Aroma: citrus, raw agave, vegetal, grass, tropical fruits. Palate: sweet cooked agave, tropical fruits, spices. Finish: very short, lite hint of agave.

NOM 1438 | Alcohol on the nose and in the mouth makes this tequila come off as hot and peppery. It also has some bitter oak tones that seem to sweeten a bit as the glass sits for a few minutes. This is better mixed in a margarita or paloma.

A very heavy agave on the nose with subtle hints of vanilla and Carmel. While the nose is there it is more subdued on the palate with oak coming in at the very end.

Day three,top of the label: It took me a few sniffs and a conference with my wife to be able to put my finger on the first initial note of aroma I pick up, and that is Lychee (she like them in her boba) and a candy like sweetness that reminded me of the two-tone gummy worms, the white and orange ones. After a few moments the smell of oaky caramel fills the nostrils along with some citrus and heavy pepper, the smell of alcohol is not overpowering, in a good way, but a bit stingy as well. Upon taste and swallow, I get potent sweetness and oak full blast followed by a quick flash of citrus before the rising peppery burn on my tongue and in my chest at the same time. The finish is sweet, and that lingers quite a bit, but makes the mouth and tongue feel a bit sticky. Too sweet and peppery for me to repeatedly buy but a fair budget tequila.

Nom 1173. Found at Ukiah CA Costco for $18. Aroma is fair with no agave and nothing offensive. Very light brown sugar and honey. Taste is not good with no agave but I give credit for not overly sweet. Very thin in the mouth. Finish is ok but fades with some alcohol bitterness. Of the Costco tequilas this is the “easiest” to enjoy neat. The Blanco is too additive-laden and sweet. And the Añejo is too whiskey- barrel like. For under $20 this is a great bargain and can be used in cocktails.

Excellent

Surprisingly nice aromas: citrus, sweet tropical vibe - pineapple and a little vegetal. Taste: cooked agave, again sweeter notes of tropical fruits.

Older bottle. Gets points for value. Average on all counts. Not disappointed but also would choose other bargain tequilas.

NOM 1438 | Best value in the tequila universe, hands down! I can sip this cheap stuff all day long.

NOM 1438 | Very lightly scented. I do detect some honey but I had to search for it. Medium to thin mouth feel with a peppery flavor and a slight hotness from the alcohol. Long finish with prominent bitterness. I don't like it as a drink taken neat but it would mix well. All that said, this bottle is quite inexpensive. Excellent value for sure. I'm going to let it breathe for a while and check back with it later. Update: Tasted again after allowing the glass to breathe for about 2 hrs. The nose is still very weak. Flavor is sweeter and more mellow. Finish is still long but with less bitterness. Still a little alcohol burn but not off-putting. Best to use this one for margaritas.

NOM 1438 | The description on the side of the bottle is pretty spot on: rested in white oak and ex-bourbon barrels. Aromas of pineapple and honey lead to vanilla and pepper on the palate. What it doesn't tell you is how weak the vanilla and honey are.. at least in contrast to the juice in the bottle I have. In fact, the three dominant things I notice in this tequila straight from bottle are pepper, pungent bitter oak, and pineapple pulp/core. aroma: agave, young pineapple core, pepper, hunt of bring, touch of oak taste: sweet, peppered, grilled fruit body: hints of pepper, agave, touch of honey. The oak becomes more apparent here, but it's not quite like most oak notes you find in tequila... it has a younger / pulpy character to it. a sharp but understated oak note. medium-thin mouthfeel. alcohol burn isn't offensive, but it's definitely there. let this one breathe. aftertaste: it's faint, and is the weakest part of this juice. sweet agave, pepper, hint of vanilla-citrus-honey, and a bitter oak that seems to dominate the other notes. this bitter oak is replaced by a sweetness... which may or may not just be my salivation. After letting this breathe in my wine glass for 30 minutes, I enjoyed it more. After an hour, I enjoyed it even more. After a night (~6 hours) loosely covered to prevent debris but allow air flow, it was even more well-rounded. The honey, vanilla, and agave come forward while the bitter oak is less prominent. Obviously the alcohol was very faint, and it had a thin mouthfeel. Unfortunately, the aftertaste was still short, but it was nicer. I was pleasantly surprised after letting it sit overnight. This breathing easily results in 5 to 10 more points overall, but the score you see is the score it gets without a night of breathing. 15$ for 750ml. I would aerate it and see how it contrasts. Makes really tastey margaritas straight from bottle (no aeration). Straight out of the bottle, I do like their anejo more as a sipper (the big oak in it makes it a fine cola mixer), and I do want to try their silver to see if I like it or this repo better.