Review: Cazcanes Tequila No. 10 Still Strength Blanco and No. 9 Rosa Reposado
Tequila brand Cazcanes was founded in 2015 with its first product hitting shelves in 2017. It may be fairly new to the wide world of agave spirits, but the brand story goes way back. The name honors the last native Mexicans conquered by the Spaniards, and the tequila itself is reportedly based on a 300-year-old indigenous recipe discovered inside a jungle still.
Cazcanes tequilas are additive-free, crafted in Amatitan, Jalisco from only 100% organic, lowlands Blue Weber Agave and single-source natural spring water. Individual expressions are differentiated by a numbering system that corresponds with alcohol strength (80 proof for No. 7, 100 proof for No. 9, and still strength for No. 10). We received a sample of still strength blanco and a unique reposado aged in wine barrels. Thoughts follow.
NOM 1614.
Cazcanes No. 10 Blanco Still Strength Review
This blanco tequila was bottled at still strength after resting in stainless steel for 1 to 3 months. It’s a beautifully bold and expressive blanco, channeling the more gritty and herbal dimensions of agave that are often drowned in water or overshadowed by barrel aging. The nose is bright and green with agave pulp, bell pepper, basil, and a bit of pine sap. As it opens, things sweeten with pineapple, dried mango, and plantain chips, but that earthy quality remains, enlivened with a bit of baking spice and pink peppercorn.
The palate is even more vegetal and fresh with a big smack of green agave accompanied by a bold, peppery heat that remains consistently piquant across the sip. Undertones of lime peel and fresh-squeezed orange juice offer up a bright sweetness on the midpalate, but cracked black pepper, chicory, and fennel keep things earthy and well-spiced into a long, honeyed finish of agave syrup and dried tropical fruits. A game changer for classic tequila cocktails but equally enjoyable over ice. 108 proof.
A / $100
Cazcanes No. 9 Rosa Reposado Review
This tequila begins life as still strength blanco before aging for 82 days in French oak barrels that previously held Cabernet Sauvignon from an unspecified Napa Valley winery. It is then cut to a slightly lower proof before bottling. The nose is transformed by the wine cask, showing sultry top notes of dark berries, raisins, and cocoa alongside undertones of cooked agave, orange blossom honey, and baking spice. As it opens in the glass, the agave notes build modestly, finding better balance, but the aroma remains heavily laced with dark fruits and gentle tannins.
On the palate, things are well-integrated from the outset with an impressive, silky mix of berry compote, fig jam, and agave syrup that drinks more easily than the proof would suggest. On the midpalate, bright, candied citrus notes add a bit of welcome energy before a soothing, medium-length finish of cinnamon sugar and raspberry chocolate. An impressive, complex sipping tequila. 100 proof.
A- / $130
Cazcanes No. 10 Blanco Still Strength
$100
