Tequila Blanco, 'Tahona High Proof', Viva Mexico

• High proof blanco tequila produced at Destilería el Ranchito (NOM 1414) in Arandas, Jalisco • Maestro Tequilero Sergio Cruz • Produced using 100% estate-grown Azul aka Blue Weber (Agave tequilana) matured 6–8 years • Roasted in a masonry oven for 34 hours then rested for a further 24 hours • Milled using a traditional volcanic stone tahona • Open-air fermented using “the Mozart method” in wooden tanks (tinas) over 8 days using native wild yeasts and deep well water • Distilled twice using traditional copper pot stills • A decadent and head-spinning nose evolves from aromas of white flower, fresh pear skin, and cinnamon to yellow apple, strawberry, and brûléed banana before lifting off to a confectionary wave of tangerine, marshmallow, and a whiff of smoldering ash. It’s a hard act to follow, but the palate vibrantly responds with fresh mint, sliced peach, black licorice, and eucalyptus. A whisp of smoke and a touch of heat yield a lingering, moreish finish that rides and rides... • Jay Kosher certified • Additive free • 48% ABV After years of anticipation, the Vivanco family cut the ribbon last fall on their newly constructed volcanic-stone tahona mill at the family’s historic fabrica in Arandas! Coupling its use with wood fermenters (also recently installed), the family marries their deep hereditary knowledge of highlands agave and its careful cultivation with ancestral production for a truly spectacular expression of historic Arandas tequila. This new Viva Mexico offering marks their first commercial release to use these heritage methods and is proofed at 48%—closer to the ABV of agave spirits before modern industrialization. This bottle is truly a landmark release in a myriad of ways and, on top of all that, continues the tradition of NOM 1414 punching far above its weight in cost and deliciousness.