that we had a contender on our hands, but it’s so balanced that I wanted to be sure that I was picking it all up and we’d do the brand justice. As I swirl the tequila in my Riedel glass I’m seeing quick legs and clear beading on the glass. The aroma is clean and crisp, the agave pepper is subtle with very little alcohol aroma coming off of it. The taste is sweet and light with the quality of the water used in the production of this tequila being very apparent. Avión themselves claim that there are clear mint aromas and flavours in the mix but I just couldn’t pick them out. The citrus flavours that are present are surprisingly of pineapple, which was a real pleasure, the finish is soft, smooth with a hint of agave. This is something that I think the current tequila market is going to lap up. We only have the blanco in our hands at the moment, but I can’t help but wonder what the wood is going to bring to it all. We’ll do our best to get back to you on that.

I think it’s worth mentioning that the stopper in this bottle is cork, a lot of brands are stepping over to synthetic materials (which is fine) but I feel the cork gives the bottle a bit more ‘class’ and ‘polish’. I’m finding myself asking whether we’ve got another el Patrón on our hands here, market-wise that is. Tequila Avión is coming out of the blocks with a very hard hitting marketing campaign. They’re all over the social networks and getting their product on to a hit show such as ‘Entourage’ is going to do nothing but rocket their profile. Tequila Avión is a very smooth well balanced tequila that is going to appeal to people new to tequila and aficionados alike.

¡Salud y’all!

My expectations are always low when I’m looking for tequila in the drink section of an English supermarket. Chances are that they usual ‘mixto’ subjects will be there and the possibility of a 100% agave tequila being on the shelf ranges from slim to none. However, to my surprise I’ve noticed Don Agustín appearing in more and more places. I never shy away from a bottle that I’ve never drunk (as long as it says 100% puro de agave on it) and Don Agustín is one of the reasons why you shouldn’t either.

Tequila Details

Name: La Cava de Don Agustín Reposado
NOM: 1456
Distillery: Tequila Supremo, S.A. De C.V.
Region: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://mexplaza.udg.mx/arandina (no longer active)

Review Notes

Light amber in colour this reposado has a moderate agave presence with a clear caramel nose. Additionally there are floral tones as well as an oaky aroma. It is sweet to the taste with that clear caramel smell coming through onto your tastebuds. I’m also sensing something nutty in the mix, perhaps hazelnuts. The finish is smooth, a little bitter, with a strong peppery aftertaste. This is a somewhat complex and powerful tequila offering some serious value for money.

Originally named La Arandina, after the town that houses the distillery, the company was founded in 1938 by Don Jose Agustín Camerena, a visionary man with an entrepeneur spirit who forged a family tradition based on one dream: to produce the best tequila, taking the best agave flavour from Los Altos of Jalisco, not only to Mexico, but to the rest of the world.

Tempted?

¡Salud y’all!

I’m a nightmare to buy gifts for, at least that’s what my wife tells me, but for my last birthday I was given a trip to Berlin to see the city and whilst there go and see Snow Patrol in concert. Don’t panic this isn’t going to be a concert review, although I really enjoyed it. My initial opinion of Berlin’s tequila scene wasn’t good. Our hotel bar only sold Olmeca and in one restaraunt that we went to there were two choices of tequila ‘White’ and ‘Brown’. Surely a trendy city like Berlin should have more to offer?!

We headed out one afteroon to the ‘Gendarmenmarkt’ and after a bit of sightseeing I spotted a bar across the square with lines and lines of bottles of strong drink, surely they’d have tequila amongst it all. The bar is it happens was ‘Newton-Bar‘, highly regarded as one of the best bars in the world (they have a bottle of Dom Perignon on the menu for a cool €1.5M should you find yourself feeling flush whilst there). I browsed the menu and after drinking Milagro, Casa Noble, Don Julio and Espolón the barman and I got into a conversation about tequila and we of course got on to the point that price is not always a good representation of quality. He then grabbed a glass, reached for a bottle that had never been opened, poured a healthy measure and said “You’re the first person that’s been in this bar that understands tequila, you’d best tell us if this is any good”.

Tequila Details

Name: DeLeón Diamante
NOM: 1519
Distillery: Agroindustrias Casa Ramirez, S.A. de C.V.
Region: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://www.deleontequila.com

Review Notes

Diamante is a crystal clear blanco with slow tears, a wonderfully sweet agave aroma (typical of Highland tequilas), with a gorgeous floral and honey nose. DeLeón accredit this all to the altitude at which the tequila is grown…and DeLeón grow theirs more than 7,500 feet above sea level. The smell is reflected in the taste of Diamante which is both wonderfully sweet with honey flavours and incredibly smooth. In the production of this tequila DeLeón use pure spring water from two exclusive natural spring wells, serving the family’s private distillery, and I can promise you that the quality of the water that has been used is very obvious. Diamante has a pleasant light pepper burn that resides on the middle of the tongue and the agave warms your throat for some time after you’ve swallowed.

This bottle really is something special, I thank all those at ‘Newton-Bar’ for their hospitality and for giving me the opportunity to try it. In answer to the barman’s question, it is indeed a fine bottle and should you ever have the opportunity (I understand it’s quite hard to get hold of due to limited production) then be sure to try it for yourself. Yes it’s a little pricey, but you will not regret it!

Oh, and I paid for the next measure!

¡Salud y’all!

I’ve been drinking Don Julio for years now and it’s hard to believe that I’ve never reviewed the añejo. There are two bottles that are always in my collection, this and the reposado from Don Julio. I think it’s safe to say that that I’ve got very few negative things to say about this bottle.

Don Julio Anejo is 100% Blue Weber Agave , double distilled, and rested in charred American oak bourbon barrels for 18 months. Each agave is hand selected at maturity and only the heart of the distillation is used, as it is the purest part, free from most impurities.

Tequila Details

Name: Don Julio Añejo
NOM: 1449
Distillery: Tequila Don Julio, S.A. DE C.V.
Region: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://www.donjulio.com

Review Notes

This añejo is light amber with a wonderful nose of citrus fruits, caramel and spice. It’s sweet to the taste with a mix of honey, butterscotch, spices and peppery agave. The finish is of  medium duration with a pleasing balance of  smoked oak (which comes from the charred barrels) and hot agave. There is no alcohol burn, it’s just smooth all the way down.

It’s safe to say that I’m a fan of Don Julio in general. When it comes to tequila Don Julio seriously know what they’re doing. If you’ve never drunk tequila before in your life then you should pick up a bottle of Don Julio (the entire range is fantastic) and see what you’ve been missing. This is premium tequila at a perfect price.

¡Salud y’all!

There are tequila bottles that are hand blown, those that are crafted from pewter and then there are the simple bottles, the ones who’s functional is clear. Keep the tequila in! Herencia de Plata offers tequila at a reasonable price in practical packaging that is never going to win a beauty contest. For that reason I grabbed hold of this bottle one afternoon to find out if it really was all about inner beauty.

Tequila Notes

Brand: Herencia de Plata Reposado
NOM: 1124
Distillery: Tequilas del Señor, S.A. de C.V.
Region: Highlands – Los Altos
Web Site: http://www.tequilasdelsenor.com.mx

Review Notes

This reposado is golden in colour with a caramel, oak and vanilla nose to it. You instantly taste the agave as well as spicy (cinnamon) flavour with a deep woody flavour. It is worth noting that this is a very sweet tequila that may not be to everyone’s tastes. The agave finish is hot but not unpleasant and your left with a delightful aftertaste of vanilla and fruit.

This is a great bottle of tequila for your money, and would be a great starting point for those beginning with tequila drinking.

¡Salud y’all!

It’s often more difficult for us Europeans to get our hands on premium tequilas, but sometimes when you think things are working against you, the can also work in your favour. Here in Europe we’re not subject to advertising and we tend to try a bit of this and a bit of that without any prejudice. Unlike the US, we’re not spoilt for choice, and on a recent trip through Amsterdam I picked up a bottle of Los Pilones Añejo. It intrigued me as firstly I recognised the name from a Mexican bar in Amsterdam and secondly the NOM seemed familiar to me (Herencia de Plata).

Tequila Notes

Brand: Los Pilones Anejo
NOM: 1124
Distillery: Tequilas del Señor, S.A. de C.V.
Region: Highlands – Los Altos
Web Site: http://www.tequilasdelsenor.com.mx

Review Notes

This añejo is a pale golden colour, with a buttery caramel, vanilla, and fruit nose. I’ve got this in a high stemmed glass and I’m sure that fruity aroma is banana. It’s definitely a sweet añejo and I’m really enjoying sticking my nose into the glass. I’m detecting a very strong agave body with a subtle mix of other spices. On my tongue the agave is warm and welcoming. There’s a heated yet sweet finish of medium duration with a lingering aftertaste of vanilla and agave. My nose is back in the glass, I really like how this smells.

This is a really enjoyable tequila and I’m definitely going to have to pick up a bottle of the blanco and reposado to see how they fare.

¡Salud y’all!

I love going to Spain, of course it’s sunny, the people are friendly and there’s nothing better than sitting on a terrace eating tapas and watching the world go by…but my main love of Spain is that I always can pick up a bottle of Corralejo whilst I’m there. For some reason my sources in the Netherlands are never able to get one in for me. Okay, I could order online…but that just takes away the romance of it all!

Tequila Notes

Brand: Corralejo Reposdao
NOM: 1368
Distillery: Tequilera Corralejo, S.A. de C.V.
Region: Highlands – Los Altos
Web Site: http://www.tequilacorralejo.com.mx/

Review Notes

The first thing that strikes you is the long blue glass bottle before you. The bottle attracts you’re attention when you see it and you should take note. Pull the stopper out and you’re hit with a sweet caramel oak aroma. There is a light agave nose there too and just a minor tone of vanilla and honey. The tequila itself is a golden straw colour. What strikes me most about the taste of this tequila is the fruity body that accompanies it, both lemon and lime are noticeable. Corralejo reposado is an incredibly smooth tequila yet contains a strong agave flavour which somehow balances perfectly on your tongue. One more noteable thing about Corralejo is that is has a failry long finish, and it’s all good which is why Corralejo reposado is always to be found in my cupboard. This is a seriously good value-for-money tequila!

During the agave shortage in the late 1990s and early 2000s agave prices rose to an all time high and Corralejo stopped producing 100% agave tequila a dropped to 70%. Luckily those times are behind us and Corralejo are back to producing 100% agave tequila, let’s hope they don’t stop!

¡Salud y’all!

How can you resist the look of this fine looking bottle!? The second you see it in the store you know that you should own a bottle of it. I’d even planned to empty the bottle, fill it with water and use it as a book-end at work….but that’s just me! As always I reach for the reposado first although this time the colour of the other two bottles.

Tequila Notes

Brand: Aha Toro Reposado
NOM: 1079
Distillery: Agave Tequilana Prod. y Comercializadores, SA CV
Region: Highlands – Los Altos
Web Site: http://www.ahatoro.com/

Review Notes

The tequila is light in colour and the first sip is sweet with a very low alcohol taste. The tequila itself has a woody taste with a sweet agave flavour thrown in to the mix. It finishes with the agave flavour rising to the surface and an aftertaste of fruits lingers.

It’s widely noted that this tequila is certainly not as amazing and extravagant as it’s bottle would suggest. That said it’s certainly in no way a bad tequila.

¡Salud y’all!