Review: Loca Loka Tequila Blanco
Review: Loca Loka Tequila Blanco
Here’s a tequila that’s conceptualized in India and bottled in Mexico. Indian actor and film producer Rana Daggubati, music composer Anirudh Ravichander, and entrepreneur Harsha Vadlamudi launched Loca Loka in August 2024 , a 100% additive-free tequila, crafted with highland agave grown in Jalisco, Mexico. Per the brand, “each agave is picked by hand and slow cooked to preserve the essence of the plant. The tequila name, combining the Spanish “LOCA” (crazy) and the Sanskrit “LOKA” (world), captures the essence of a spirit that transcends borders, offering a unique blend of traditions, tastes, and communal joy.”
The brand offers a Reposado and Blanco, with an Añejo in the works. We received the Blanco for review, so here goes.
Loca Loka Tequila Blanco Review
The packaging is attractive and evokes the clash of cultures in its illustrative front label and modern design. The bottle has a nice feel, and the lines are clean and interesting.
On the nose, this tequila’s aromas are clean and fruity. Bright aromas and an earthy funk of sweet mash and vanilla interweave.
On the palate, the flavors match the aroma with sweet, ripe tropical fruit notes, sweet cream, baked pastries, and a hint of almond coming through up front. The midpalate is full of hints of tropical fruits and minerality, alongside vanilla bean and almond cake. At 80 proof, the warmth is short-lived, and the texture is light, a touch too much so. The finish is pleasurable, with consistent flavors lingering and bringing in candied citrus, sweet cream, and salinity.
Overall, this tequila is well made, as one would expect from a Master Tequilero of the caliber of León Bañuelos Ramírez. I love the idea of fresh perspectives and creative people expressing their passions in new media, and I am a big supporter of partnerships and cultural exchange. Hopefully, this brand will bring new tequila drinkers into the fold by making their tequila approachable to those who might not otherwise feel that tequila is for them; we certainly need more of that.
An excellent tequila for cocktails, I tried it in a Paloma and a Tequila Matador (recipe below). Both were an excellent match for this expression.
80 proof. NOM 1588.
B+ / $50 / localokalife.com [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]
Tequila Matador
1 oz Loca Loka Tequila Blanco
1 oz Dolin dry vermouth
1 oz orange curaçao
Shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass.