Not from the top tier of releases from NOM 1414. This has some bitter vegetal notes in the mouth that persist to and through the finish. Nice mouthfeel and a bit of chewiness, as well as some agave and a nice mineral element but it is overwhelmed for me by the bitter finish. Thanks to Matt @ agave swappers for the sample

Received a sample from Agave Swappers: Nose: Agave forward with a clean, mineral edge. Earthy and slightly herbal, with a hint of that familiar 1414 DNA peeking through, but it stops short of feeling fully developed. Palate & Mouthfeel: Medium bodied but leans thin in texture. Cooked agave is present, along with more minerality and a punch of citrus and anise. There’s a raw vegetal note that adds some interest, along with a distinct salinity - but it feels like everything is playing solo - not quite working in harmony. Finish: Short and forgettable. Clean, but slightly bitter and dry. Lacks personality. Final Thoughts: I can pick up on some of that 1414 signature in the nose, but not much beyond that. The palate has a few good individual notes, but they never quite mesh. It finishes in a way that makes you shrug. There’s potential here, but it feels undercooked and a little disjointed.

From Agave swappers! Thanks matt!! On the nose: It has that 1414 signature nose. The earthiness, the minerality, the brine, the vegital, the pepperiness. It holds the vivanco blueprint! I will say, it falls slightly short of their good stuff. There’s something a little funky on the nose that is a turn off for me. On the pallet: Cooked agave, citrus, earthiness, brine, pepper, Overall- it hits the same mark- good but doesn’t stand out. The name, the branding, the bottle- completely turns me off. Nothing unique or special. It feels intentionally bland. After going on their IG, it’s got more American flags than Mexican ones. More San Diego pride than Mexican. That’s just not the tequila brands I choose to support. It’s a pass for me

Decent agave nose. A bit subtle but agave is clean. Palate has a lot of green to it with a little bitterness on the finish but it’s good. It’s an easy sipper, not a lot going on complexity wise but it’s good. Sample provided by Agave Swappers

Emerald Spear Blanco 40 abv Sample from Matt C, Agave Swappers Nose: Minty clean, minerality, slight cinnamon, pepper and hay Palate: Sweet agave, minerality/wet comment, stone fruit, anise, mint Finish: Mint comes back around with mild pepper and a sweet agave finish Other: Good mouthful, nice legs I really like this. Very enjoyable, well-balanced, easy sipper

Vessel: CT Jarrito Nose: Spearmint, Oregano, Orange, Agave, Chamomile, Grass Taste: Vanilla, Jalapeño, cinnamon Honey, Pepper Finish: Stonefruit, Limestone, Citrus, Pepper, Melon I enjoyed this one a lot! It had a lot more going on than I expected it would. This was herbal, floral, fruity and peppery but also mild. None of the notes were overpowering in the least. I

Nose is minty, agave, herbal, pallet is also same, citrus/minty blend, awesome stuff