TEQUILA for Sipping and Savouring

Cascahuin Reposado

Brilliant reposado with some creaminess and barrel flavours softening some of the stronger agave notes, but with a long, slightly fiery, and very peppery finish. The resposado from Cascahuin is the sort of workhorse, everyday tequila that is just as good in a drink as it is a sipper that exudes quality and a sense of place.

843706 $80-85

Siempre Plata Tequila

A consistent high performer at our Alberta Beverage Awards, the Plata from Siempre is expressive on the nose, but smooth and full with peppery, agave notes, a clean salinity, and a lengthy, but still mellow finish that goes on and on. A fine sipping example, but a treat in classic cocktails that don’t need too much tequila kick.

CSPC 785712 $65-70

Rey Campero Joven Mezcal Artesanal

An incredible, smoky, saline, and yes, perhaps a little bit of a sexy spirit too with so much going on from start to finish showboating rich agave characters,

BY TOM FIRTH AND LINDA GARSON

but also chipped stone and an almost coppery note. A mezcal that exudes that sense of place that most spirits only dream of showing. Not for the faint of heart, but a beautiful sipper regardless.

848466 $51-55

Cimarron Blanco

Refined might not quite be the word one wants when talking about tequila, but this blanco from the Jalisco foothills is quite a treat. Clean – exceptionally clean with smoothness from the start to the finish with lifted salinity, a mild roasted earthiness, and a long finish. A sipping tequila in every sense, it’s also going to make some smoooooth margaritas.

878823 $55-60

Tequila Tromba Blanco

Master Distiller Marco Cedano is a pioneer of premium tequila, and has worked with well-known luxury brands, but Tromba is his distillery and his brand. His Blanco starts with a clean, sweet nose leading to fresh and lively, tropical fruit flavours with detectable minty highlights. It would be perfect for a Ranch Water cocktail but very satisfying to sip neat.

797397 $51

Cascahuin Blanco Tahona

Another brilliant example of blanco tequila with a bright and brassy nose that is quite herbal, peppery, and saline too. Full flavoured, with all that earthiness tequila traditionally has, this is nice and chewy with a slightly tannic feel on the finish. A fine example to drink when the seaside is calling, but will mix well in drinks where you want to taste the tequila too.

843708 $135-145

Mijenta Tequila Blanco

‘Mijenta’ comes from Mi Gente, ‘my people’ – your family or community that share the same beliefs, but you might not want to share this blanco tequila. Awarded Best in Class at the 2023 Alberta Beverage Awards, this sipping tequila has an intense and seductive, sweet nose of vanilla and honeydew melon that follow on the palate right through to the lengthy finish.

859525 $90-95

Patron Reposado

Possibly Mexico’s biggest craft distillery, as instead of increasing production with technology, Patron add more tahonas and more small-batch copper pot stills. Having aged for around four months, the reposado has a light golden colour with aromas of fresh agave and vanilla from the wood, that combine with baking spices and a hint of honey on the palate. One for Margaritas!

814065 $70-80

Don Adriano Añejo Ultra-Premium

You’ll be surprised when you open the hand-painted ceramic bottle, at the intense amber colour of this añejo tequila, and on bringing it closer – the intense maple, marmalade, and vanilla aromas, but it all makes sense when you know that Don Adriano’s Ultra-Premium expression has aged for 18 months in French oak wine barrels. Enjoy after dinner like a good whisky.

886970 $245-252

Mitre Origen Joven Mezcal Artesanal

A stunner, and proof that mezcal can be just as good (if not better sometimes) that tequila with a clean, almost perfumed aroma offset by some clay amphora style mineral or earthy notes but still a little salty and a little smoky too. Deeply layered on the palate, it’s also quite soft too. Perhaps it’s the bottling strength of 37.5 percent, but this one is easy to sip and easier to mix too.

887782 $50-55

Atanasio Origenes Blanco Espíritu Fuerte

As it says on the label, ‘producto artesanal’, this tiny production tequila from ‘Maestro Tequilero” distiller Rene Carranza is really smooth - peppery and herbal, with grassy and minty notes, and just a hint of citrus, and even at 46 percent ABV, drinks far too easily without the need for any water. It will come as no surprise that it was a winner at our 2023 Alberta Beverage Awards!

884903 $115-125

Tres Generations Tequila Plata

Distilled three times, and made at the same distillery since 1873, this modern tequila keeps one foot in tradition and one in the modern era. Smokey, saline, and just a little earthy on the nose, this bottle is exceptionally smooth across the palate while still carrying robust flavours, easing into a subtle white pepper finish. A sipping tequila that would also work nicely in a variety of cocktails.

727418 $85-90

El Tequileño Cristalino Reposado

Cristalino is blanco tequila aged in oak and then filtered, usually through charcoal, to strip away the colour from the wood and leave a clear spirit that looks like blanco but with the complex flavours from barrel aging. El Tequileño Cristalino has tropical fruit flavours possibly from the 150-yearold mango trees surrounding the distillery, and a hint of vanilla. Drink on the rocks with clear ice.

836470 $70

Nobleza 33 Tequila Reposado Legado Alberta’s newest ultra premium tequila has just arrived in our province. ‘Legado’ (the Legacy) is distllled by legendary tequila master, Felipe Camarena, at El Pandillo, from deep well water beneath the distillery, and with 5 percent agave fibre. Aged seven months in American oak sherry barrels, the flavour really comes through in every dark golden, complex, brown sugar, sweet, and luscious sip.

CSPC 104278 $150

Tequila Fortaleza Blanco, Still Strength

Possibly one of the most sought-after tequilas, due to legendary master distiller, Guillermo Sauza’s traditional, small batch production (exactly as his great-greatgrandfather made it). In hand-blown bottles with a hand-painted agave piña stopper, Still Strength is wonderfully rustic and vegetal, and as it sounds, bottled from the copper pot still with no dilution. Treat with respect and maybe add a drop of water to open it up a little.

844683 around $140-150

El Tequileño Sassenach Select

Well, here’s a thing – and a pretty darned amazing thing too if you like premium tequila and good Scotch. El Tequileño joined forces with actor and founder of Sassenach Spirits, Sam Heughan, to create this limited edition, double wood reposado - El Tequileño tequila aged two years in American oak barrels and finished in French oak for four months. Think sea salt caramel and toasty oak, you might swear this was whisky!

884903 $115-125