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.

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.

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).

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.