Tepozán Blanco Tasting Notes

Details

Location: San Julian, Jalisco
Agave: Blue Weber / A. tequilana weber
Maestro Tequilero: Don Carlos Padilla
ABV: 40%
Tasting keywords: Fresh cut agave penca, Pippin apple, raisin.
NOM: 1584
Certified additive free by Taste Tequila
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Tepozán Blue agaves that will eventually go into Tepozán tequila.

Nose

Fresh cut agave pencas, bright, light. Little lemon zest. shrimp bisque

Taste

Sweet and light, pippin apple, bit of banana and raisin in there. Whole lot of nuance going on in this glass that’s weightier than most blancos. Not aiming for clear blue agave flavor, getting something like a Macedonia in a glass without sacrificing the brightness and experience of a tequila.

Production Details

Agave source: Estate grown in Los Altos, Jalisco
Roast: Above ground pressurized brick steam ovens for two days.
Crush: Roller mill
Fermentation: Open air stainless steel without fibers.
Distillation: Twice distilled in stainless steel stills.

Background Notes

Tepozán is a new tequila brand out of Jalisco that is full of flavor and intriguing ideas. First, there is the issue of ownership. Don Carlos Padilla is not only the distiller and farmer behind the brand, he owns the distillery and the brand in Mexico. Then the production process is a hybrid that brings together many of the innovations that define tequila as different from other agave spirits: There is the above ground steam oven, the blue weber agaves, and the stainless steel stills which are all definitional elements of tequila. But the distillery’s focus on water source and wild fermentation also build bridges back to an older identity. Fermenting with ambient yeast is tricky and risky but it also brings with it a distinct terroir which is clear in this blanco.

Tepozán is also a forward looking brand. The label embraces minimal modernism with a graphic of the butterfly bush which it uses for its name. And it prominently features the “Verified Additive Free” badge that Scarlet and Grover Sanschagrin have pioneered at Taste Tequila which is rapidly becoming a clear distinction between tequila’s willing to open their facilities to inspection in order to obtain that certification and those that won’t. It’s a hopeful sign when a brand like Tepozán which clearly wants to make it clear to drinkers how it’s made, can find an easy way to do that. Hopefully others will follow.