Tasting Tequila with Brad

Tequila Providencia Añejo Review: Is it worth the hype? In this episode, I’m tasting Tequila Providencia Añejo and putting the story, celebrity connection, beautiful bottle, and branding aside to focus on what matters most — what’s actually inside the bottle. Providencia is a Highland tequila made with 100% Blue Weber Agave at NOM 1465 and bottled at 40% ABV / 80 proof. The Añejo is aged in oak fo...

Tequila Travel Guide: How to Visit Distilleries in Jalisco | 31 Trips Later Planning a trip to Tequila Country for the first time? After visiting 31 tequila distilleries over the last 30 months, Brad shares what he has learned about traveling through tequila country in Jalisco, Mexico. This is a practical Tequila Travel Guide covering where to go, how to get around, how many distilleries to visit...

Apple Brandy Barrels?! Cascahuín x RAREcask Calvados Tequila Review Apple brandy barrels and tequila?! In this episode of Tasting Tequila with Brad, Brad Niccum reviews the Cascahuín x RAREcask Calvados, a limited distillery-only tequila aged for 18 months in Calvados barrels. This unique collaboration brings together the traditional character of Tequila Cascahuín (NOM 1123) with barrels that prev...

The REAL Story of Chamucos Tequila | Mark Howard Reveals How a Legacy Brand Was Built The REAL story behind Chamucos Tequila is finally here. In this exclusive interview, Mark Howard, owner and co-founder of Chamucos Tequila, shares the incredible journey behind one of Mexico's distinctive legacy tequila brands. From discovering tequila as an almost non-drinker in Mexico to becoming an importer, b...

The Secret Is the Water? Volans Blanco Tequila Review Most tequila drinkers talk about the agave, the oven, the tahona, and fermentation—but what about the water? Today, I'm tasting Volans Blanco, a tequila made with three different water sources: rainwater, natural spring water, and water from a 450+ foot deep well. Produced at NOM 1579, El Pandillo by master distiller Felipe Camarena, Volans bri...

Bebemos Tequila Review: The Accidental Distillery Visit Behind NOM 1560 What happens when you accidentally walk into the wrong distillery and discover a tequila you didn't even know existed? That's exactly how I found Bebemos Tequila at NOM 1560, Casa Marengo Distilleria in El Arenal, Jalisco. I got to see the production process firsthand—from Valley Blue Weber Agave and traditional masonry ovens...

Cayeya Reposado Tequila Review: 6 Months in Oak & Recycled Beer Bottles What happens when the same tequila goes from Blanco to Reposado and spends six months in oak? Today, we're finding out with Cayeya Reposado. I recently reviewed Cayeya Blanco, and now we're taking a closer look at what six months in a combination of American and French oak barrels does to this tequila. Cayeya is produced a...

Why Rest a Blanco? Polanco vs Tierra de Ensueño Barrel-Rested Tequila What if a tequila could spend time in an oak barrel and still legally be called a Blanco? Today, I'm putting two barrel-rested Blancos head-to-head: Polanco Blanco and Tierra de Ensueño Blanco. Both have spent time in oak, but they show two very different personalities. As a tequila lover, I especially enjoy Blancos because they...

Mexican Whisky?! I Tried Ōlta — Agave-Smoked Barley & Tequila Barrels I'm a tequila guy, so what am I doing with a bottle of Mexican Whisky? When I heard the story behind Ōlta Mexican Whisky, I knew I had to try it. This isn't a typical whiskey review—because almost every part of this whisky connects back to Mexico, agave, and the world I already know so well. Ōlta is made in Pátzcuaro, Michoa...

500 Years of Mexican History & Tequila: The Story of Clase 33 with Luis Mejía What if you could taste 500 years of Mexican history through tequila? In this fascinating conversation, Luis Mejía Ahrens of Clase 33 takes us on a journey through the history of Mexico and the evolution of agave spirits—from the earliest forms of agave distillation to the modern tequila production methods we see tod...

Sotol Blind Tasting: Which One Wins? 4 Mexican Sotols Put to the Test What happens when you take four completely different sotols, remove the labels, and taste them completely blind? Today, I'm putting Sol2Noches, Acrónimo, La Pulga, and Naiche head-to-head to find out which one stands out the most. Once these bottles go into the blind tasting, the labels, brand reputation, and price no longer mat...

I Make Mistakes in Tequila — But Here’s Why I Keep Doing This I’m going to get things wrong. And I know that’s probably a strange way to start a tequila video, but it’s the truth. I really try to be good at this, but the more time I spend in Mexico, the more distilleries I visit, and the more master distillers, brand owners, and people in the tequila industry I talk to, the more I realize how much...

Inside NOM 1675: The Different Side of Tequila at Casa Tequilera Joselito Tequila isn’t just about the Highlands and the Valley. On this trip, Tony and I headed somewhere completely different—around Lake Chapala to Tezán El Alto, Jalisco, to visit Casa Tequilera Joselito, NOM 1675, the home of Espíritu Bramido. We had already spent time talking with Master Distiller Oswaldo González about what the...

Valor Single Barrel Tequila: A Barrel With a Purpose Some people have problems with single barrel tequilas. For me, this is one of the reasons I love them. In this video, I take you behind the scenes of my personal Valor Añejo single barrel selection at NOM 1599 Familia Landeros, just outside San Pedro Los Landeros. This bottle isn't officially bottled yet, and there isn't an official label on it...

LOTE M77 Reposado: The Story Behind This Craft Tequila | Exclusive Interview with Eric Discover the story behind LOTE M77 in this exclusive interview with founder Eric, a military veteran, tequila entrepreneur, and passionate advocate for craft tequila. We dive into the journey behind LOTE M77, the brand’s micro-batch philosophy, and the careful decisions that make each lot unique. In this episode...

Accidental Joven: What Happens When You Mix Two Elevación 1250 Tequilas? What happens when you accidentally mix two Elevación 1250 tequilas that were never supposed to be mixed? You might just create something incredible. In this video, I recreate the accidental Joven made by combining Elevación 1250 Blanco Rosa and Añejo Rosa Fuerte in a 1:1 ratio to find out if this unexpected combination is act...

Tequila Made With Fire?! AMATITENA Blanco Review | Inside NOM 1477 What happens when tequila is made with mesquite wood fire from start to finish? I recently visited NOM 1477 in Amatitán, Jalisco, with my wife Tony and witnessed firsthand how AMATITENA is produced using an incredibly traditional approach to tequila making. AMATITENA is made by Maestro Tequilero Alberto Partida at Taller de Laa de...

How Jeronimo Taught Me to Taste Mezcal Differently | Mezcal Local Review I've been tasting agave spirits for over 20 years, but one conversation completely changed the way I approach mezcal. After sitting down with Jeronimo, founder of Mezcal Local, I learned a completely different way to experience mezcal—and in this video, I'm putting that method to the test. Today, I'm tasting Mezcal Local usin...

Tequila Cayeya Blanco Review: Hype or Hidden Gem? | First Taste Can a tequila with an incredible bottle actually deliver an incredible tequila? Today, I’m tasting **Cayeya Blanco** for the first time to find out if this beautifully crafted bottle is a true **hidden gem** or simply more hype than substance. Cayeya Blanco is currently produced at **NOM 1424, Destiladora de Agave Azul**, in San Juani...

Is This How Tequila Should Be Made? | Exclusive Volans Tequila Interview What does it really take to create a great tequila? In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Chad and Cristina Allen, the owners of Volans Tequila, to explore the story behind the brand, their journey from music into tequila, and their partnership with legendary Master Distiller Felipe Camarena at El Pandillo Distillery...

Can one master distiller completely change a tequila? Today, I'm putting that question to the test with a blind tasting of Casa México Blanco. I have two bottles of Casa México in front of me: one representing the tequila made before Maestra Tequilera Ana María Romero Mena took over the production side of the brand, and the newer version made under her direction. The challenge is simple: Can I tel...

Can I Guess the Agave? Don Amado Mezcal Blind Tasting! Can I actually identify different agave varieties if you take the labels off? Today, I'm putting that question to the test with a blind tasting of Don Amado Mezcal. I have four different Don Amado expressions poured completely blind, including Arroqueño, Tepeztate, Tobalá & Bicuishe, and Largo, with Rústico serving as a familiar Espadín-ba...

Viva Agave Silver: NOT TEQUILA? This $20 Agave Spirit Is Worth Buying! What if one of the most interesting $20 bottles on the shelf technically isn't tequila at all? In this review, I taste Viva Agave Silver, a 100% Blue Weber Agave spirit made in Jalisco and sold as a Destilado de Agave / Agave Spirit rather than tequila. At around $19.99 for a full liter, Viva Agave takes a very different approa...

The Tequila That Stole a Pisco Idea? Siempre Exclusivo Vivo vs. La Madrina Pisco What if one of the most unusual tequilas ever made borrowed a production philosophy from Peruvian pisco? In this episode of Tasting Tequila with Brad, we explore the fascinating connection between **La Madrina Pisco** from Peru and **Siempre Exclusivo Vivo**, a unique tequila made with Sergio Cruz at NOM 1414. Pisco a...

2 NEW Tequilas! Cultura 100 Joven High Proof & Casa Cultura Blanco | Full Review Two NEW tequilas are here—and both bring something very different to the table! In this episode of Tasting Tequila with Brad, we take a deep dive into two exciting new releases: **Cultura 100 Joven High Proof** and **Casa Cultura Blanco**. First, we explore the brand-new **Cultura 100 Joven High Proof**, a unique...