Tastes

It smells like tobacco - well, an ash tray really. There are some sour notes that hint at vegetation and a bit of lime, but also smell strongly like tobacco. It's surprisingly smooth with a huge amount of smoke and iodine. It has some sweetness, but not a tremendous amount. There's some stuff going on here, but it isn't terribly complex and the flavors that are here aren't terribly good either. The second tasting is much better, but still not that good. It's quite bitter with a lot of herbal elements. There's some fruit like lemon and underripe pineapple with maybe a hint of lime. It's a solid mixed, but not a sipper. That bitterness is hard to overcome and it still tastes a bit off. I have no idea why the Distiller reviewer thinks that this is fruity and sweet. As far as I can tell, it's bitter with minerals and other unappealing flavors. There's some nice fruitiness, but then it tastes like a tire fire. Good Lord, is this the Clan MacGregor of tequila? The bitter punch in the face at the front masks see more interesting fruity and vegetal flavors. It reminds me a bit of a cross between Cabeza Blanco and Fortaleza Blanco, but generally worse. The subtle hints of character are nice, but they're too subtle.

This is a weird tequila. It tastes a bit like a Sherry bourbon. This flavor is strong with a lot of cherry and a rounded nature that includes wood and some subdued spices. The flavors are good, but the cherry is strong. It doesn't taste like cough syrup. This is a good and interesting drink, but may not be a good choice for someone looking for a good tequila. The wood is very present and is developed well without tasting like floor polish. This drink tastes like a wiskey mixed with a brandy with a little bit of banana fruitiness. The finish tends toward the bitter side and it is good but needs some help in improving the core flavor. There's a lot of flavor and some herbal elements that make this interesting, but it's not as refined as Don Julio 1942. It tastes a bit like a mezcal. The rich, varied flavor is good, but the cherry element might be a bit much and there is no brilliant flavor here. That said, I enjoy it and the alcohol does not overwhelm. Wood is there and builds out the flavor without tasting too much like floor polish. Given the price, this is an excellent buy. The flavor is balanced and tasty. Everything lands nicely unless you are particularly (and I mean particularly) sensitive to cherry cough syrup flavor. It is reminiscent of plenty of mezcals but is more balanced and generally rich. Smoke, iodine, cherry, sweet, tart, wood, toffee. The balance here is exceptional and the flavor is brilliant. This is an odd tequila, but an excellent drink. It's sometimes infiltrated by a bit of alcohol flavor, but is mostly unperturbed. It smells distinctly of roasted sweet peppers and onions. The palate has both of these flavors but also has some nice fruit. Some caramel darts through too. It's fairly rich but isn't oppressive. This is a very complex tequila that is balanced in an interesting way. There is some wood and also a little smoke but those original notes do keep coming through. A little bit of cherry comes out of the peppers in a surprising way. This is an exquisite tequila at an unbelievable price. This is a truly amazing tequila. It may be a bit harsh, but it is pronounced, representing everything that makes a tequila. Spice, pineapple, grape soda, lime, caramel, vanilla, wood. This actually starts to taste like a bourbon. I wouldn't say it's the most complex tequila, but it is balanced in a weird way. The fruitiness lasts for a long time and tastes very good. Mint is there to add some dryness, but it doesn't taste out of place. The flavors don't fit together in that way that is quintessentially tequila. The wood can really sneak up because it isn't just oak: some cedar notes come through (and somehow they don't overwhelm). This is a delightful tequila.

The nose is richer with more chocolate than regular San Matias. It has a really weirdly oily smell going on with something a bit rancid, but not sulfuric - it's like pureed cauliflower. The cauliflower tastes like Clan MacGregor and it isn't good, though it vaguely works a bit in a tequila. The palate is quite viscous with a rich sort of malty presence that has gross bread for sure, but in a rich dignified way that is kind of enjoyable. It's sweet but enjoyable. The flavor can be a bit mineral and watery, but it doesn't taste light. The richness and oiliness seem like good base flavors for something, but they're a way from a complete profile. It's a bit odd and mainly has its richness and viscosity going for it. Lunazul has more going on in its flavor profile, so I kind of prefer it. This isn't substantially worse though. The weird tip that salvages this tequila is that it goes great in eggnog!