Tasting Tequila with Brad

Escalón Tequila: 10 Years in the Making! The Story Behind the Brand **Escalón Tequila: 10 Years in the Making!** What does it take to turn a college project into a real tequila brand? In this interview, Alex Jones, founder of Escalón Tequila, shares the story behind the brand, the vision that started it, and the journey that took 10 years to bring it to life. Alex explains how his passion for tequ...

Lost Lore Blanco vs. Elvira Blanco: Same Tequila or Two Different Tequilas? Are these two Lost Lore Blanco tequilas actually different, or are they simply the same tequila with two different labels? In this side-by-side comparison, we're tasting **Lost Lore Hasta La Raiz Collaboration Blanco** and **Lost Lore Elvira: Mistress of the Dark Blanco** to find out. Both tequilas are produced at NOM 1414...

MONTAGAVE Héritage Blanco: 45 Days in Bordeaux Barrels? What happens when a tequila rests for 45 days in French oak wine barrels that previously held Bordeaux wine? Today, we're tasting the MONTAGAVE Héritage Blanco to find out how that barrel influence changes the tequila. Produced at NOM 1123 in El Arenal, Jalisco, this tequila begins with 100% Blue Weber agave from the Valley of Jalisco. The ag...

The Science Behind ALMA DEL JAGUAR: Terroir, Wood Fermentation & Barrel Magic | McCauley Williams What makes Alma del Jaguar different from other tequila brands? In this interview, we sit down with McCauley Williams, CEO of Morningside Brands, to explore the science, craftsmanship, and philosophy behind Alma del Jaguar Tequila. We discuss the brand's 2026 Spring Nocturna release, its 100% wild...

Tequila + Hot Sauce?! The Lo Linda Cocktail with CHAMUCOS Diablo (110 Proof) What happens when you combine high-proof tequila, fresh cucumber, citrus, and jalapeño hot sauce aged in barrels that previously held tequila? Today, we're trying the Lo Linda Cocktail, featuring CHAMUCOS Diablo Blanco and CHAMUCOS Jalapeño Hot Sauce! This cocktail comes from Lindo Michoacán and brings together some inter...

12-Year Bourbon Barrel Tequila?! | Tierra de Ensueño Single Barrel Reposado Discover the unique Tierra de Ensueño Single Barrel Reposado, selected by Rich and the New York/New Jersey Agave Club. This special release begins with a barrel that previously held wheated bourbon aged for at least 12 years, followed by approximately 9 months of tequila aging. In this review, we explore the story behind t...

SUAVÉ Blanco vs Lunar: What Does 28 Days in Bourbon Barrels Do to Tequila? What happens when you take a Blanco tequila and let it rest in bourbon barrels for 28 days? Does it change the flavor enough to make a difference? In this review, we're comparing **SUAVÉ Premium Blanco** and **SUAVÉ Premium Lunar Blanco** side by side to discover exactly what four weeks in bourbon barrels can do to the same...

Bad Tequila or Bad Flight? Corazón de Agave Blanco Review Is Corazón de Agave Blanco bad tequila, or did drinking it on a United Airlines flight affect my experience? After trying this tequila at 35,000 feet, I wanted to give it another chance at room temperature and find out what I really thought. In this review, I take a closer look at **Corazón de Agave Single Estate Blanco**, including the bra...

Bandero Reposado Review: 3 Types of Oak, 11 Months — Worth It? Is Bandero Limited Edition Reposado worth it? In this tequila review, we explore a reposado aged for 11 months in three different types of oak: Hungarian oak, French oak, and American white oak. Bandero ages the tequila separately in each type of oak before selecting and blending the barrels to create the final reposado. The brand also...

What They DIDN’T Show at Don Julio vs. José Cuervo? | Lauren Castaño What did Lauren Castaño experience during her visits to the Don Julio and José Cuervo distilleries? In this conversation with Lauren from Love in Tequila, we discuss her journey in the tequila industry, her education and certifications, and her approach to learning about tequila brands, production methods, and the people behind t...

Bourbon + Orange Bitters in Tequila?! | Tierra de Ensueño Añejo Review What happens when a good tequila spends almost two years in a barrel that previously held bourbon and was later used to make orange bitters? Does the unusual barrel create something exceptional, or does it overpower the tequila's natural agave character? In this review, we explore the **Tierra de Ensueño Orange Bitters Single B...

SIEMPRE Supremo: NOM 1137 vs. NOM 1414 — Better or Worse? Did SIEMPRE Supremo get better after changing distilleries, or did the change alter what made it special? In this video, I compare two versions of SIEMPRE Supremo produced at NOM 1137 and NOM 1414 to explore their differences in production methods, aroma, and flavor. The NOM 1137 version from La Cofradía uses agave from the valley region, w...

This Is NOT Tequila! The Truth About Cielo Azteca Reposado What happens when you buy a bottle labeled Cielo Azteca 1950 Reposado, thinking you're getting tequila, only to discover that it isn't tequila at all? In this video, I explain how I came across this bottle in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and what I discovered after taking a closer look at its label. This bottle was purchased at Walmart in Mexic...

3 Calvados-Aged Tequilas in a Blind Taste Test… I Got Them All Wrong! What happens when three añejo tequilas from different distilleries are aged in French apple brandy barrels? In this video, I put three Calvados barrel-aged tequilas through a three-way blind tasting to discover how they compare in aroma, flavor, minerality, cooked agave, apple, cinnamon, and barrel spice. The three tequilas come...

110 Proof vs 80 Proof Tequila: Which Has More Flavor? | SOCORRO Blanco Does 110 proof tequila deliver more flavor than 80 proof, or can the lower-proof version reveal flavors that are harder to notice at higher strength? In this video, I compare two SOCORRO Blanco tequilas produced using the same yeast profile: SOCORRO 110 Singular Edición and the standard 80-proof SOCORRO Blanco. Both tequilas co...

Why Does Socorro 110 Have a Green Sticker? | Brian Ashcraft Interview Why does Socorro 110 Singular Edición have a green sticker covering part of its label? In this interview, Brad Niccum sits down with Brian Ashcraft, Senior Director of Brands at Socorro Tequila, to discuss the story behind the bottle, its high-proof tequila, and the effort to create a more transparent tequila label. Brian explai...

DOS LOCOS Blanco Tequila: Can 2% Traditional Production Change the Flavor? What happens when 98% of a tequila made using modern production methods is blended with 2% made using traditional techniques, including crushing cooked agave by hand with wooden mallets? In this video, I explore DOS LOCOS Blanco and its unusual production process. Made at NOM 1459, Tequila Seleco de Matatlán, in Amatitán, J...

Montagave Showcase Single Barrel Reposado Review: 98 Proof & Worth $125? In this review, I’m tasting Montagave’s Showcase Wine and Spirits single barrel reposado, bottled at 98 proof and aged in a Bordeaux wine barrel. This special release comes from NOM 1123, Cascahuín, in El Arenal, Jalisco. Montagave takes a different approach to barrel aging, using French oak wine barrels from Bordeaux, Fr...

Escalón La Tahona Blanco Review: A Stunning Bottle with Serious Tequila Flavor Can a tequila have a beautiful, high-end bottle and still deliver the traditional flavor that serious tequila enthusiasts are looking for? In this review, I’m tasting Escalón Selección La Tahona Blanco, a tequila whose flavor profile I had a small part in helping select during its development. One of the founders, Alex...

Where Do You Really Learn Tequila? 2 Educational Resources You Should Know Where do you really learn about tequila? If you want to understand more than whether a bottle tastes smooth, it's time to explore the production methods, agave cultivation, fermentation, distillation, aging, and terroir behind the spirit. In this video, I share two educational resources for anyone who wants to learn more ab...

Montagave Tequila: The Story Behind Its Unique Flavors | John Melvin Interview What makes Montagave Tequila different? In this interview, Brad sits down with John Melvin, co-founder of Montagave, to explore the story behind the brand, its partnership with Cascahuín, and its commitment to creating distinctive tequila through quality ingredients, thoughtful experimentation, and unique barrel selecti...

Is Your Glass Changing Your Tequila? The 20-Minute Experiment Have you ever poured a tequila that tasted fantastic, only to come back 20 minutes later and find that it tastes flatter, softer, or almost watered down? Could the glass you're drinking from be changing your tequila experience? In this video, I explore the science behind tequila aroma and flavor by testing the same SIEMPRE tequila in fo...

SANTO 110 New vs Old: Can You Taste the Difference Blind? Can changing distilleries change a tequila enough that you can tell the difference in a blind taste test? Today, we're putting the OLD SANTO 110 head-to-head with the NEW SANTO 110 to find out which one comes out on top! Both bottles are 110 proof (55% ABV), but they're produced at completely different distilleries. The original SANTO 110 w...

MIJENTA Maestra Selection No. 3: Seed-Grown Agave & 100 Proof Tequila MIJENTA Maestra Selection No. 3 is a 100-proof Tequila Blanco that takes a different approach to traditional tequila production. Made with seed-grown Blue Weber agave, volcanic stone, wooden fermentation tanks, copper pot stills, and clay pots, this limited-edition release brings traditional techniques back into the spotligh...

MIJENTA: The Woman Behind It | From Wine to Tequila Master Distiller From wine to tequila master distiller — this is the story of Ana María Romero and her journey with MIJENTA. In this interview, Ana María Romero shares how her background in wine helped shape the way she understands tequila, aroma, flavor, fermentation, cooking, distillation, and the many details that influence the final character...