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!

Another newcomer to the scene has made its way in to our review section. Well newcomer is perhaps not the most apt word to describe this tequila as there’s quite a bit of history behind how this brand made it to the market, tracking all the way back to 1923 where Feliciano Vivanco tended his agave field and became somewhat of a local hero. Under his watchful eye and loving care, his fields of beautiful blue agave became known, far and wide, for their exceptional quality and sugar content. But you’re not here for a history lesson…

Tequila Details

Name: Pura Vida (Blanco)
NOM: 1414
Distillery: Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados, S. A. de C. V.
Location: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://www.puravida.mx

Review Notes

As you’d expect from a blanco, Pura Vida is crystal clear in colour. The aroma is strong and vegetal with floral undertones. Pura Vida themselves speak of mint aromas, but I’m not picking up on that myself. As I sip I’m once again picking up those vegetable and floral undertones, along with a good hint of agave. There is a level of astringency to this tequila which I find personally to be pleasant. Now, astringency is not a characteristic that a lot of people will always talk about in a positive light, astringency essentially creates a dry feeling in the mouth similar to the effect that occurs when you eat tart fruit. Personally I have more of an issue when this occurs in the aftertaste, thereby leaving me with more of a parched feeling. However, I digress, the flowery presence in this tequila is more pronounced on the palate than in the nose. The finish is easy going and it’s not tearing out my tonsils, although for me it could do with just a bit more fuerte in that finish. The aftertaste is bang on the money however.

I’ll be honest here and say that when I first tried this I was somewhat on the fence regarding how I felt about it. However, over the last month I’ve poured countless glasses and now I’m a fan. Perhaps this is a good indication that sometimes you might not ‘get’ a tequila on the first glass and that it’s always a good idea to give it the benefit of the doubt and dive back in to it another day. Pura Vida Silver is clearly a good quality tequila and I think in the correct flight this could make for a very interesting and discussion filled start. It’s definitely worth picking up and trying for yourself.

¡Salud y’all!

Yes, we got our hands on the Gold as well. Don’t we mean Reposado? Well no actually, this one’s being marketed as a Gold. Don’t panic it’s still 100% agave, the Gold classification can also be the result of blending a Silver Tequila with a Reposado and/or Añejo Tequila, whilst keeping it 100% agave. That or it’s been kept not quite long enough in the barrel to warrant the Reposado classification.

Tequila Details

Name: Pura Vida (Gold)
NOM: 1414
Distillery: Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados, S. A. de C. V.
Location: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://www.puravida.mx

Review Notes

As reposados go, this tequila leans to a lighter shade of amber on the color chart. Sometimes, for me at least, a reposado can have too much flavour, too much wood and too much vanilla, which is why you will typically find me drinking blancos. I think Pura Vida have headed in the right direction here and, regardless of whether they’ve left the juice for a shorter period in the barrel (which would have to be less than two months) or that they opted to blend various ages of tequila, have managed to create a balanced tequila with just the right amount of everything.

My instincts were telling me that this tequila wasn’t blended and was most likely matured in the barrel for a shorter period, but I wanted confirmation so I got in contact with Stewart Skloss from Pura Vida. As it happens my instincts were right, but not about everything. Stuart tells me that to all intents and purposes this is a true ‘Reposado’ and it is purely being market as ‘Gold’ in the US as most Americans have much more familiarity with the terminology ‘Gold’ compared to ‘Reposado’ when ordering this level of tequila. In Mexico however the branding on the bottle clearly states it’s authenticity as a ‘Reposado’.

The flowery undertones are present in both the nose and on the palate and, as previously mentioned, the balance of wood and vanilla is perfect. The astringency that can be found in the blanco can once again be found here, and in my options transforms this into a great sipper. Aftertaste is crisp due to the astringency, and this one’s got a bit more fuerte…although it takes a wee while while for it to kick in.

If I had to use one word to describe this bottle I’d go with balanced, and that’s not a word I like to throw around that often. This is definitely one tequila you should try at some point, if not only to allay your fears that all gold tequila is mixto and headache juice.

¡Salud y’all!

Aye, Pura Vida sent us all three for review. If you’ve not read the reviews for both the silver and gold versions of this brand then hit up the links, or jump into the search function and check them out. Pura Vida Añejo is aged for a minimum of one year in high quality, American oak bourbon barrels which promises to be an ultra premium tequila for aficionados who value exceptional quality, old-world craftsmanship.

Tequila Details

Name: Pura Vida (añejo)
NOM: 1414
Distillery: Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados, S. A. de C. V.
Location: Highlands – Los Altos
Website: http://www.puravida.mx

Review Notes

This añejo is very light in color, perhaps due to it being aged for just the minimum amount of time required for the the anejo classification (1 year). There is a sweetness to the aroma with a very heavy presence of vanilla. As well as sweetness there are deep oak aroma’s coming off the glass, clearly from the Kentucky bourbon barrels used in the aging process. If you’re into those strong woody anejos then this could be the tequila for you, regrettably I’m not. As I swirl the tequila around my glass I’m seeing quick and long legs, they’re not too thick but still manage to create a thin film on the glass. What’s interesting to note is that the flowery and vegetal notes seem to be gone. The finish is very smooth, easy going with just that hint of spice.

To like an añejo I personally believe it’s got to bring something extra special to the table. Now I’m in no way saying that this is a bad añejo, it’s just that in my opinion it could be better, especially when you compare it to the gold version from this brand. That said it is however an interesting tequila. I tried a whisky drinkers trick and poured some water in to my glass. I can hear the aficionados screaming, but it really gave this tequila a whole new dimension and really lifted those floral tones and spices whilst subduing the sweetness of the anejo allowing me to appreciate it more. Either way it’s certainly an interesting tequila that’s worth a look in, but if you wan’t to try just one bottle from this range I would seriously advise taking a look at the gold.

¡Salud y’all!

There were many things I intended to do on a recent trip to Mexico, things I wanted to see…but only one bottle on my list that I just ‘had‘ to pick up whilst I was there. Los Abuelos, or La Fortaleza as it’s know outside Mexico, is created by the legendary Guillermo Sauza, fifth generation tequila maker and decendent of Don Cenobio Sauza who originally founded the Sauza tequila company in 1873. Los Abuelos/La Fortaleza use only 100% estate grown blue Weber Agave, aged in oak barrels for 6-9 months to create their reposado, and they do it all in the traditional way.

Tequila Details

Name: Los Abuelos/La Fortaleza Reposado
NOM: 1493
Distillery: Tequila Los Abuelos, S.A. de C.V.
Location: Lowlands – Central
Website: http://www.losabuelos.com/

Review Notes

It’s probably worth mentioning as we kick this off that I’m more of a Highlands tequila drinker, as I browse through my collection it’s quite obvious that I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth. No I’m not setting you up for a fall, but simply stating my preference to further emphasise just how good this bottle is. Oh and it’s probably worth mentioning too that this bottle is from Lot 7.

The bottle, that’s the first thing that grabs your attention. It is in itself a work of art. Made of handblow glass with an artisan designed bottle top,  hand-crafted by the workers at the distillery themselves, to represent the harvested agave Piña. Artwork of a horse grinding Piña with a Tahona stone graces the label and complete the classic look.

In my glass, as I pour with the greatest of care not to spill anyway, I notice it’s a dark amber in colour. The tequila has a somewhat oily consitency and it clings to my glass forming very slow tears. I know I should wait to see if those tears bead, but I just don’t have the patience. The first aroma to hit my nose is of wood, it smells thick and oily. The smell of the agave is resting there behind the wood enticing you to take that initial sip. I fight the urge to drink and inhale once more where I’m met again with that deep aroma of wood, which I could almost swear was pine.

I succumb to my urge to drink and I’m unable to detect any bitterness on my palette and, as in the nose, there is an oily texture. It’s balanced and smooth. Agave heat is present, but not overpowering, and there’s a deep flavour of wood and earth. The heat from the agave remains warm on my tongue and as I feel it cooling I detect hints of butter and vanilla. My throat is still warm and as the agave heat subsides from my tongue I’m left with is the most amazing after taste of fruit and cinnamon. It really is quite something.

This bottle is all, and maybe even just a wee bit more, that I hoped it would be. Now perhaps my opinion is biased as this is something I’ve always wanted to drink, but I trust my senses and I know that the quality of this product isn’t just in my head. If you have the opportunity to try this in a bar don’t hesitate for one second. Should you come across this in a store, then rest assured it will soon take pride of place in your collection.

¡Salud y’all!

It’s not often that we take the time to review a mixto on this site, but more often than not most people’s first experience with tequila is with a cheap mixto rather than a 100% agave brand. Now I’m no tequila snob, well I am, but something enticed me to check this brand out and see if perhaps there was something out there that might stop people reaching for the standard bottle of Sauza or Cuervo.

Tequila Details

Name: el Zarco (Gold)
NOM: 1122
Distillery: Distillery: Casa Cuervo, S.A. de C.V.
Location: Iztacalco, Distrito Federal
Website: http://www.proximospirits.com/brands/el-zarco-tequila

Review Notes

Straight off the bat this tequila is gold by name and nature and has a watery consistency, it beads almost instantly. It’s got very little (if any) agave nose to it but perhaps this isn’t a bad point, mixtos in general tend to be a bit heavy on the alcohol aroma. On the palate I’m seeing that more subtle approach too. There’s clearly no Cuervo burn, but that pepper heat is missing just like our agave nose and that’s a real shame. The tequila itself is smooth and easy going, due to the double distillation method, making you believe that the goal was to show that a mixto doesn’t necessarily have to rip out your tonsils each time you take a sip.

All in all this isn’t a bad bit of drink but ultimately however it is a mixto, and although in this day and age there’s very little excuse for not drinking 100% agave, it’s a better place to start from than a lot of people have had previously.

¡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!

Summer is fast approaching, although looking out the window you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise (my car was recently hammered with hail stones the size of golf balls). Stay positive, I’m sure summer is just around the corner now. One tequila I always tend to pick up around this time is a bottle of Sauza Hornitos reposado for those afternoon margaritas. I’ve always found that it does the job rather well, and it’s not too shabby straight up either. Unlike the bottle of Sauza that you’d typically find in restaurants and bars this bottle is 100% agave and it’s not that much more expensive, which makes you wonder why people are forced to drink the mixto!? Anyway…

Tequila Details

Name: Sauza Hornitos Reposado
NOM: 1102
Distillery: Tequila Sauza, S.A. de C.V.
Location: Lowlands – Central
Website: http://www.hornitostequila.com/

Review Notes

Hornitos reposado is pale yellow with a light agave nose. It has an intense floral smell, is lightly spiced and is somewhat earthy. The initial taste is sweet with a light alcohol effect, which isn’t the unpleasant burning sensation that you might be familiar with from the standard ‘mixto’ Sauza. There are hints of caramel and wood present with strong citrus fruit flavours, which is why I think it lends itself to making a great Margarita. The alcohol sticks around after swallowing, but not for an excessive amount of time, and leaves your tongue somewhat numb…but once again for only a short period.

Now, Hornitos is certainly not my first choice when I’m sipping tequila…but it definitely doesn’t offend me. If you’re new to the tequila scene and looking for a multi purpose bottle then you certainly could do far worse than picking up a bottle of Hornitos.

¡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!