TASTING NOTES REVIEW – Tequila Ocho Plata Puntas 2024 – Mirandillas Tequila

It’s been just shy of one month since I cracked open my first bottle of Tequila Ocho Plata Puntas 2024 – Mirandillas. What follows here is an account of my evolving tasting notes and observations put together to form a “living review” (because I’m sure that this tequila will continue to surprise me as it continues to change with aeration).

I opened the bottle and then revisited it every few days for the past three-and-a-half weeks to see what, if anything, would change in the flavor profile, particularly as some of the stronger hits of alcohol from the 108 proof (54% ABV) began to dissipate slightly from the forefront and meld better with the other aromas. I generally used a Riedel tequila flute for the tasting sessions, but also used a Glencairn for a couple of them. I found that both directed the aromas well, with my favorite remaining the Riedel because, for me, it was slightly better at shaping/directing the tequila’s aromas.

This year’s Puntas, as it continues to open up and aerate more, has become, for me, the perfect marriage of sweet cooked agave, cinnamon & baking spices, tropical fruit & citrus, herbal notes, & pepper. The mouthfeel is oily/creamy and the plata leaves a satisfying warmth on the palate, the throat, and the upper chest after swallowing a sip.

On the nose are aromas of cooked agave & sweet baking spices (cinnamon, cloves, allspice, etc.) with a fruity quality akin to a a fresh pineapple with a hint of banana (or a banana candy chew), black & white pepper, a hint of vanilla, an earthiness & a minerality like wet stone, vegetal notes including dried aromatic herbs, and a floral quality (more like dried potpourri rather than fresh flowers). Unsurprisingly, given its high proof, Puntas has a strong alcohol hit on the nose, though this has dissipated slightly since the neck pour & bottle crack.

On the palate, there are a mix of flavors including, initially, sweetness from the cooked agave & fruity/citrus notes followed quite quickly by a strong pepperiness and an alcohol burn that numbs the back of the tongue & the palate, leaving heat, turning to warmth, in the throat & chest. There are hints of mineral water as well. The plata is viscous, coating the sides of the glass & leaving nice legs/tears & pearls. As mentioned, it has an oily/creamy/buttery mouthfeel, but not overly so, coating the mouth well. The finish is flavorful, if not particularly long, with the exception of some residual heat/warmth on the palate & in the throat & upper chest, accompanied by hints of sweetness, pepper, & anise-like bitterness.

I look forward to seeing how this plata continues to evolve. They say actions speak louder than words, so I’ll also say that I’ve secured backup bottles (yes, bottles).