Tasting Tequila with Brad

Can I Identify These Tequila Aromas Blind? | Train My Tequila Nose Welcome back to another episode of Train My Tequila Nose! In this blind aroma challenge, my wife selected three mystery aromas from the Wine Savant Nosing Kit and covered the labels. My challenge? Identify each aroma by smell alone and then see if I can find those same notes in two incredible tequilas: Nueve Uno Repo Deep and Inspi...

I Thought This Tequila & Red Bull Combo Would Be Awful... I Was Wrong Can Coconut Berry Red Bull and Reposado Tequila actually work together? In this episode of my Red Bull & Tequila series, I mix Pedro Furtivo Reposado with Coconut Berry Red Bull to see if this unexpected combination creates a cocktail worth drinking. What started as a flavor experiment turned into one of the biggest surp...

Can Mexico Make a World-Class Spirit Without Agave? Can Mexico create a world-class spirit without using a single agave? In this review, we explore a fascinating Distillado de Fruta made from 100% pineapple in Oaxaca, Mexico. Produced using traditional fermentation and distillation methods similar to mezcal, this unique spirit delivers tropical fruit, earthy complexity, citrus, smoke, and incredib...

Is Oscar Vasquez Making the Best Blanco Tequila Right Now? Is Oscar Vasquez Camarena producing some of the best tequila in Jalisco today? In this review, we take a deep dive into Musto Blanco Batch #2, an additive-free tequila crafted at NOM 1580 in the Highlands of Jalisco. Produced using estate-grown agave, traditional brick ovens, roller mill extraction, open-air fermentation, and copper-contac...

Can a Barrel Make Tequila Stop Being Tequila? Can a barrel actually make tequila stop being tequila? In this video, we explore one of the most fascinating topics in the agave world: Amburana wood aging and how it impacts tequila classification. We'll compare traditional oak-aged tequila with experimental Amburana-aged expressions, discuss CRT regulations, and explain why some products must be labe...

The Family Legacy Behind This Incredible Tequila | Legacy 71 Story In this exclusive interview, Legacy 71 founder Felipe Gonzalez shares the incredible story behind building a tequila brand from the ground up. From planting estate-grown agave and studying agriculture to partnering with master distiller Rodrigo Sedano, Felipe spent nearly eight years creating a tequila that honors family heritage,...

Can 3 Months in a Barrel Really Make a Great Reposado? Can just three months in a barrel create a reposado tequila worth buying? In this review, we take a deep dive into Don Rico Reposado, a traditionally crafted tequila produced at NOM 1608 in Jalisco, Mexico. Using a unique blend of Highland and Valley agave, traditional stone ovens, roller mill extraction, open-air fermentation, and American wh...

Jose Cuervo vs Craft Tequila Blind Taste Test (The Results Shocked Me!) Can the world's most recognizable tequila brand compete with some of the best craft tequilas on the market? In this blind tequila tasting, I compare Jose Cuervo Tradicional against three highly respected craft tequila brands: Mijenta, Arriesgado, and Entremanos. Without knowing which tequila is in each glass, I rank them based...

Can 3 Months in a Barrel Really Make a Great Reposado? Can just three months in a barrel create a reposado tequila worth buying? In this review, we take a deep dive into Don Rico Reposado, a traditionally crafted tequila produced at NOM 1608 in Jalisco, Mexico. Using a unique blend of Highland and Valley agave, traditional stone ovens, roller mill extraction, open-air fermentation, and American wh...

Most Tequila Fans Get This WRONG! Tahona vs Roller Mill Explained When tequila enthusiasts talk about traditional production methods, the Tahona often gets all the attention. But did you know that most tequila produced today never touches a Tahona stone? In this video, we break down exactly how roller mills work, where they came from, why they're used by so many distilleries, and whether they actu...

Honey tequila review, Blue Star Reposado Honey review, infused tequila review, flavored tequila review, Blue Star Spirits tequila, honey tequila tasting notes, tequila reviews 2026. When I first heard about Blue Star Reposado Honey Tequila, I wasn’t sure what to expect. As someone who usually prefers traditional additive-free tequilas, flavored and infused tequilas aren’t normally my first choice....

Elevación 1250 Rosa Añejo Fuerte review! This unreleased tequila from NOM 1522 was crafted by Master Distiller Iliana Partida and aged 14 months in French oak Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from Napa Valley. Bottled at 44.4% ABV, this High-Proof Rosa Añejo may be one of the most unique tequilas I’ve tasted all year. In this review, I’m taking a first look at the upcoming Elevación 1250 Rosa Añejo Fuer...

The Truth About Drink With Wayne, Cazcanes & The Tequila Industry. In this exclusive interview, Wayne Cafariella (Drink With Wayne) sits down with Brad Niccum to discuss his journey from bourbon enthusiast to one of the most recognizable voices in tequila. Wayne opens up about content creation, social media growth, Cazcanes Tequila, influencer culture, additive-free tequila, tequila trips to M...

Can you actually smell flowers in tequila? Welcome back to Episode 4 of Training My Tequila Nose , the tequila sensory training series where I use a professional sommelier aroma kit to improve my ability to identify tequila aromas, tasting notes, and flavor profiles. Today we’re focusing on one of the most misunderstood tequila tasting notes: floral aromas . Using a blind aroma challenge, I test m...

A viewer asked me to review Jose Cuervo Tradicional Blanco , a tequila I would not normally choose for myself. After recently visiting La Rojeña Distillery in Tequila, Mexico , seeing the stone ovens, roller mills, temperature-controlled fermentation tanks, and copper stills, I decided it was time to give this tequila a fair and honest review. Jose Cuervo is one of the most recognized names in teq...

Blind tequila tasting of 4 Double Gold-winning high-proof reposados including Manuscrito, Don Vicente, Lost Lore, and Casa Mexico. Which tequila wins blind? Today I’m ranking four of the highest-scoring tequilas from the Agavos Awards in a completely blind tasting to see if my palate agrees with the judges. The lineup: Manuscrito High-Proof Reposado – 95 Points Don Vicente Fuerte Reposado – 93 Poi...

Most tequila fans know about agave, brick ovens, tahonas, roller mills, and aging barrels. But very few know about one of the biggest challenges facing the tequila industry today: vinasse . For every liter of tequila produced, distilleries can generate anywhere from 7 to 15 liters of vinasse , a highly acidic wastewater byproduct created during distillation. If improperly managed, vinasse can dama...

What happens when traditional tequila meets carefully toasted oak? Today I’m reviewing the Paladar Toasted Series Reposado, an additive-free tequila produced at the historic El Llano Distillery (NOM 1109) and crafted by Eduardo Orendain Jr., a fifth-generation member of one of tequila’s founding families. This isn’t your typical reposado. The Toasted Series explores how different toasted oak profi...

El Mexicano Añejo is one of the most interesting new tequila releases I’ve tasted this year, and I’m honestly surprised more people aren’t talking about it. Produced at NOM 1588 by the Bañuelos family, the original founders of Cazadores, this additive-free tequila combines traditional Highland agave character with some unique production choices that set it apart from many other añejos on the marke...

What does it take to create an award-winning tequila brand? In this exclusive interview, I sit down with Rick Olivo, founder and CEO of Don Rico Tequila, to discuss his incredible 18-year journey from tequila enthusiast to brand owner. Rick shares how a bad tequila experience kept him away from tequila for more than 20 years, how he became immersed in the tequila industry, and how years of studyin...

What if a single insect could destroy an agave plant that took 6 to 8 years to grow? In this episode of Tasting Tequila with Brad, we’re diving into one of the biggest threats facing agave farmers today: the Agave Snout Weevil ( Scyphophorus acupunctatus ). This tiny beetle has the potential to devastate entire agave fields by attacking plants from the inside out, introducing bacteria and rot that...

Volcán de Mi Tierra sent me their newest batch and believed it was showing significantly better than previous releases. Instead of taking their word for it, I tracked down an older batch, poured both blind, and put them head-to-head. No labels. No marketing. No bias. Just tequila in the glass. Did Volcán de Mi Tierra actually improve their tequila? Is the newest batch worthy of a higher score on T...

Can a distillery with every modern production option available still choose tradition? Today I’m reviewing Casa Loy Piedra y Agave Blanco 49 , a high-proof tequila produced at NOM 1633 in the Southern Highlands of Jalisco. What makes this tequila so interesting is that the distillery has access to multiple production methods, yet for this release they chose a traditional approach focused on flavor...

Most tequila fans have never heard of Charanda, but they may have already tasted its influence. In this video, I review Uruapan Charanda Blanco , a protected Denomination of Origin spirit from Michoacán, Mexico, produced by the Pacheco family since 1907. While Charanda isn’t an agave spirit, it shares many of the same values tequila enthusiasts appreciate: tradition, terroir, family legacy, and au...

Can a brand-new tequila distillery actually compete with established reposado brands in a completely blind tasting? In this episode of Tasting Tequila with Brad , I put four reposados head-to-head in a true blind tequila tasting featuring: Pedro Furtivo Reposado Primo Reposado Carabuena Reposado Blue Star Spirits Reposado No labels. No hype. No price bias. Just aroma, flavor, mouthfeel, finish, an...