Tequila Blanco - Partida
David Partida Zuniga
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Partida - Blanco
David Partida Zuniga, Amtatitan, Jalisco, Mexico
100% Agave
PROOF: 80 (40%)
AGE: Not Aged
TYPE: Tequila Anejo
PRICE: $ 50.00- 750 ML
Notes: This tequila is produced in Jalisco, the heart of tequila country. This
is the Blanco (a.k.a. Plata or Silver) expression of this particular line. The others being
Partida Reposado (Rested) and Partida Anejo (Old). The agave used for this tequila is
grown entirely on their single estate in volcanic soil and allowed to reach the age of 10 years - a unusually long time for most tequila - allowing it to absorb and develop more flavor. It is then
harvested and slow cooked for 20 hours in steel ovens and distilled twice.They use
stainless steel stills so it has a brighter taste than some using
copper stills. (I personally think there is reaction between the copper
and the distillate which is good if not mandatory for whiskey, but not
so good with tequila and certain other distillates). This version is then allowed to age for 6 months in bourbon barrels. It is then hand
bottled on the estate.
Appearance: Bright silver in the bottle and faultlessly clear in the glass. Lovely medium-to-heavy (for tequila) body. On swirling, it leaves a very light coating on the glass, with legs forming slowly.
First Impression: Alkali, pepper and tobacco notes mixing with hints of dried fruit, citrus notes and nuts. Volcanic soil gives a wonderful unique mineral scent that shines through. Not as fruity as some of the other blanco's I have reviewed - if I was to use a Scotch analogy this would be an Islay as opposed to a Highland or Speyside - a manly tequila.
Taste: Great mouth feel, light entry, slightly oily or alkali slipperiness to it with a touch of vanilla bean, vegetable alkaloid type notes, sweet brine, touch of lemon grass with Provence herbs. Finish is at first oily then drying with sweet and alkali, minerals, nut butter, leather, apricots and tobacco. Light lingering finish.
Drinks: Really a bit too smooth to use anything calling for much fruit juice or frozen drinks.
Cigars: Goes well with a natural or shade grown wrapper cigar or cigarillo Ashton, Fuente or Punch would be safe bets.
Final Thoughts: Interesting and unique blanco tequila. Heavy-weight, minerally and well developed tequila as are the rest of the line.The volcanic soil the agave is grown in shine through giving it a unique terroir through the flavor profile. Only downside is that it is at the upper end the price point for a blanco (in other words it is pricey for its type of tequila).
Bottle: Clear smooth glass, not the usual recycled coke bottle glass everyone else seems to use, so you can get better look at the tequila. Flattened tear drop
flask. Nice heft to it, heavy footed base accomplishes a number of things at once: 1. It looks nice, 2. Hard for people to knock over, 3. Can be used to punish anyone severely who knocks it over. A very nice presentation and looks good on the bar.
Simple
hang tag with bird you (or your children) can hang off one of your
piercings later. Labeling is mostly silk screened on so as not to
obscure the tequila Stopper is real cork with engraved wood top to give
it a nice touch. Great bottle to reuse for olive oil or whatever else
you want.
Web site:http://www.partidatequila.com
Wonderfully laid out right down to the music. Information is tastefully laid out via sliding menus. Maybe not as much information as some, but nicely illustrated and covering the major points.
