It almost feels too late in the year to review tequilas but we recently had a very late autumn heat wave that made this vertical tasting worthwhile before the cold and rain set in. While tequila will get shelved for a bit in my seasonal rotation, it makes another resurgence around the holidays when I bust out my holiday spiced cranberry margaritas. If this sounds weird to you, I promise they are quite delicious, they are merry and bright, and they make your house smell amazing after mulling the spices and fresh cranberries on the stovetop. In any case, this review of Corralejo Blanco Tequila is the first of a three-part vertical tasting of Corralejo’s core tequilas. Could Corralejo Blanco be featured this year? Primer: Corralejo is one of few remaining family-owned tequila producers that manages to hang in there with the big boys. While the rest of the tequila market is swamped with offerings from international spirits conglomerates (in part spurring the rise in mezcal’s popularity), Corralejo aims to stay true to its roots as an hacienda, employing those in the community to do things by hand rather than automating. They produce their tequila by steaming the blue agave hearts in clay ovens for 27 hours, then fermenting the must, and double distilling. As with all blanco tequilas, this blanco offering from Corralejo is unaged and showcases the quality of the agave employed and the distiller’s skill as there are no casks to hide behind. Nose: Bright, crisp, and chalky. Fruity agave, limestone minerality, orange blossoms, lemon meringue, and buttercream frosting. And not the stale, mass-produced, store-bought, preservative-laden buttercream frosting tubs. The kind of fresh, homemade buttercream frosting you justify needing to lick the bowl for and spread on everything because it’s so good. This is a tequila nose you want to nose all day. Palate: Light-bodied and a bit thin, but at the same time creamy. The minerality leads with limestone water essence. Lots of vanilla and cream with faint fruity citrus and floral. It’s smooth and tasty, but slightly under-delivers given that exquisitely fresh and layered nose. Finish: Smooth and chalky, but on the short side. Moderately sweet with the profile similar to coconut sugar and no apparent heat. Perfectly sippable neat. Verdict: It’s good. Even better if you factor in the cost. And while it won’t dethrone the Fortaleza Blanco I had recently ($39.99), the VFM with the Corralejo Blanco is excellent ($21.99). Highly recommended for the quality, VFM, and “small” producer aesthetic. ¡Salud! 3.75 ~ 84 ~ Good