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Continue reading →: MIJENTA- A Unique Tequila Brand From Maestra Tequilera Ana María Romero MenaOne can never have too many bottles of Mijenta – that’s my motto. The blanco has unmistakable classic Blue Weber agave aromas & flavors but is also entirely unique. Cooked agave, sweet cinnamon, many floral notes, minerality, fruit. The reposado is pound for pound (or ounce for ounce) my favorite…
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Continue reading →: SHORT REVIEW: Isaac Bowman Port Barrel Finished Straight Bourbon WhiskeyVirginia distillery A. Smith Bowman was founded in 1927 in Fairfax County and, until the 1950s, was the only legal whisky producer in the state. Now located in Fredericksburg (since 1988), about half-way between Northern Virginia and the state capital, Richmond, the distillery is a part of the Sazerac/Buffalo Trace…
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Continue reading →: Distillery & Brand Feature Series: Tequila Las Americas (NOM 1480) & Don AbrahamAbraham Montes began farming Blue Weber agave in Amatitán in the Tequila Valley (Los Valles) of Jalisco, in the early 1920s. His sons & grandsons grew agaves for other tequila producers before establishing their own brand in 1995. Don Abraham is run by 3 brothers – Álvaro, Eladio, & Carlos…
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Continue reading →: SHORT REVIEW: Four Roses BourbonFour Roses’ standard entry-level bourbon is produced using a blend of the distillery’s ten bourbon recipes that are created using different mixes of two mash bills and five proprietary yeasts. “Mash Bill B” uses 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley. “Mash Bill E” uses 75% corn, 20% rye,…
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Continue reading →: COCKTAIL SERIES: Bourbon, Passion Fruit Crème de Fruit, & Hibiscus/Orange Blossom CocktailBourbon, Passion Fruit Crème de Fruit, & Hibiscus/Orange Blossom Cocktail The sweet tanginess of the passion fruit crème de fruit & the floralness of the Ramazzotti mixed well with the oak notes of the bourbon. In the end, I found the cocktail needed a bit more of both of the…
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Continue reading →: COCKTAIL SERIES – Bourbon Renewal du Québec: Part DeuxThe 1792 Small Batch gave the cocktail a more forward/prominent oaky note, which stood out well with the sweet & sour black currants & the sweet aged maple syrup brandy. [Fine Sève Maple Eau-de-Vie has a flavor profile that’s part bourbon, part 100% pure maple syrup, & part cognac.]*I bought…
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Continue reading →: Distillery & Brand Feature Series: Los Alambiques & Tequila OchoTequila Ocho was co-founded by 3rd generation tequila master distiller & 5th generation agave rancher Carlos Camarena (a horticulturalist by education) & restaurant/bar owner Tomas Estes in 2008. Camarena’s family started out as agave farmers in the Highlands (Los Altos) region of Jalisco, one of tequila’s official Denomination of Origin…
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Continue reading →: COCKTAIL SERIES – Bourbon Renewal du QuébecI bought the 2 Québec (Quebec) spirits when I was doing my Ph.D. & didn’t drink any alcohol. I used to give them as gifts to Americans here as unique local gifts. But these 2 bottles have traveled with me since 2016 from Montréal (Montreal) to Cambridge to NoVA. _________________
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Continue reading →: SHORT REVIEW: El Tesoro Reposado Tequila (Batch R-022)Produced at distillery La Alteña (NOM 1139) and overseen by one of the modern tequila world’s top master distillers, Carlos Camarena (a fifth generation agave farmer and tequila producer), El Tesoro Reposado is a high quality, traditionally made, and always reliable workhorse tequila that makes for both a delicious daily…
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Continue reading →: Spirits Bottle Photography Series – Part 15: Arette Classic BlancoNamed after a horse who, with its rider, won a gold medal in equestrian jumping at the 1984 Olympics, Arette is a well-known tequila brand, initially largely because of its budget “Classic” line which, though much punchier in terms of the alcohol hit, especially in the regular “Classic” line blanco,…
Documenting my journey into agave spirits along with a smattering of other spirits after many, many years away – This blog is meant to take note of this journey including tasting notes, bottle photography, and other related topics.
Agave Spirits+ Journey 