Altos Tequila tasting review

I’m a fan of tequila. Good tequila, that is. You can definitely taste the difference when a company uses 100% blue agave, pays close attention to their crop, and takes pride in their distilling process. I recently had the opportunity to visit Cactus in South Lake Union to hear from Olmeca’s own Master Distiller Jesús Hernández and brand ambassador Steffin Oghene (a Scottish “tequila geek”) who shared with us their passion of tequila, method of distilling and a deeper look into the Olmeca Altos line which just hit Washington State recently.

The 100% blue agave tequila is from the Los Altos region of Jalisco, Mexico in an area known for it’s fertile ground. Many tequila brands use baker’s yeast in their fermenting which is cheaper but is inconsistent – resulting in variations in taste. Olmeca creates their own recipe of special wild yeasts – the result being tequilas with herbal and citrus notes with smooth pleasant tastes that are perfect for sipping alone or in a well blended cocktail.

I’m personally a fan of reposados (tequilas aged in barrels before bottling). I find the aging process cuts the sharpness of the tequila while adding a robust almost woody flavor that enhances the tequila taste. I wasn’t surprised to be drawn more to the Altos Reposados than their plata. This is a tequila I’ve since enjoyed sipping on the rocks at home and will definitely be back to Cactus for some cocktails soon.

Audrey with The Sunbreak was at the tequila tasting as well and wrote a great recap of Olmeca’s process in making this tequila, here.