Muted nose but sweet palate with a long finish. Heat mid palate. Very sweet, it’s the Marsala barrels.

Cinco de mayo 2023. I forgot I didn’t rate this one when I bought it. As usual, good stuff. The aroma is excellent with all the great Fortaleza notes plus some jammy fruit-probably from the Marsala barrel. The Taste is great but a bit hot. I’m very used to the still strength but there is some extra alcohol for me—at least today. In the back end of the taste I get some “dark” flavors that linger a while. The finish is long and good but with some bitterness that I do not appreciate and is unexpected in an aged Fortaleza. Overall aroma is excellent, taste is great and finish is ok.

haven't had the WB2019 but I've tried WB2020, WV2021 and WB2022. my fave is 2022, then 2020, then 2021. rating downgraded due to cost Would love to do a blind d side-by-side with all four

2021 Fortaleza Winter Blend No LOTE: - WB - R - 031174 46.3% ABV Initial nasal impact is warming. The aroma leads with cooked agave, vanilla, melted butter, cinnamon, baking spice, orchard fruit and some wine notes complete this outstanding nose. Buttery mouthfeel with generous alcohol. The 46.3% ABV doesn't hide behind anything. Cooked agave and french oak are the standout flavors, followed by vanilla, honey and butter. The marsala is noticed on the finish and retro nasal. Orchard fruit and baking spice are also present on the medium to long finish.

This brings more fruit and more viscosity than the standard repo. It is certainly very good but the value is not there, still I love the variation.

I love the minerality on this variation and finishing it in wine casks adds a grape flavor and aroma that is pleasant. Not sure I like it as much as other winter blends but definitely with a try.

From a 1530 Project tasting kit. More fruit on the nose than the usual Fortaleza Reposado this is presented at just above still strength. A nice bite from the higher ABV on entry as well as agave spice and pepper. I like it, but much of the Fortaleza profile is changed for this. I would like to see a Still Strength Reposado added to the line as well as the special WB releases to be able to compare and contrast.

Blessed to receive a sample from TequilaMockingbird. On the nose, Fruit, cinnamon, cooked agave, in that order. Vanilla and caramel, some butterscotch. Something like a sweet cream or butter. A tiny bit if that salinity/brineyness. Very nice nose. Sweet tobacco in the empty glass. On the palate, Nothing tells me this is 46%, goes down like a dream. Silky, oily mouthfeel. Lots of sweet, cooked agave up front, some nice fruity notes and that caramel and butterscotch is coming through nicely. I’m getting those baking spices, a soft but present vanilla, the vanilla bean specifically. This is definitely sweeter and spicier than the standard Reposado. Overall. Very good, and I’m super thrilled to have been given a sample. This is an exceptional offering from Fortaleza but in my opinion, it doesn’t warrant almost 3x the price of the repo or the still strength. At $75-90, maybe even up to $100-110, I’d comfortably try to add a couple bottles to my collection, but at $130 bare minimum, it’s a little tough. Still, it really is delicious and if you don’t share my perspective on value, it’s truly delicious.

The initial aroma is very similar to the Fortaleza Reposado, which is a blend of sweet cooked agave, a citrusy minerality, and light oak with vanilla. The flavor showcases the higher proof, similar to the Still Strength, but with an added infusion of light vanilla sweetness and a buttery consistency. The finish consists of a delicious burst of vegetal and citrus flavors, combined with a balanced agave and vanilla sweetness that lingers on the palate afterwards. Expensive, but it’s still one of the best reposados money can buy.

Well so far of the 3 version still love the 2019 one. Dont get me wrong is good but for me I can buy something else better for my taste at that price. Well made to keep those flavor anything coming from this destilery is well made.

The nose is creamy cooked agave. It’s fruity and floral with a slight acidic note. I also get hints of strawberries which I’ve never detected in a tequila before. The agave and alcohol present themselves first. I then get the sweet notes from the French oak and some fruity acidic notes from the Marsala wine influence. There’s a nice white pepper in the background from the higher proof. The price kept it from a 90 rating.

Ethanol on the nose… slight tart sweetness… you can taste the Marsala notes some heat from the 92 proof… gets better as it opens up

This is different. Agave right into a red wine like fruitiness. (Grapes/cherries). The more you drink the best it get.

Finding this bottle in a retail store is running $150 to $300. Sorry, I love everything Fortaleza, but they have created something so hyped up, the cost doesn’t match the Reposado tequila. Very nice, balanced but I would drink all their other expressions first. Salud

Aroma of sweet prunes/figs, agave, and familiar Fortaleza scent. Some floral and wine characteristics as well. Flavor seems a little dryer than previous years and the Marsala notes are balanced well and not overpowering. Also, not as sweet as others have mentioned. Still very well done and distinctive. However 2020 still ranks as my personal favorite.

I taste agave, pepper, clove, cinnamon, honey, and citrus. The cask proof wakes you up, with a fairly long finish that is both dry and tingles all over—like a brisk winter night. I was worried the Marsala cask would impart too much sweetness—and it does deliver a great nose, but on taste it leans more dry. It’s delicious! Update: revisiting and tasting this side-by-side with the other WB and it’s sweeter than I remember.

On the nose it’s perfect! You definitely get the wine aroma accompanied with lots of spice. It’s got a dry peppery taste with a soothing finish. Beautiful expression.

Compared to the standard 40% Repo, the 2021 WB has a spicy, peppery, cinnamon slap in the palate that warms you on a cold night.

Aroma: The fragrance spreading as you open the bottle will be inviting you to indulge in it. It such a harmonic aroma of spiced cooked agave and hints of calientito (Mexican holiday ponche). Baking spices along with baked fruits (some tecojote) Flavor: The aroma notes described above are present and become elevated as you sip on it, but this time you obtain those sweet and acidic notes from when you drink a calientito. Imagine having vanilla, apple, guayaba, tecojote, piloncillo sprinkled with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and anise. It will set you on a holiday mood instantly. I was expecting additional Marsala wine distinctive notes (as usually found when cooking), but also appreciate it didn’t overpower the agave soul. Texture: Velvety entrance that evolve to a very enjoyable ‘dance’ in your palate. It’s complexity due to the aging method and spiced up layers reminds you about the 46.3% abv (which I love).

Nose before swirling: Red wine, melted butter, agave, and spice mix consisting of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and confectioners sugar. A faint whiff of oak sawdust. Nose post swirl: Vanilla bean, light colored tree fruit and prominent velvety agave. A slightly acidic snap to the aroma. Roasted filberts. Ripe darker colored fruit scents emerge and marry/integrate with the Marsala notes making for a warm round impression. I’m crazy about the nose on this. Flavor: Spicy, oily and viscous - with piercing pepper and a reminder that there is extra ethanol present. You can feel the heat as it journeys through the body. Still abundant fruit and agave - but more a background player to the pepper and cinnamon red hot spice. A tiny bit of bitters. Finish: All elements settle into place by the time you get to the finish. The Marsala wine barreling, which I had feared might dominate the profile - did not. I love what the fertile minds at Fortaleza bring to us each November. Thanks.

Nose: Agave, Vanilla, Tobacco, Carmel, Sawdust, Butter, Leather, Dates, Baking Spices Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied Palate: Raisin, Oak, Cinnamon, Heat Finish: Carmel, Raisin, Date, Mineral This was wonderful! Got this as a sample from a friend, Ned. I got a lot of dried fruit and a lot of robust flavors. This WB from 2021 had a great ratio of sweet to robust flavors and aromas. Win! Would've scored higher if the MSRP wasn't as high as it was.

Fruits, brine, light caramel and butterscotch, dry, black tea

Bottle #3061. Lovely agave with great barrel character. paid $180 but pretty happy with that.

Perfect barrel influence. Rich agave, minerals and citrus in check with toffee, vanilla and oak. Hints of caramel and citrus in the finish. One fine pour.

LWB-R-03. Bottled on 05-11-2021. Color: very pale yellow. Aroma: raw agave, grassy, herbaceous, acidic, slightly rotten grape skin. Red apples. Palate: slightly astringent, raw agave, very light sweetness, peppery. Finish is medium to long, raw agave, slightly acidic persist.