G4 Blanco Tequila

Today's cocktail adventure is a tequila tasting. Specifically, we are tasting an assortment of blanco (also known as silver or plata) tequilas neat. This summer has been a summer of tequila martinis and this is a search for the best to make that scrumptious cocktail. The four tequilas examined here are Don Fulano, G4, Siete Leguas and our house pour Olmeca Altos. On the nose the Olmeca is sweet with mild vegetal and vanilla notes. The 7 is more intense with a notable cooked agave note. The G4 is a bit tamer than the 7, but also adds in some spice notes. The Don is clean and sweet and perhaps the most delicate. On the taste buds the Olmeca is a fine tequila. Slight black pepper, cooked agave, powdered sugar, and leafy green notes make it an interesting pour without any unnecessary rough edges. This is an excellent budget tequila and we buy it by the handle. The Siete Leguas has far deeper flavor than the Olmeca, with a richer and oilier mouthfeel, ample black pepper, cooked agave and cactus notes. The G4 is both smoother (I hate that descriptor but it works here) and perhaps a bit more nuanced. Very nice sipper! Easy on the tongue, lovely on the fade. The Don Fulano adds a bit of licorice (think Good'n'Plenty), some interesting funkiness, the all important agave and a bit more heat. This is expected as this is a higher proof (100 versus 80) but its certainly not evident in perceived ethanol. Silky and rich are apt descriptors. Both my wife and I prefer the Siete Leguas in a tequila martini. Dee also prefers it neat. My wife says that the G4 has a more pronounced finish with some oily, diesel type notes. She says she prefers Olmeca in the second place and is a bit turned off by the higher proof and funkiness of the Don Fulano. I concur with her about the Siete Leguas in a tequila martini, but I LOVE the funkiness and higher power of the Don Fulano when tasted neat. It's my favorite here, with Siete Leguas bringing up second place and a tie between the Olmeca and the G4. This last bit is important as the G4 is nearly twice the price of the Olmeca so this specific expression is unlikely to find its way into rotation again. Having said that, it's really quite good. So what about this tequila martini? Well it's a 2:1 mixture of tequila to Bianco Italian vermouth. We really like the (very inexpensive) MARTINI & ROSSI bianco here. I'd also like to try the Carpano and see if this extra cost brings any extra flavor, but I'm skeptical. I can say with certainty that Dolin Blanc just didn't hit the high notes in this cocktail. Stir the aforementioned ingredients in a mixing glass over ice with a couple dashes of orange, lemon or lime bitters (or no bitters at all, which my wife prefers). Strain and serve over a large cube (Old Fashioned style for my whiskey loving friends) or even better, over a large cube of pressed coconut water (Dee insists on this). Yes, it's as good as it sounds and it will certainly cure what ails you. Cin cin!

It smells exceedingly herbal with a fair bit of mint and some pepper. There is also some clear citrus on the nose. The body is smooth with a sort of constant peppery undertone and a medicinal herbal. It tastes a bit like Fernet-Branca got mixed in here. There is some sweetness though and there are notes of lime and pineapple. It's complex though it does tend a bit too far toward the medicinal bitter with minty notes for me to love it. That sweet undertone of agave is quite nice though. It is a decent sipper and a great mixer. It's probably a little better than Corralejo Blanco due to its added complexity and balance. The relative sweetness on the finish is what really makes this drink. It smells smoky and rich, reminding me a little of Fortaleza Blanco. There are Earth, vegetarian, and mild spice on the nose too. The palate is minty with umami, Earth, smoke, mint, and a little prickly spice. It is reminiscent of Fortaleza Blanco, but perhaps a little more mild. There is some mineral that is well under control and there are some nice sweet fruits, but they are a little hard to place. If the fruits were a little more identifiable with pineapple and lime, this would be substantially better. The cinnamon is more present than expected, but it balances well with the Earth. The alcohol is a little present, but it adds a hint of green olive. The problem though is that the green olives lack the necessary saltiness. This is a fine drink that is on the border of sippability. I'd sip it, but I wouldn't enjoy it that much. It is a little too good to be a mixer though.

The nose is sweet, with agave and a bright fruity citrus held up by black pepper and cinnamon, with a vaguely earthy quality throughout. The palette is earthy, with the peppery spicy notes coming to the forefront. The sweeter fruit notes from the nose are still present, but now act as a sort of seasoning to the pleasantly bittersweet palette. The finish is lengthy but subtle, leaving a bittersweet oil that becomes slight medicinal, but in a very pleasant way, with a very slight earthy dark chocolate presenting itself after some time This is my first foray into additive free, high quality tequila and I am not disappointed. Great sipper, although I wonder how it would stand up in cocktails.

good sense of vegetal agave juice, but has strong alcohol burn in the nose and taste. WRT Fortaleza, it's a little cleaner front to mid taste with more burn, and a bit more sweet towards the finish. Has a bit of earthy mineral notes in the late finish. It's like Fortaleza, but a bit cleaner and with less character and more burn.

Another banger. I’m really loving these blanco tequilas with nothing added. 80 proof makes it all day drinkable and not super sweet either. I’m so glad I rediscovered tequila and moved away from the horrendous bourbon scene. Affordable and available. This is a great tequila! 8/21/22

90” “G4 Blanco Nose Agave forward on pour - Citrus Pepper Vegetal Light smoke Palette Agave Sweet and vegetal balance is awesome Herbal/ grassy Runoff Nice mouthfeel Oily but not “Fortaleza Oily” Nice pepper finish without the burn Delicious! Makes me want to come back for more