Lot 162 | Price brought the score down ($69 pre tax)

Lot 162 | Nose: A fresh impression of minerals and cooked agave aromas, laced with medium sweet citrus and spice. Floral notes and mint. Taste: Honeyed sweetness and nuanced baking spice carrying some heat and punch. Light colored orchard fruit, full mouth salinity and oils. A touch of bitters mid palate. Spices dawdle in the finish. The mint cranks up volume in the last moments - becoming borderline too dominant for my tastes.

Lot 151 | Nose: Greets with an agave sweetness reminding me of brown sugar on buttered toast. Minerals, green herbs and mint. Next offering up warm spice notes and a whiff of freshly clipped grass. Flavors: A tummy warming cinnamon pepper Firestick entrance. Medium oils, salinity and faint flesh of mandarin. The brown sugar agave impression persists. Can’t find some of my “go to” signature markers for a Fortaleza blanco - nonetheless a delightful sip.

Lot 157 | Tasted at Fortaleza

Lot 155 | very easy sipper. Subtle nose, vegetal palate. Little bit of sweetness on the finish. Not my favorite lote.

Lot 155 | Easy sipper, salty on the nose and nice sweet agave flavors with a note of vegetal

Lot 111 | Nice nose, palate and finish alright. Little bitterness on the finish. Not my favorite lote

Maybe the most drinkable tequila for people ive ever had. Will recommend to people as a "gateway drug" :) Aroma: very very clean fresh aroma. Earthy and vegetative: mushroom & mint. Licorice and pineapple. The smells are all over the place but blend into a smooth smell that is somewhat indistinct. Almost smells like the ocean which is really refreshing. Taste: unbelievably "smooth" for a tequila. Almost tastes low proof. Slightly sweeter than the nose and cantaloupe is the unique flavor i get here Mouthfeel: runny. Less body Finish: short finish. Maybe 10-20 seconds. Unbelievably short honestly. Baking spice and then leaves a hint of sweetness as if you had a drop of vanilla extract

Lot 154 | Nose: All the usual goodies. Green olives and white pepper. Dusty minerality. A hint of smoke. And of course agave dripping with sweetness. Flavor: Thick in the mouth, briney. Honeyed sweetness with a soft vanilla roundness lingering on the tongue. A bit of coconut? A kick of pepper. Finishes with agave, pepper heat and spice playing off each other with poise. This one is growing on me.

Lot 150 | Creamy earthy agave pepper with a sight bitter back end. Good stuff but not a standout lot like I hoped.

Lot 153 | Nose: Rich agave with hints of caramel. Minerals. Round spices, anise and green peppercorns in brine. Flavors: An extension of the aromas, with a velvety texture. Pepper heat ramps up slightly. Silky sweetness with the tiniest bit of almond/maple on the back palate fade. Finish: Given a little time, a wonderful finish evolves.

Lot 150 | Another line-drive up the middle by Fortaleza. Sweet agave w/ somewhat spicy cinnamon, followed by herbal nuances and lemon zestiness... I felt I had to let it breathe for a while. Glad I did! It evolved into a more complex blanco but falls a little short. Slight citrus popped up w/ cinnamon subduing its bit, and now showing its sweet side. I honestly preferred the lot 100 and 105, but this is a proper and worthy blanco!

Lot 150 | Nose: After a few minutes of gentle coaxing, the irresistible combo of cooking agaves, fermenting mosto and distillation aromas fills the senses. Remarkably sweet agave laced with subtle cinnamon, citrus and pepper. A faint undercurrent of hay, farm and wet earth. A touch of sweet, musty jackfruit. A subdued aroma profile…then… Flavor: Wham-bam! A creamy, silky sweetness explodes on the palate upon first sip - followed up with a backend kick in the butt of pepper and cinnamon. A kiss of olive brininess. The fruity sweetness takes on a thick, chewy texture, showing both sweet and savory personalities. Take your time letting this one hit its stride. And if you are lucky enough to find one - share it. *This one improves over subsequent tastings.

Lot 150 | Tasted at Agave Brothers event Very clean, bright, and slight olive brine

Lot 150 | This profile is packed with flavor! The cooked agave just explodes in your mouth along with notes of jamoncillo (creamy), minerality, earthy, subtle spiciness/citrus compared to other lots, caramelized fruits, silky, natural sweetness, some olive/briny at the end, with medium complexity body. People will love this!

Lot 142 | Nose: Sharp and crisp. Citrus, thyme and wet gravel. Spice. Flavors: Salinity and intense agave sweetness. A pepper backbone accompanied by cinnamon heat. Caramel/toffee notes on the back palate. Nice body and texture with a spicy medium length finish.

Lot 141 | Nose: Lime oils, minerals and mountain pine. Slightly sharp on the nose upon entry. Then rich fruit aromas emerge. A blend of banana, pineapple, lemon and orange. Lightly spicy. Flavor: Creamy, peppery agave. Less sharp than the aromas suggested. Nice spice balance. The profile is more sweet than savory. But a few herbal notes make a late appearance.

Aroma - well balanced, raw agave, nicely bright Flavor - felt full in mouth . . . not spicy but clean & crisp . . . hint of (green) apple Finish - good, slight heat at 1st . . . agave-forward, delicious, lingering agave . . . leaves wanting another

Lot 136 | Less briney than usual, more balanced and the sweetness from the agave is very present. I fear the value of these will continue to drop as price increases and availability becomes limited.

Lot 140 | Nose: Bright and crisp. Baking spice, citrus and gobs of agave. Light mossy earthiness. Flavor: Nice viscosity. Pepper and honeyed agave entrance. Spiciness mirrors the aromas, with the addition of anise. A skosh of saltiness. And my favorite olive note.

Lot 136 | Nose: Starts out subdued. Given a few minutes it takes on cinnamon, pepper and a tiny sulfur note. Followed up with a rosemary and oregano bouquet. Taste: Honeyed agave, sweet spices and spikes of peppery warmth. Silky. Mouthwatering salinity. Medium body. Pleasing balance and finesse to this one.

Lot 128 | Nose: Honey and pumpkin spice. Orange zest and lime oils. A spritz of minerals. Flavors: Pepper and lively baking spice. Thick and silky. A scintilla of salinity and a smidgen of licorice.

Lot 133 | Nose: Citrus, mineral, green pineapple, mint, thyme and spices. There’s a hard to identify umami note underpinning the profile. Flavor: Pepper warmth and tag along vanilla/cinnamon. Buttery, honey sweet agave. A touch of salinity. Finish: Fairly aggressive pepper finally integrates into a pleasing profile finish.

I've tried several Fortaleza blanco lotes and didn't rate them individually (wish I had), with the exception of lote 100, which is truly amazing! Overall, Fortlazea blanco is one of the best, most consistently well-made, well-balanced blancos with the flavor profiles u expect from a good blanco - agave, citrus, minerality, pepper, a little heat. Fortaleza never disappoints!

Lot 131 | Nose: Honey, spice, vanilla, fruit and freshly cooked agave. Flavor: Uber sweet agave. Silky and buttery. The spices carry through from the nosing, adding moderate pepper notes and anise. The pepper heats up as it opens up.