Our Favorite Tequilas and Mezcals From April 2017

There is not much available on the production or history of this brand. It is distilled at the Fabrica de Tequilas Finos in Jalisco where several tequilas are produced like Kirkland brand (Costco), Ed Hardy Tequila, and Kah Tequilas among many many others, though this in of itself is not unusual. Many tequilas are often produced at one distillery or NOM, but production methods can vary. This is a 100% agave tequila bottled at 80 proof.

El Decreto (Spanish for "the decree") prides itself on authenticity. The agave is grown in the Jalisco Highlands and processed using traditional methods, including a long 5 - 7 day fermentation process. The añejo is aged 18 months in ex-bourbon casks before bottling in containers individually made by local glass makers.

Cat Mezcal is a mezcal "from the heart of Oaxaca". It's made from 100% agave (species unspecified). The joven style is bottled unaged off the still.

Siempre Tequila Plata is distilled from 100% blue weber agave grown on Vivanco Estate Farms in Jalisco and produced at Viva Mexico distillery (NOM 1414) overseen by master distiller Sergio Cruz. The agave is cooked in a brick oven and mashed with a roller mill, and is fermented via the "Mozart Method" with a blend of rum and champagne yeasts. It is twice distilled on copper pot stills. It is bottled unaged and additive free at 80 proof. NOTE: The brand changed distiller locations from Tequila to the Highlands and the packaging has been updated. Updated versions will have NOM 1414 listed. (SRP $49.99)

From the brainchild of Tomas Estes and Carlos Camareña, Tequila Ocho is the first and only single-estate vintage tequila on the market. Sourcing agave from individual ranches and then using only that distillate allows Ocho to represent true terrior and seasonality with each expression. The estate of Los Fresno’s undulates between 2068m and 2078m and at the time of harvest (late April 2013) each agave was on average 7 years of age and had a sugar concentration of about 27.6% due to the lack of rain.

Mezcal Marqués is produced at the historic Hacienda Jaral de Berrio in the state of Guanjuato. In 1764, the King of Spain granted Marquis Jaral de Barrio permission to make one of "New Spain's" first distillates at the hacienda. Marqués Reposado is made with wild salmiana agave harvested at 8 years, baked in clay ovens, crushed by tahona and distilled in copper pot stills. It is aged 8 months in American oak.

Embarjador Platinum tequila is distilled from 100% agave. The agave plants are roasted in traditional ovens as well as steam baked before being mashed and fermented. After being distilled twice the tequila is rested in stainless steel vats for 40 days before bottling.

The Cortés family has been producing artisanal mezcal for five generations. They produce a range of mezcals ranging in styles and philosophies but what they all have in common is that they are all vivid expressions of the place and the producer. From the village of Santiago Matatlán using agave espadín and aged for 18 months in American oak, this mezcal was produced entirely using “artisanal” methods.

Embajador grows their agave in the Los Altos region of Jalisco, where it is harvested at 8-10 years and processed at their facility in Atotonilco. The agave is roasted in adobe ovens, and distilled in column stills for a combination of tradition and modern technique. The Premium (reposado) is aged 8 months in a combination of American (ex-bourbon) and French (ex-Cognac) oak.

As part of the second release of Expressiones del Corazón, this limited Artisanal Edition Blanco uses 100% blue weber agave with its brix measured before harvest, instead of traditional clear cut. Two sets were harvested for the blanco - one with lower sugar and one with higher. This blend is the unaged spirit that also goes into the expressions aged in selected barrels once used for different marks of Buffalo Trace bourbon and rye.