Disappointing after the Blanco, this doesn't feel manipulated in the mouth but certainly smells and tastes that way. I totally agree with another rating that calls this a vanilla bomb, as it is. Not at all what was expected after the Blanco and prior rated Añejo. Sad

From a mini bottle on sale from OldTown. Light in the mouth with clean agave, pepper, some caramelized sweetness. A short finish holds this back a bit but this very sippable.

Agave, caramel, and oak on the nose. Barrel spice and some cinnamon. Then there’s a sweetness that reminds me of French oak but their “premium” uses American, so I’m not sure. There’s a sweet fruity note that is almost like dates. If I was nosing this blind, I’d think it was an añejo. Excellent nose. There’s a bit of Ethanol but it opens up and that disappears entirely. Cooked agave, some vanilla. Not really a lot going on. Definitely a little oak and pepper, possibly the caramel but it’s faint and it could be the nose tricking me. Short finish. Overall Pretty decent. For $25, it’s decent enough as a sipper but I felt the blanco was tastier, the oak is overpowering for me, and I’m not loving it. Still good, but I think Arette reposado is a better budget buy.

The nose is a little mild, but the agave is front and center. A little citrus, some ethanol, and a note of almost over ripe fruit. A bit of pepper. As it opens up, the ethanol dissipates and I get more sweet baking spice notes. On the palate, cooked agave front and center. Very oily, full bodied. Citrus is there, leaning towards orange peel for me. A little bit of brine, some pepper. A nice appropriate sweetness. Wow, this one took me by surprise. I would put this right up there with Arette in terms of value and taste, it’s decently sippable but cheap enough that I’d have no problem putting this in an cocktail. Overall very solid budget blanco. Picked up at Ramirez in LA for about $20.