LOWLANDS MAKING HIGH QUALITY: EL PINTOR TEQUILA BLANCO

In the world of tequila, the reposado style has always been my favorite.  While it gets some richness and spice from the oak, you still get to taste the freshness of the agave.  And while there are some tequila blancos I enjoy, none have impressed me as much as El Pintor Tequila Blanco. Such fresh flavors and impressive depth, this kind of blanco gets you to understand why some people only prefer non-aged tequila, because there is no hiding anything “off” about the spirit.

Throw a tequila that tastes a little off into ex-bourbon/sherry/rum barrels for 6+ months and that off flavor gets lost in those barrels.  And same goes for the opposite; when you make a delicious blanco, you don’t need that oak to give the spirit depth, it can stand on its own and wow.

Made with single estate agave from the Lowlands of Jalisco, El Pintor cooks their piñas in a traditional brick oven before they are broken down in two ways.  One way, the more modern, quicker way is mechanical milling.  The second way, a traditional process not used by many tequila makers anymore, is called Tahona.  These giant stone wheels usually powered by human or donkey, help smash open the cooked piña but also keep the fibers intact.  

So, during open top fermentation, not only is El Pintor’s blanco getting native/natural yeast from the air, those fibers from the Tahona-pressed agaves also add yeast.

As I mentioned before, the depth of this non-aged tequila has is amazing. Creamy texture leads to a coating mouthfeel while fresh notes of cucumber and white pepper pop on the palate.  Vibrant orange zest along with hints of minerality and soil on the finish continue the layering effect this spirit has.

This is the kind of tequila you put in your glass with some ice and keep finding new flavors on each sip.  Usually “Sipping Tequila” is reserved for Añejo or Extra Añejo, but you can sip this El Pintor Blanco all day long.