Produced by master distiller Enrique Fonseca and blender Sergio Mendoza, who are both renowned for their prowess in barrel aging and blending, Don Fulano Fuerte Blanco is produced at distillery La Tequileña (NOM 1146) in the town of Tequila in the Jalisco Valley. The brand uses Fonseca Atotonilco estate-grown Blue Weber agave cooked for 28-32 hours in an autoclave under low pressure. The sugars (aguamiel) are extracted using a screw press and are then fermented 72-96 hours using proprietary agave yeast in an open stainless steel tank. The brand’s releases are blends of distillates 2x-distilled in copper pot (80%) and Coffey column stills (20%). In 2002, the Fuerte was the first high proof blanco on the market.
The aroma profile is rich with buttery roasted agave and baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves), black pepper, citrus (lemon, lime) zest, fresh mint, “green”/grassy notes, fresh citrus fruits and berries, petrichor earthiness, very light vanilla, and robust minerality and salinity.
On the palate comes punchy cooked agave and tropical citrus fruit sweetness that comes across as very creamy/buttery followed immediately after by punchy black pepper and high proof ethanol heat that zings across the palate and continues to warm the tongue as it gradually dissipates. Mixed in is lemon and lime peel, vanilla, prominent herbal/grassy/vegetal (“green”) notes including fresh herbs and olives, florality, and prominent minerality, salinity, and anise on the finish. Slowly rolling the tequila across the palate brings out the earthy, buttery sweetness, minerality, and salinity even more. The finish is long, 13-14 seconds.
Amazingly viscous across the palate, the Fuerte hugs the sides of the glass with slow-forming tears and pearls. The Fuerte has an earthy funkiness that also characterizes the regular 80 proof blanco, but the flavors of the two blancos are different and distinct. Though Fonseca and Mendoza are best known for their barrel aged expressions, they also produce amazing blancos including the Fuerte.
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