April 18, 2008 Some good, rare finds here & the prices are decent. They offer a discount card which makes it even better. No internet sales yet but working on it. I even found three different types of Scorpion Mezcal.

 April 14, 2008 El Reformador Tequila Blanco, NOM 1457. I tasted this tequila in a small, stemmed Cognac snifter which showed it's crystal clear color very nicely. It had a clean, open nose of cooked agave, minerals, & very slight wood. The first taste was warm & spicy herbal with licorice & cloves. The medium body opened up with moderate agave sweetness, pepper, & a consistent warmth throughout. The long finish faded off the back of the tongue & exhibited earthy notes with more licorice & a clean openness. This tequila is very smooth with that continued warmth following all the way through the finish. By warming the snifter in my hands like a Cognac or brandy, a fine, breathable mist was formed, recreating that ever present open, olfactory sensation. I found El Reformador Blanco similar to Don Agustin in many respects but somewhat smoother, less sweet, & the cinnamon replaced by licorice & cloves. This is a rare find not available in many areas. A-/A

 April 11, 2008 Pueblo Viejo Reposado, NOM 1103. Clean amber color with very long legs. The first taste was an indistinguishable, agave blanco spiciness with some oak due to aging & a medium alcohol presence. The medium body had a trace of sweetness, far less than other reposados I have experienced in the past. It finished with an open, rolling sensation across the tongue that lingered & then dissipated leaving a hint of numbing, agave sweetness. This is a moderately smooth tequila but doesn't quite measure up to other premium brands. It does however mix very nicely in Margaritas, adding a certain depth missing in many blancos. The price is very attractive. I paid $20 for a 750 & received an extra 200 in a combination package. B-/B

 April 05, 2008 Tequila Espolon Silver, NOM 1440. I tasted this tequila in a small, stemmed Cognac glass. It is crystal clear in color & has an almost neutral, light agave nose with a clearing, open, alcohol sensation. The rainbow of spicy-sweet tastes included cardamon, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, & an ample amount of cloves all blended together very nicely with some traces of alcohol. The sweetness continued into the body with a nice, warm glow. This spirit finished in the middle of the tongue & faded off with an earthy, floral bouquet. Espolon is smooth but still possesses a youthful, rawness experienced as a moderate, alcohol burn. I enjoyed the initial taste of this blanco more than any other to date but overall it fell just a bit short of my expectations. B+/A

 March 21, 2008 Gran Centenario Plata Tequila Blanco, NOM 1122. This tequila is aged for one month as opposed to other blancos being bottled immediately after distillation. Very light yellowish/green color with nice long legs, a spicy nose of earth, & slight alcohol. The initial taste is spicy sweet with herbal undertones, slight alcohol, & an aged quality which becomes, strangely enough, more apparent in a Margarita rather than straight up. This tequila has a light medium body with the sweet spiciness continuing all the way to the finish where a nice open, numbing effect envelopes the entire tongue. GC Plata is smooth but not quite as smooth as other premium blancos that I've tasted. This is due mainly in part to the very slight, but not at all unattractive, alcohol effect. Not as fine as GC Reposado. Great price. Not quite top shelf. B/B+