Cazcanes Tequila No. 9 Blanco (100 Proof) Review
Cazcanes was started by Collin Edwards, a winemaker in Napa. He always tried different things and pushed the envelope with whatever wine he was making at the time. It was no surprise when Edwards wanted to carry his success over to the Tequila industry.
After being a bit disillusioned with the industry and the world of contract distilleries, he met the Landeros family and Don Chico, who is the master distiller today. Together, they started to craft what would become incredible tequilas.
One of the (many) reasons I love Cazcanes is their way of always pushing the envelope and thinking outside of the box. In other words, they certainly know how to be experimental and unique, all while respecting the culture and laws behind the spirit.
An example of their creativity is malolactic fermentation for their Joven expressions. This style of fermentation is a wine technique that lets the fermentation go about twice as long as usual. I’m a huge fan of this process because it creates such beautiful funkiness! I love the funk!
Cazcanes are also cooked in a slow-pressure autoclave, milled with a roller mill, fermented in stainless steel, and distilled in stainless steel.
As a winemaker, Edwards knows the importance of water, so Cazcanes trucks down their water from the Navichi springs, which start at the top of the Landeros mountains and travel through all the volcanic mountains to finally come out at the Navichi springs. Needless to say, it is part of the DNA of Cazcanes. In addition to the specially selected water, their Valley agaves is what I suspect brings all that wonderful minerality of this tequila.
Cazcanes has 3 Blancos:
No. 7 which is at 40 ABV or 80 proof
No. 9 (which we are reviewing today) at 50 ABV or 100 proof
No. 10 which is the still strength at 55 ABV or 110 proof
@thelucasassis_ Cazcanes Blanco. One of my favorites of this year. #tequila #drinks #blancotequila #cocktails #mezcal #mexico #tequilas ♬ original sound – Lucas Assis
Now let’s get into the review of one of my favorite Cazcanes expressions.
Cazcanes No. 9 Blanco (100 Proof)
MSRP: $89.99
Cazcanes Website
Certified Additive-Free by Tequila Matchmaker
Aroma: This expression is best described as an agave bomb. It seems like that is what I always say when describing a taste from Cazcanes. The agave is so present that you can’t help but to get a punch right as you pour it into the glass. It also has a nice and wet earth minerality with a touch of some cinnamon and vegetal notes like cucumber and basil. Mmmmm.
Flavor: Have I said this is an agave bomb!? To sum it up nicely, it is all of the things that I love in a tequila: agave forward, mineral, a spiciness that is unique to black pepper, a hint of an olive brine’s saltiness that just compliments the sweetness so well. I’d also like to note the silky mouthfeel that is delicious and this might be a bit dangerous if you ask me ( it drinks so easily for 50%). I really think the proof of this Tequila is precisely what opens up your tastebuds to the intense complexity of this tequila.
Lucas’s Rating out of 100: I’d rate this a solid 90. It’s exciting and refreshing to see this originality in the tequila world as someone who has loved it for so long. Because of this, Cazcanes is a newcomer in the industry that is quickly becoming a favorite of many enthusiasts.
To meet the demand, they announced this week that they are changing distilleries, but not to worry, it is still going to be the same Cazcanes, if not even better. I’ll offer more on that next week as I share my trip to their new home in Mexico.
Until then, Salucita!