Notes: This tequila is distilled and bottled on the Beckman Estate in just outside the town of Tequila (yes, there is a town called that) in the state of Jalisco, the heart of tequila country. This family has a tradition of over 200 years of making tequila, making them easily the oldest tequila makers anywhere. The agaves grown on this estate have a pedigree equally long dating from 1758 – longer than those strains of yeast certain bourbon makers go on about. Imported and bottled by Heaven Hill ( a good to excellent bourbon and rye whiskey producer of which we have reviewed many of their products).

As a sidebar the parent company supports the environment and ecology issues such as helping the Mexican Wolf and its habitat among other worthy causes.It also does not use GMO or cloned agaves.

Double distilled – all tequilas are – the difference here is they use traditional alembics (somewhat generically and less romantically known as type of pot still) similar to cognac stills  This is the middle aged  expression of this particular line. The other releases are the younger, Lunazul Blanco and the oldest, the Lunazul Anejo , there is also a filtered ( read plata or white Anejo (which makes it a bit of a hybrid with no specific classification beyond the Anejo age classification called Lunazul Primero. All of the Agaves are 7-9 years old so they are nicely mature and possess terrior  in a nice understated way.

Appearance: Crystal clear body,  On swirling, it leaves a very light coating on the glass with very long legs forming.

First Impression: Apples, citrus roasted peppers and almonds, vanilla , fruitier  smell than most  highland tequilas, more of a fruiter lowland tequila, but nicely restrained version thereof.

Taste: Somewhat delicate fruity start then followed rapidly by a dry mineral and pepper tanga touch sweeter than the blanco with vanilla oak and a little wood sugar . Finish is dryish, with a nice touch of citrus, vanilla and minerals.

Drinks: Wonderful dryish but a touch sweet and slightly woody notes make it very good for a exotic martini. We also liked it with tonic and lime. A light and dryish Reposado with more more delicate presence in a drink than most so be careful how you use it.Great for a margarita, Paloma or whatever other tequila cocktail you are making and certainly cheap enough not to worry.

Cigars: Goes well with a Ashton or Romeo Y Julieta.

Bottle: Square clear glass bottle with black label – similar in shape and appearance to a Jack Daniels or Heaven Hill bottle bottle only larger body and shorter neck. This makes sense given th t it is bottled at Heaven Hill and they did not have to retool much to bottle this tequila on their lines.

Final Thoughts: Really, a helluva buy for the money.

Web site: http://www.lunazultequila.com

Much improved from what it was with a good amount of information ,some recipes and a fair amount of history and technique. Fast-loading and not overburdened with code.

For a much more insightful look got to : tierradeagaves.com.mx which is the website for the actual producer of Lunazul ( and other tequilas you may recognize and many I have reviewed under their respective trade names. A lovely website with even more information !