Tequila Exotico Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

EXOTICO BLANCO TEQUILA

DISTILLER: Exotico, a Luxco company. The tequila is made by the Gonzalez family in Jalisco, Mexico.
MASH BILL: 100% Agave
AGE: Unrested/Unaged
YEAR: 2018
PROOF: 80 (40% ABV)
MSRP: $12.99 – local price in Indiannapolis
BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher.com

Brent's NOTES

NOSE: Mineral/Baby Oil, some floral notes and roasted agave

TASTE: This is extremely smooth for a Blanco. Very easy to sip. Tons of vanilla flavor, some mint as well as a honey like sweetness. This is delicious.

FINISH: For me most tequilas don’t have the longer finish that you usually get with bourbon. This one was short and sweet. There wasn’t much that stayed with me. It had a smooth and clean finish that didn’t seem to linger at all. Maybe it’s me but I just don’t get a finish from tequila that I get from bourbon.

SHARE WITH: Everyone. This is a great Blanco. You can shoot it, mix it, cook with it, pair it with food, you choose. It just works. It’s a great product and very approachable at the price. Hell, you spend more on lunch sometimes. Go for it and make this your house or bar tequila. You won’t be disappointed.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes. At $12.99 for a 750 ml bottle locally you can’t go wrong. I’d put this up against Blancos at more than double or even triple this price.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Just go buy a bottle already. You’ve spent $15 at Starbucks and trust me, you and your friends will have a LOT more fun drinking this.

OVERALL: This is a great Blanco. I usually don’t order Blanco when I’m out at a bar or restaurant because I just consider Blancos for mixing. After my last two tastings, I’m going to have to reconsider my position. This is really good. It’s very smooth and perfect for sipping, not too raw or overpowering like some of the mass produced stuff out there. There is a ton of vanilla on the palate and it is surprisingly sweet. It doesn’t have the harsh up front aroma that a lot of tequilas typically have. This one is much more delicate and approachable and somewhat hides a bit behind the nose. This is surprisingly complex for a Blanco and is a tremendous value for the price point. I think this beats the pants off of a lot of other brands that are priced much higher than this one. I consider this an absolute steal at $12.99/bottle. I’ve had better Blancos but never one this good at this price point. I’d put this against Patron Silver any day of the week in a blind tasting and that doesn’t even take into account that it costs a fraction of what anyone charges for Patron. If you are looking for a sipping Blanco, this is an amazing value. If you need a Blanco for your bar, this is it. If you want to blow the minds of any die hard Patron fans, give them this and save them money. You’ll be a hero.

BRAND NOTES

Premium, unaged 100% blue agave tequila produced in the highlands and lowlands of Jalisco. Tequila you can appreciate with a sip or use to elevate any drink.

TASTING NOTES
Our perfectly clear Blanco has a crisp, herbal aroma with spicy undertones and a robust taste of fresh agave with hints of pepper and herbal notes. Finishes with a fresh wave of heat followed by a balanced spice.

NOSE
A crisp and herbal aroma with spicy undertones.

BOTTLE DETAILS

EXOTICO REPOSADO TEQUILA

DISTILLER: Exotico, a Luxco company. The tequila is made by the Gonzalez family in Jalisco, Mexico.
MASH BILL: 100% Agave
AGE: 6 Months
YEAR: 2018
PROOF: 80 (40% ABV)
MSRP: $12.99 – local price in Indiannapolis
BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher.com

Brent's NOTES

NOSE: Great nose on this one, much better than the Blanco, but that’s to be expected after some time in the barrel. This one smells much more how you’d expect traditional tequila to smell. I definitely get some vanilla and a bit of spice but it’s hard to pin down exactly what spice. It’s not pepper or cinnamon, possibly some burnt sugar but I also pick up some of the oak/wood notes.

TASTE: There isn’t nearly the sweetness on the palate that the Blanco has but that is not a bad thing. There is a lot more depth and you can really pick up the difference the time in the barrel adds when compared to the Blanco. The vanilla sweetness is still there but it’s much more complex due to the aging. I also get a bit light caramel or burnt sugar. This is a really good tequila.

FINISH: For me most tequilas don’t have a hard time getting much of the finish that you usually get with bourbon. This one left a bit of the earthy agave with some sweetness but it doesn’t stay with you or leave you with a warmth or burn.

SHARE WITH: Tequila drinkers and anyone who thinks they might be. This is a really good Reposado. You can sip on this all night long, or you can mix it and not feel bad that you’re wasting a premium tequila in a bunch of fruity sugar water or juice mix due to the very low price. It’s a bit more complex than the Blanco representation and that may turn off a novice, but anyone who enjoys tequila should like this. If you have some tequila snob friends, try and give this to them blind and see what they think. I bet you dollars to doughnuts that they think it’s as good if not better than anything within $30 of the price of this at retail.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes. At $12.99 for a 750 ml bottle locally you can’t go wrong. Is this the best Reposado I’ve ever had? No, but it’s damn good and if you’ve ever ordered a Reposado out at a bar, you’ve most likely spent more than this bottle will cost you at retail.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Again, go buy a bottle already. It’s really good and it’s super cheap. I’ve spent more on a glass of reposado neat at a restaurant.

OVERALL: This is a very impressive Reposado. When you factor in the low price, it could be the best value in the tequila market in my opinion. The barrel aging process really shines here, where the Blanco was very forward on the palate with lots of vanilla and sweetness, the Reposado is much more complex. The sweetness is more muted and the aging from the barrel really changes this tequila. There is a lot more going on but the flavors are all a bit muted, but not in a bad way. You can’t go wrong with a bottle of this for less than $15. I’ve spent way more than $12.99 on a glass of tequila at a bar that wasn’t half as good as this. To be able to score a bottle of this at retail for this price is nothing short of robbery. If you enjoy tequila this just may become your new go to sipper.

BRAND NOTES

Premium 100% blue agave tequila aged for six months in white oak bourbon barrels for an enhanced, yet mellow flavor. Crafted in Jalisco to raise your expectations as well as your standards.

TASTING NOTES
The taste is a blend of vanilla, dry fruit and spices, with a finish of oak and vanilla as well as hints of caramel and cinnamon.

NOSE
The aroma is a blend of vanilla, dry fruit and spices, with a finish of oak and wood.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.