This is a newly stocked brand in Virginia, my home market. Produced at distillery Feliciano Vivanco & Associates (NOM 1414) in Arandas in the Jalisco Highlands, presumably overseen by the distillery’s main master distiller Sergio Cruz, La Caza (“The Hunt”) is bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV). Like all of the brands produced at the distillery, La Caza is made using Blue Weber agave grown by the Vivanco family, a fifth generation agave growing (agavero) and tequila producing (tequilero) family. The agave are roasted in a stone/brick oven (horno) and the sugars (aguamiel) are extracted using a roller mill. Fermentation occurs in open stainless steel tanks as classical music is played (the “Mozart Method”). The entire cooking and fermentation process takes over 90 hours to complete. The tequila is 2x-distilled in copper pot stills.
Crystal clear in the glass with shards of silver in the light, La Caza Blanco has an extremely subtle, almost non-existent aroma profile though with some focus light aromas of cooked agave, baking spices (primarily cinnamon) mixed with very light white pepper, light fresh herbs, light lime and grapefruit zest, and stronger floral aromas, natural vanilla (vanillin), and minerality are teased out. As someone who loves the aroma profiles of spirits, the nose is a bit of a letdown.
On the palate, however, the sweet cooked agave and baking spices (now cinnamon, nutmeg, and prominent cloves) take center stage alongside the vanilla, floral and herbal notes, dried grapefruit and lime zest/peel, a moderate amount of black pepper, a kick of minerality and salinity, and a lovely light smokiness reminiscent of a very light non-tequila mezcal. The flavors aren’t the most complex perhaps, but they are delicious.
The flavor profile reminds me more of one of my other favorite tequila distilleries, Cascahuín in the Jalisco Valley, than it does other tequila brands produced by Vivanco & Associates. La Caza Blanco is a beautiful, easy sipping tequila and I’m looking forward to seeing how it develops as the bottle opens up and am also looking forward to trying the La Caza Reposado.
_______________
1792 Bourbon Agave Spirits American Single Malts American Whisky ArteNOM Añejo Tequila Blanco Tequila Blended Whisky Bourbon Whisky Bruichladdich Buffalo Trace Buffalo Trace Distillery Cocktails Código 1530 (Codigo 1530) E.H. Taylor Eagle Rare El Tesoro Extra Añejo Tequila Four Roses Gin Glassware Irish Whisky Jack Daniel's Liqueurs Lost Lore Maker's Mark Mezcal Mijenta Mt. Defiance Distillery Olmeca Altos Patrón Penelope Reposado Tequila Reviews Rye Whisky Scotch Whisky Scotland Siempre Single Malt Whisky Spirits Tequila Tequila Ocho Virginia Virginia Distillery Company Whisky
Agave Spirits+ Journey 