Made at distillery Tequila el Viejito (NOM 1107) in Atotonilco el Alto, Ciénega, Jalisco, by third generation master distiller Juan Eduardo Nuñez, Santo Fino is a brand founded by rockstar Sammy Hagar and now co-owned by celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Despite the kneejerk bias of some against celebrity-owned brands, Hagar is a longtime lover of tequila as well as wine.
Using mature Blue Weber agave cooked in stone/brick ovens (hornos), the tequila uses a roller mill to extract the sugars (aguamiel), closed stainless steel tank fermentation, 2x-distillation in hybrid stainless steel-copper pot stills, & is cut to bottling proof with mineral-rich deep well water. The reposado is aged for 4-5 months in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels and is bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV). The lot/lote (batch) under review is T/R 010624/TV.
The tasting notes are based on multiple, spaced-out notes-taking sessions using Riedel and Denver & Liely Mezcal glasses with varying periods of aerating in the glass.
COLOR: Very light straw yellow
AROMA PROFILE: Very earthy, herbal, & vegetal/grassy – Aromas include cooked agave, melon (cantaloupe), green bell & jalapeño peppers (the mesocarp, not the seeds), light caramel & vanilla, tropical fruits (pineapple), Thai basil, anise, citrus (lime) peel, salinity, minerality, & white pepper.
PALATE: Super cooked agave sweetness & raw agave muskiness, baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom), vanilla, vegetal (green bell & jalapeño peppers), herbal notes (Thai basil, fresh mint), anise, melon (cantaloupe), caramel, minerality, salinity, & balanced oak/barrel notes – the natural sweetness continues to open up as the bottle aerates but it never loses its vegetal/grassy & earthy core – great balance of flavors.
I love the green/vegetal notes in the mix here.
MOUTHFEEL: Medium viscosity
FINISH: 7 seconds – Finishes with some balanced oak tannins & anise balancing out the natural sweetness.
VALUE: Excellent sipping & cocktail reposado tequila at a good price point.
ALWAYS ON THE SHELF? Yes
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One response to “SHORT REVIEW: Santo Fino Reposado Tequila”
[…] Teremana, best known for being “The Rock’s” tequila brand, is produced by Destileria Teremana De Agave (NOM 1613) located in Jesús María in Jalisco’s Los Altos (Highlands) region that is interestingly located within another distillery, Productos Finos de Agave (NOM 1416), which produces Avion. Using Highlands Blue Weber agave cooked in brick/stone ovens (hornos) for 3 days, the sugars (aguamiel) is extracted using a roller mill before being fermented in stainless steel tanks and 2x-distilled in copper pot stills. The aged expressions are put into “American whiskey barrels,” presumably ex-bourbon though specifics are not provided; neither are aging times for either the reposado or the añejo. I approach all of my reviews without bias and do not automatically dismiss “celebrity spirits” – in fact, I’m a big fan of a couple tequila brands made traditionally by great distilleries that are associated with celebrities including Código 1530 and Santo Fino. […]
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