Can you actually smell flowers in tequila?

Welcome back to Episode 4 of Training My Tequila Nose, the tequila sensory training series where I use a professional sommelier aroma kit to improve my ability to identify tequila aromas, tasting notes, and flavor profiles.

Today we’re focusing on one of the most misunderstood tequila tasting notes: floral aromas.

Using a blind aroma challenge, I test myself on floral notes and then compare what I smell against two incredible additive-free blancos:

La Pulga 110 High Proof Blanco
Siempre Exclusivo Vivo Blanco

Many tequila drinkers hear reviewers talk about floral notes, orange blossom, jasmine, honeysuckle, and delicate aromas—but can you actually identify them blind? More importantly, can aroma training help you recognize those same characteristics inside a glass of tequila?

In this episode we explore:

The goal of this series isn’t to sound fancy—it’s to train our brains to recognize aromas and become better tequila tasters together.

If you enjoy tequila reviews, additive-free tequila, blind tastings, agave spirits, tequila education, and high-proof blancos, make sure to subscribe.

New episodes of Training My Tequila Nose every week.

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A viewer asked me to review Jose Cuervo Tradicional Blanco, a tequila I would not normally choose for myself. After recently visiting La Rojeña Distillery in Tequila, Mexico, seeing the stone ovens, roller mills, temperature-controlled fermentation tanks, and copper stills, I decided it was time to give this tequila a fair and honest review.

Jose Cuervo is one of the most recognized names in tequila, but it’s also one of the most criticized among tequila enthusiasts. Does Cuervo Tradicional Blanco deserve that reputation, or is it better than many people think?

In this review, I share my thoughts on the aroma, flavor, finish, production methods, and whether this bottle is worth your money. Most importantly, I answer the question: would I buy it again?

If you enjoy tequila reviews, additive-free tequila discussions, distillery tours, blind tastings, and honest opinions, make sure to subscribe and join us for future reviews.

Tequila Reviewed:
Jose Cuervo Tradicional Blanco

Distillery Visited:
La Rojeña Distillery
Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico

Have you tried Cuervo Tradicional Blanco? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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Blind tequila tasting of 4 Double Gold-winning high-proof reposados including Manuscrito, Don Vicente, Lost Lore, and Casa Mexico. Which tequila wins blind?

Today I’m ranking four of the highest-scoring tequilas from the Agavos Awards in a completely blind tasting to see if my palate agrees with the judges.

The lineup:

Manuscrito High-Proof Reposado – 95 Points
Don Vicente Fuerte Reposado – 93 Points
Lost Lore Reposado – 92 Points
Casa Mexico Reposado – 91 Points

These award-winning reposado tequilas all earned Double Gold honors, but once the bottles are hidden, scores, marketing, and reputation no longer matter.

In this blind tequila review, I’m judging each tequila based on:

✅ Aroma
✅ Flavor
✅ Complexity
✅ Mouthfeel
✅ Finish
✅ Overall Enjoyment

Will the 95-point tequila take first place?

Will the Agavos Awards rankings match my blind rankings?

Or will one of these Double Gold winners pull off an upset?

Watch until the reveal to see which high-proof reposado tequila comes out on top.

If you enjoy tequila reviews, blind tastings, additive-free tequila, tequila education, distillery tours, and agave spirits, make sure to subscribe for new videos every week.

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Most tequila fans know about agave, brick ovens, tahonas, roller mills, and aging barrels. But very few know about one of the biggest challenges facing the tequila industry today: vinasse.

For every liter of tequila produced, distilleries can generate anywhere from 7 to 15 liters of vinasse, a highly acidic wastewater byproduct created during distillation. If improperly managed, vinasse can damage waterways, deplete oxygen levels, impact soil health, and create major environmental concerns.

In this video, we’re breaking down:

✅ What vinasse is
✅ How much is created during tequila production
✅ Why distilleries can’t simply dump it
✅ How responsible tequila producers treat and manage vinasse
✅ The future of sustainability in the tequila industry

If you love learning about tequila production, additive-free tequila, agave farming, sustainability, and what really happens behind the scenes in Jalisco, this video is for you.

Have you ever heard of vinasse before? Let me know in the comments.

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What happens when traditional tequila meets carefully toasted oak?

Today I’m reviewing the Paladar Toasted Series Reposado, an additive-free tequila produced at the historic El Llano Distillery (NOM 1109) and crafted by Eduardo Orendain Jr., a fifth-generation member of one of tequila’s founding families.

This isn’t your typical reposado. The Toasted Series explores how different toasted oak profiles influence flavor while still allowing the agave to shine. Produced using estate-grown agave, brick ovens, open-air fermentation, wild yeast, and small-batch craftsmanship, this tequila offers a unique take on barrel-aged tequila.

In this review I’ll break down:

Production methods
Toasted oak influence
Aroma and tasting notes
Mouthfeel and finish
Whether it’s worth adding to your collection

I also recently sat down with Paladar co-founder Pete Nevenglosky to discuss the philosophy behind the brand and what makes the Toasted Series different from traditional reposados.

If you enjoy additive-free tequila reviews, tequila education, distillery deep dives, and honest tasting notes, make sure to subscribe.

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El Mexicano Añejo is one of the most interesting new tequila releases I’ve tasted this year, and I’m honestly surprised more people aren’t talking about it.

Produced at NOM 1588 by the Bañuelos family, the original founders of Cazadores, this additive-free tequila combines traditional Highland agave character with some unique production choices that set it apart from many other añejos on the market.

In this review, I take a deep dive into what makes El Mexicano Añejo special, including its extended fermentation, custom stainless steel pot stills, low-pressure cooking methods, and aging program using both new American and French oak barrels.

Aged 14-16 months at over 6,600 feet in Arandas, Jalisco, this tequila delivers a balance of cooked agave, citrus, oak, vanilla, cocoa, and baking spice while still allowing the agave to shine.

Is this one of the most underrated añejos available today?

Watch the full review and let me know what you think in the comments.

Tequila: El Mexicano Añejo
NOM: 1588
Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico
100% Blue Weber Agave
✅ Additive Free
Aged 14-16 Months
70% New American Oak / 30% New French Oak

If you enjoy tequila reviews, distillery deep dives, interviews with founders and master distillers, blind tastings, and tequila education, be sure to subscribe.

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What does it take to create an award-winning tequila brand?

In this exclusive interview, I sit down with Rick Olivo, founder and CEO of Don Rico Tequila, to discuss his incredible 18-year journey from tequila enthusiast to brand owner.

Rick shares how a bad tequila experience kept him away from tequila for more than 20 years, how he became immersed in the tequila industry, and how years of studying agave, production methods, fermentation, distillation, and terroir eventually led to the creation of Don Rico Tequila.

We dive deep into:

The story behind Don Rico Tequila
Winning Double Gold at the Agavos Awards
Why Don Rico uses both Highland and Valley agave
Fermentation, distillation, and production details
NOM 1608 and the Los Valedores Distillery
The difference between Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo
Future plans for high-proof tequila and extra añejo releases
The challenges of launching a tequila brand
What Rick learned from visiting distilleries across Jalisco

If you love tequila, additive-free tequila, agave spirits, distillery stories, and learning what goes into creating a premium tequila brand, this interview is packed with information you won’t want to miss.

Have you tried Don Rico Tequila? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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What if a single insect could destroy an agave plant that took 6 to 8 years to grow?

In this episode of Tasting Tequila with Brad, we’re diving into one of the biggest threats facing agave farmers today: the Agave Snout Weevil (Scyphophorus acupunctatus). This tiny beetle has the potential to devastate entire agave fields by attacking plants from the inside out, introducing bacteria and rot that can kill mature agaves before they’re ever harvested for tequila.

We’ll explore:

✅ What the Agave Snout Weevil is
✅ How it attacks and kills agave plants
✅ Why infestations are so dangerous for tequila production
✅ How farmers monitor and control outbreaks
✅ The importance of sustainable farming practices
✅ Why healthy agave fields are critical to the future of tequila

Most tequila lovers focus on what’s happening inside the bottle, but every great tequila begins in the field. Understanding the challenges agave farmers face helps us appreciate the incredible work that goes into producing the spirits we love.

If you enjoy learning about tequila production, agave cultivation, additive-free tequila, traditional production methods, and the people behind the industry, you’re in the right place.

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Volcán de Mi Tierra sent me their newest batch and believed it was showing significantly better than previous releases. Instead of taking their word for it, I tracked down an older batch, poured both blind, and put them head-to-head.

No labels.
No marketing.
No bias.

Just tequila in the glass.

Did Volcán de Mi Tierra actually improve their tequila? Is the newest batch worthy of a higher score on Tequila Matchmaker? Or was the older batch still the better pour?

Watch as I compare both batches blind and reveal which one I preferred before finding out which bottle was which.

Have you noticed a difference between Volcán de Mi Tierra batches? Let me know in the comments.

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Can a distillery with every modern production option available still choose tradition?

Today I’m reviewing Casa Loy Piedra y Agave Blanco 49, a high-proof tequila produced at NOM 1633 in the Southern Highlands of Jalisco. What makes this tequila so interesting is that the distillery has access to multiple production methods, yet for this release they chose a traditional approach focused on flavor and character.

This tequila is made using stone brick ovens, tahona extraction, spontaneous open-air fermentation with fibers, deep well water, and double distillation in copper pot stills before being bottled at a bold 49% ABV (98 proof).

I also had the opportunity to meet Luis Loy in Guadalajara during my 2025 trip to Mexico. We spent time tasting tequila, discussing the project, and talking about the vision behind Casa Loy. After seeing the passion behind the brand, I was excited to finally sit down and review this bottle.

In this review we’ll cover:

✅ Aroma and tasting notes
✅ Traditional production methods
✅ High-proof tequila character
✅ Casa Loy’s philosophy
✅ Whether Piedra y Agave Blanco 49 is worth adding to your collection

If you enjoy additive-free tequila, traditional tequila production, tahona-made tequila, high-proof blancos, and deep dives into how tequila is actually made, you’re in the right place.

Have you tried Casa Loy Piedra y Agave Blanco 49? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

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