December 10, 2007 Typical large liquor store selection. No rare finds here. Convenient if you live in the general vicinity. I'd rather see rarer finds with a smaller selection.

 December 09, 2007 1921 Tequila Blanco, NOM 1079, Lote No. 97. The color is crystal clear with nice legs. (Take your time opening the beautiful wax top). The nose reminds me of newly poured cement, ozone, sour dough agave, & light alcohol. The initial taste is smoky sweet with cinnamon, nutmeg, & cloves. Very spicy. The body is light medium to medium & remarkably smooth. The finish rolls off the tongue from middle to back & reaches deep into the throat with the essence of licorice. This is one smooth tequila from start to finish & is one of the tastiest tequila's I've ever experienced. 1921 Tequila Blanco ranks with the very best top shelf tequila's. A/A+

 December 08, 2007 Hacienda de Chihuahua Sotol Plata. I had to remind myself I was reviewing a 100% wild harvested Agavacea & not tequila. There are some similarities but many differences. The color is pure crystal, like high mountain spring water. The rather undistinguished nose was slightly chemical with a small hint of alcohol. The initial taste was spicy with a nutty aftertaste & warm afterglow. I found this sotol to be light to medium light in body with some sweetness & low alcohol. The finish was very open, almost like menthol, with some bitterness & hints of licorice fading away. Overall it was suprisingly smooth for being so young. If you want to try something different & not pay tequila $$$, I highly recommend sotol. Try a Sotolrita instead of a Margarita, or a 50/50 mix, for a nice refreshing change. A-.

 December 01, 2007 Fina Estampa Tequila Blanco, NOM 1436. Crystal clear in color. Due to very complex noses, I almost enjoy smelling this tequila as much as drinking it, almost. 1. (Immediately after removing the cork), raw sour dough, new saddle leather, overly ripe apples & bananas, yeast. 2. (After airing), early morning dew on newly mown hay, summer. The initial taste is agave sweet & slightly smoky laced with spice. It is medium light to medium in body with a warm, glowing after sensation. The finish envelopes the tongue from middle to back & rolls off in diminishing fashion. This is an amazingly smooth blanco, start to finish, & deserves to stand next to the other finest tequilas on the top shelf. A/A+

 November 18, 2007 Don Julio Tequila Blanco, NOM 1449. This tequila has a clean, unpronounced, almost neutral agave nose. The initial taste is sweet spicy pepper & slightly hot. The body is complex, slightly antiseptic, with very deep spice, citrus & earthy agave flavors. It is also very crisp, clean & smooth without any alcohol burn, prevalent in many other tequilas of lesser refinement. The finish is light, similar to the aroma, with a hint of black pepper.
This is one of my favorite Margarita tequilas with a slick, almost surfactant taste/finish. B+/A, top shelf.