Fortaleza Tequila Reposado

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T October 11, 2009
 
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Fortaleza Tequila Reposado

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Fortaleza
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Tasting Awards
2012 TEQUILA.net Awards - "Best of the Best" Best Lowland Reposado Tequila
2012 TEQUILA.net Awards - Best of the Best

Tequila Fortaleza Reposado

Fortaleza Tequila Reposado - 100% estate grown Blue Agave Tequilana Weber, and aged in oak barrels for 6-9 months. Our Reposado label contains a drawing of a Tahona or stone mill, with a horse pulling it as it was done over a century ago.

At Tequila Los Abuelos, we are committed to producing the finest Tequila possible. Our Tequila is made using traditions established centuries ago, from 100% stone milled agave, entirely produced on our estate. We are located in the town of Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, first populated in the 1530’s by our Spanish forefathers. Our land is nestled in rich valley at 4,000 feet of altitude, in the foothills of the 9,560-foot tall, Volcan de Tequila. Here is where our blue agaves grow for seven to eight years, caressed with the warmth of the Mexican sun, nourished by the summer rains, and protected from the harsh and cold winter winds.

Our Tequila is produced entirely within the walls of our estate, using centuries old, traditional methods, which although are very labor intensive, create a tequila, which is unequaled in taste and smoothness. Using the age-old brick oven, with its meter thick walls, we cook our agave for thirty six hours. Then we crush or mill the agave as my Tartarabuelo did over 135 years ago in the stone mill called the Tahona. The crushed agave is then washed with the pure mountain water from the Volcan de Tequila to separate the pulp from the woody fibers to create an agave juice called mosto The woody fibers of the agave, called bagazo, are removed at this time, and taken to the fields to use as compost. The agave mosto is then naturally fermented for five days in small wood vats, and then double distilled using small, labor-intensive copper pot stills. Our glass bottle is hand-blown in Tonala, Jalisco by artisan glassmakers and our bottle tops, artisan designed to represent the harvest agave, or Pina, are hand-made by our workers.

Tequila Fortaleza is the American label for Tequila Los Abuelos, due to a Rum with the name "Abuelos" already being distributed in the USA.



User reviews

6 reviews
 
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Overall rating
 
90
Aroma-Nose
 
91(6)
Initial Taste
 
91(6)
Body
 
90(6)
Finish
 
87(6)
Enjoyability
 
90(6)
Price
 
88(6)
Presentation
 
93(6)
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Overall rating
 
92
Aroma-Nose
 
88
Initial Taste
 
91
Body
 
93
Finish
 
95
Enjoyability
 
92
Price
 
91
Presentation
 
90
Smooth taste.. full body for a Reposado
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Overall rating
 
91
Aroma-Nose
 
91
Initial Taste
 
94
Body
 
89
Finish
 
90
Enjoyability
 
91
Price
 
87
Presentation
 
95
Fortaleza is such a well crafted and respected brand, I can't believe that it's taken me so long to review this one. I've had this bottle for a while and I know that things change from lot to lot, but the one currently in my glass is Lot #11. I believe the one currently available as of the time of this post is Lots 16 and 17. Let's just dive right in...

Price: $55-60/bottle

Aroma: A pleasant nose of agave and light honey/vanilla.

Initial Taste: A really nice and interesting sweetness. There's a good agave flavor mixed with a vanilla bean essence. Very interesting and tasty.

Body: A fairly thin body that lacks the complexity that I might expect. The mix of the initial taste is there, but the body is a bit thin and the oak and spice aren't there as much as I might expect.

Finish: The wood becomes more prominent in this medium length linger with some spice and anise. It's a medium-short finish that goes down very easily...almost too much so.

Fortaleza is just a flat out quality brand. One thing that makes me like it so much is that is generally has a unique profile and produces flavors that you don't often find balanced as well in other juices. I'm in love with the vanilla bean flavor of this one at the start and while the later aspects are not as good as the start, this is a really quality tequila.
TT
#1 Reviewer 414 reviews
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Overall rating
 
85
Aroma-Nose
 
88
Initial Taste
 
89
Body
 
85
Finish
 
75
Enjoyability
 
88
Price
 
80
Presentation
 
95
Kudos for the presentation on this bottle. It is quite nice with the drawing of the stone mill and agave piña bottle stopper. It's eye catching and appealing. The tequila inside is nice but not fabulous. At first wiff the aroma is promising, with rich buttery notes followed by some herby underpinnings. The taste has nice bite and spiciness along with some pleasant hints of smoke and a good bit of sweetness. But the body and mouth feel are both too light for my personal taste in a reposado. My biggest objection to this tequila is the bitter finish. I loved the aroma, liked the initial flavor profile but then I got the hit of bitter on the back of the palate for which I did not care. This is a nice after work tequila and it's lightness makes it suitable for summer sipping.
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Overall rating
 
81
Aroma-Nose
 
91
Initial Taste
 
85
Body
 
83
Finish
 
71
Enjoyability
 
76
Price
 
87
Presentation
 
88
Love the label, classic old tequila manufacturing scene and carved stopper. Rich buttery vanilla icing aroma with lots of herbal character underneath. Fairly light in body but silky. Lime zest flavors with a bitter herbal finish. Noticeable spicy/bitter wood tannins take over. Unique and smooth but the finish isn't my favorite.
G
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Overall rating
 
94
Aroma-Nose
 
93
Initial Taste
 
95
Body
 
94
Finish
 
95
Enjoyability
 
95
Price
 
91
Presentation
 
92
I really enjoyed this one. The butter and floral aromas really came through for me. This tequila really stands out as "authentic".
I thought the bottle was lovely and really like the "Pina" cork topper.
One of my new favourites, to be sure.
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