Gran Cava de Oro Plata - Way Too Sweet
Once taste is all it takes. Although the aromas are good, one sip is really all you need. Once you take that first sip you'll realize, that you better really, really like overly sweet, artificial tasting sugary tequila, with a lingering sweet aftertaste or you just screwed up buying this bottle. Forty-five minutes later, I'm walking around still tasting like I ate a package of Splenda sweetener. It's going to be hard for someone to convince me that there aren't a ton of sweeteners and additives, or extra agave syrup added to this juice.
Naturally sweet is one thing in a blanco tequila, even a good thing to a certain extent, but an artificially tasting overly sweet blanco, with an aftertaste this strong, is way too much, at least for me. Maybe this is what they mean, when they say it's an "Americanized" tequila, but this is WAY too much America for me. I can't see how you can drink this. Some people like this ridiculously sweet taste and aftertaste, but I don't. This is not what a Blanco is supposed to taste like. I suppose they are aiming at newcomers, or anyone that doesn't want a burn, and just simply wants a smooth and very sweet profile. Just look at my 'Lou's Top Blanco's Under $20 List'- SEE HERE- GHOST_URL/best-blancos-under-20/#.WCCuIS0rLAU , and trust me, you'd be better off with just about any of these, and save money to boot. Gran Cava de Oro Plata/blanco is $36.99 at Zee's Old Town Superstore, but you can buy G4 there for less....trust me- DO IT!!!
Produced and bottled at Leticia Hermosillo Ravelero- in El Arenal, in the El Valle (lowlands) of Jalisco- Nom 1477. The distillery name is listed as being called Compania Tequilera Puerta de Hierro, although it doesn't say so on my bottle. They must have changed some things recently with the bottle and tequila naming. I see confusing information out there with bottles, some saying Gran in the name, and others not, and some saying blanco, while others say plata. It doesn't matter much to me, all I'm saying is if you see this bottle or another that you feel is a newer or older bottle of this same juice, you may want to run in the other direction, or spend your money on other, better tasting blancos available. Gildardo Partida Melendrez is brand owner and comes from a family of three generations of tequila producers. They mix mature Los Altos (highland) and El Valle (lowland) agaves, looking for the sweetest plants. They are 'inspected and hand-picked' by experienced agave specialists.
PRODUCTION- mixed highland and lowland agaves are slow cooked in clay/stone ovens (hornos), followed by shredder/roller milling, and natural fermentation in stainless steel tanks. A slow double distillation takes place in stainless steel pot stills.
The decent looking bottle has one of those gimmicky fill up tops. The tequila contained in the lid can hold up to 30 mL (approx 1 shot). The lid is filled manually and secured by a rubber plug.
I can see how brand new people to tequila could like this, being soft, sweet and fairly smooth to drink, but this is not high quality tequila. I only hope they go on to try other better brands, many for less money, and realize for themselves that this manipulated, overly sweet profile is not what a quality blanco is all about.
BLANCO (Plata)- approx $36.99, but I have seen this as high at $51.99, which is ridiculous. This blanco is unaged at 40% abv and is VERY artificially sweet tasting. With aromas like smoke, a pinch of spearmint, vanilla, cream and cinnamon along with some citrus, pepper and spice and maybe a pinch of sweet agave. It has a rested taste, although they say it isn't. The trouble starts once you taste it. The thin runny oils, lead to a "My SWEET Lord" moment. There's smoke and some alcohol numbing along with herbal, spice and pepper notes. Maybe even some agave, if you can differentiate it from this strong artificial tasting, sugary sweetness. It's somewhat smooth and soft, but without a doubt, the nose is a lot better than the taste.
NOSE- sweet, a pinch of cinnamon, smoke, vanilla, citrus, spearmint and a touch of pear and fruit. Some spice and pepper. Some alcohol and soft floral notes.
TASTE- thin to medium oil, artificial tasting sweetness, mild smoke, some heat numbing, mild pepper, spice and fruit. A pinch of cinnamon and somewhat smooth and soft. Did I say SWEET?
FINISH- sugary, light smoke, some spice but it's all about the artificial sweet taste, mild alcohol burn and overly sweet aftertaste.
Save your money. This Blanco is way too sweet and has a very artificial taste to me. People tell me that the aged expressions are better, but I somehow doubt it. Concerning this blanco, unless you like the type of profile... Stay Away.
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