Partida Blanco Tequila

Rating: 15/23 For those who taste Fortaleza Blanco and say "this is too bitter, tart, savory and oily", this is perhaps a good tequila. It has a genuine tequila nose with stewed agave, lime, and some savory, oily, herbaceousness. There's nothing exciting going on with the nose, but there's nothing super exciting. Based on the authentic and moderately complex nose, this is a solid tequila that I would be happy to drink. The palate has a nice balance of bitter oiliness and sweetness with the stewed agave making a clear appearance, but also some nice lime leaf and a clean creek mineral note that I expect more from vodka. There's something a bit savory and oily too, as well as a bit of cinnamon, white pepper, and ginger. It really does taste like a mellower Fortaleza Blanco, which isn't a bad thing. It's a quite representative tequila without being too aggressive, so it could be a good stepping stone from Espolon for somebody leaving the shelter of the mixto realm. The finish has a bit too much oil and not enough of the other flavors for my taste. Overall, it's quite a balanced tequila with solid complexity and flavor. It isn't my favorite, but I'd be fine drinking it and the only reason I'd hesitate to recommend it is the fairly high price tag. I'm going 14 to 17 here, so a 15 for now based on the nice nose and palate, but general weakness and lackluster finish.

Rating: 14/23 N: On the papery, musty, mildewed side. Some brine and lime peel. A hint of tobacco and something just a tad sulfuric is hanging out in here, but otherwise it's pretty good. P: The palate is better than the nose. There's still that papery, musty, mildew, and I get some nice brine in here as well. There's a little lime and some faint fruitiness in the orange range. Light vanilla as well. Some sweetness and some minerals. And then that odd sulfuric muddled character, which isn't so much tobacco as it is on the nose. It sort of balances and richens the tequila, but it's also just kind of off. F: The more bitter and savory flavors stay longer, including that off flavor and the mustiness. - Conclusion - I've gone back and forth on this one, but I've never loved it. It's always been lacking in punchiness and I'm now noticing some flaws as well. It's still a solid tequila, but not one that I think I would buy again considering its price level. I think I'm going to back it off from a 15 to a 14. The edges are just a bit too rough with that mild sulfuric flavor.

Rating: 12/23 This is a pretty bland Blanco, which is disappointing and frankly not acceptable at its price. It's totally adequate as a sipper and there's a little bit going on, but it really isn't very interesting. There's a bit of prickly spice to it, but it's spared from alcohol flavor and harshness. The nose is light, but there's more to it than El Padrino Blanco. The nose is really vegetal with squash and a hint of herbal as well as a fair amount of mineral. It smells mild, but not like alcohol. There's definitely a bit of stewed agave flavor, but it's not super toasty and roasted. The palate is light and full of mineral. There's a slight numbing character too it and prickly spiciness. There's a bit of vegetal note with some odd wet bread flavor like San Matias Legado Blanco and Gran Centenario Reposado have. There's a fair amount going on here, but I can't say I love it. There's a fair bit of spiciness and some minerality. It's quite light. I like it better than El Padrino Blanco, but it's not all that great. It's fine, I guess. I'm thinking 12ish.

Sippable, low raspa, fruity and accessible.

Interesting flavor, over priced

Smooth light verging on floral