NOM 1517 | Initially marked by a scathing ethyl/alcohol presence on the first night, this spirit transforms by the fourth night, revealing more subdued and inviting notes. The softer aromas of agave, white vinegar, brine, grassiness, minerality, lemon citrus, green vegetal, and pepper become discernible. The taste exudes a dominant anise character, complemented by palatable brine and peppermint. Raw vegetation and roasted mixed nuts add depth, while lemon and tangerine citrus, along with green apple tanginess, enhances zest. Light berry and green bell pepper notes provide complexity, accompanied by a stinging jalapeno that grips the tongue. The underlying minerality, cooked agave, and a warm mouthfeel balances the overall profile. The finish is characterized by faint smoke and fading minute brine, with lingering grassiness. Fading tangerine and citrus notes, along with mint, become more delicious as they depart.

NOM 1480 | Sorry Y’all but i cant get on board with this one. From aroma to finish this is ungood. I love the label but yuck tequila.

NOM 1480 | Some high proofs are refined to the point that you don't notice the alcohol as much. Not the case with this one. It has some earthy and vegetal notes but definitely drinks hot. Worth a sip at this price point though.

NOM 1517 | Wow so much better than the original Nose- tons of agave and minerality, vegetal, earthiness, slight floral Taste- cooked agave, vanilla sweetness, little oak, mint, little earthiness, buttery ends with black pepper. Nice viscous mouthfeel

NOM 1480 | 110 Proof. Lots of alcohol on the nose. Ton of agave on the pallet. it's hot. Not my first choice for a sipper but a nice HP for the collection. I bet it would make an excellent mixer

NOM 1480 | Not bad. Not my favorite high proof. Smell of sweet agave, pepper and vanilla. taste of agave, and a bitter bite , like a grapefruit peel with a peppery finish.

NOM 1480 | Had this from the source at Tequila Las Americas. Wonderfully hot and spicy. Reminiscent of Tequila 1 (Uno) with more up-front agave and pepper. Vegetal notes with roasted nuts, anise and asparagus. This juice surprised me, in a good way.

NOM 1480 | This is rocket fuel, powerful heat in the front palette that disappears right as you think it’s going to overwhelm you. Lots of roasted agave here and the finish is completely perfect, this is too good to make cocktails with but I think it would be a perfect match!

NOM 1480 | Chocolate??? Yes Bitter dark chocolate. Fuckin KAH??

NOM 1480 | Odd nose, a combination of vanilla, mint, and grape jelly. Sweet, numbing entry, almost acidic. That overly sweet note continues through the finish. The addition of water takes the acidity, but the sweetness persists. The sweet taste is too dominant, throwing the experience out of balance.

NOM 1480 | Aroma has a more subdued vegetal nose than others with just a bit of clay and fruit. Heat is upfront in the flavor but without the strong burn exhibited in some of the other high proof blancos. There is also another distinct flavor I can't pinpoint - almonds? The finish is warm and moderate to long.

NOM 1480 | soft agave hits the nose followed by gentle vanilla, citrus and slight pepper. very subtle aroma. extraordinary. complex on the tongue. fruity, peppery, and tartness of anise. solid taste that I enjoyed the more I drank it. by the end I really appreciated it's complexity, but this is not a tequila for the Ill prepared tongue.

NOM 1480 | Sweet chemical on the nose. Flavor had light agave but big chemical on the tongue. Finish was spicy little flavor.

NOM 1480 | This stuff is magical. Too many to note all aromas and flavors. Every sip is new experience it keeps evolving. Butterscotch Hot Buttered rum Licorice on the back of the throat. A real kick in the pants.

NOM 1480 | From a blind tasting. Nice pearls in the glass when pouring indicitive of the higher proof of this and all the samples. Typical of what is seen in 90+ proof mezcal. Some oiliness and viscosity in the mouth along with some earthy, vegetal notes that I haven't tasted with any of the other samples. Interesting, very interesting. It wasn't until the brands were revealed that I learned that this sample was from an second bottling which some think isn't as good and drastically different from what it was in the first bottling and release. Different? Yes, but I personally don't dislike the 2 ounces I had to sample with. ymmv

NOM 1480 | The aroma is very unique. I get green apple but also has a slightly briny note. Not a ton of agave but it's there. The flavor has a lot of the apple note mixed with some pepper and agave. It finishes with a very tannic and effervescent note. This is a great high proof tequila. One that can easily be sipped.

NOM 1480 | Original Release: El Luchador has a very pleasant aroma complexity with a dominant pepper note, nicely interchanging with minor note of orange blossom, agave and some cinnamon, everything is magically interlaced with a clear sweet cake batter aroma. While smelling it amazingly you don't detect much alcohol on front, frankly much less than many 80 proof blancos, only a delayed burning in the back wall of your nose in the end reminds you, that you are after all dealing with an ovenproof beast. On the palate it keeps many of its promises although with a little less complexity. A nice agave presence only muted down by a fun alcohol spice and pineapple notes and some mild "suspicious" sweetness. A pleasent oily and creamy mouthfeel and a long tingling agave finish. Excluding Fortaleza, which I find to be in a category by itself, this one is probably one of the absolute best "modern" tequila. Although if I may, I find it to be a little bit too by "design" and in the end I kind of miss an unpredictable rustic element... If that's a thing. Current Release (2015), blind rated 66 overall: Blind tasted. This one has a very particular aroma. Very little agave, some sweetness and a distinct medicinal smell. Not of my likings, although I can't really say I completely dislike it. In the palate the experience is very similar. A particular medicinal/vegetal taste. Quite a lot of alcohol burn and taste. Some bitterness. in the medium to long finish finally some agave appears. The finish I would say it's its best feature, but over all I don't really like it much.

NOM 1480 | Newer lot. Aroma: agave with hints of acetone and rubber. Nice thick mouth feel, but something in the flavor immediately makes me wince. There's agave and pepper there, but I'm getting a big hit on the palate of something like sour spoiled coffee grounds. The finish is full and lingering which may not be a good thing since the off flavor comes with it. The agave/spice/pepper is also present in the finish. This version is not like the initial release. So very sad about this. The original lot was damn near perfect juice. Don't buy this unless you can find a low # bottle, less than bottle #2000 may be the sweet spot, or unless Don Ravandi goes back to the original formula. The review below is for the initial product release. Rated blind. This was nearly perfect juice. 25/29/24/8—96 points overall. From the same NOM as other noted organics—Don Abraham, Grand Leyenda, and 1, 2, 3—and more notably, from the same producer as 1, 2, 3 (all of these also in my library). Same bottle and packaging as 1, 2, 3, with different graphics by the same artist, even the same Pantone red ink! El Luchador seems to have been a response to the needs of leading mixologists, but what a gift to the aficionados as well! VS 1,2,3 Uno: The alcohol is much more prominent, née dominant, on the nose of the 80 proof 123 Uno compared to the 110 El Luchador. The nose of El Luchador is gorgeous and complex. I could spend hours enjoying the nose alone. One would expect aromas to be more intense in a still-strength spirit, but it's very surprising to find the agave taking center stage over the alcohol compared to its 80 proof cousin. El Luchador has a thicker, more oily mouthfeel than the Uno as well. I could stop here, and El Luchador would be worthy of high recommendation, and I haven't even gotten to flavor or finish. The flavor of El Luchador is agave and citrus, in keeping with the Tequila Valley (although this comes from the higher portion of the valley—4,200ft). The labeling suggests "racy agave, lemon pepper, and sea salt aromas," but these could also be indicated in the "creamy, full-bodied flavors" as well. The words gorgeous and buttery come to my mind. If you look for it, you may find a touch of smoke from the roasting process as well. The finish of El Luchador holds true to the promise made by the aroma and flavor—long, creamy, wet, and peppery—with the flavor lingering as a major component of the finish. In my mind, this replaces Uno. Don Ravandi has really outdone himself with his new entry! When can I buy a reposado? Grand Leyenda and Don Abraham don't compare either. This is now my top rated tequila of any brand or expression and has probably rendered a large part of my library obsolete.

NOM 1480 | With a cinnamon and white pepper aroma and red hot flavor this is an impressive 110 proof blanco.

NOM 1480 | Sadly, I have to re-rate this tequila because it is very different than it once was. The flavor profile has completely changed, and it's not to my liking at all. Too bad.

NOM 1517 ... amazing flavor, with cinnamon heat from the high proof. Love it!

Sample from Robert Meyers Tasted in Chisholm Trail Mezcal/HP Glass Aroma: Sweet Cooked Agave, Vegetal, Grass, Anise, Minerals, Earth, Citrus, Floral, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Brine Taste: Very Sweet Cooked Agave, Black Pepper, Vegetal, then Anise, Herbal, Citrus, Minerals, Earthy, Some Floral and Grass, and Black Pepper turns to Cinnamon on the finish!

NOM 1517 | I’ve had two bottles from the old distillery, 1480, and just got two from 1517. The new blend is better, for my taste; but I did like the old one.

NOM 1517 | Nice agave aroma with cinnamon and citrus. On the pallet oily warmth cooked agave and cinnamon. It has a little citrus kick due to the high proof but is very easy to drink. Good tequila!

NOM 1480 | Lot 7 NOM 1480