Known internally as "The Big Bang" this is lote 01. This amps the regular Blanco to 11. Entry is smooth and then explodes in the mouth with as much roast agave as I can recall from recent high proof offerings. Natural sweetness dominates and then eases into a long lingering finish. Well done.

Nose: Green vegetal elements. Intense agave sweetness with a touch of acidity. Herbals front and center. Crushed gravel after a summer rain. Slightly carbonic minerality, and earthy herbs. No ethanol excess - nicely integrated into profile. Flavor: The first introductory sips deliver fiery cinnamon/chile pepper heat and penetrating agave sweetness - much like a marriage brokered in Dante’s Inferno. Give this the breathing room it deserves for the underlying herbs, spices and verdant notes to emerge. Oregano, rosemary and thyme join forces with the opulent 39 brix Guanajuato agaves. Citrus, apple, pineapple and a skosh of mint, make peekaboo appearances throughout. Creaminess, medium oils and a dash of salinity rest pleasurably on the palate.

El Ateo - Still Strength This was a blind tasting with: Siembra Valles High Strength (49.5%) and El Caballito Cerrero Chato (50%) LOT: 1 View: Good adhesion but at 50% is expected. Completely transparent. Freshly served; Aroma: Subtle cooked agave, minerality and black pepper. Taste: An extremely pleasant sweetness, followed by a very well-balanced herbality, cooked agave, minerality, copper and at the end a light citrus that could be orange oil that stays stuck to the tongue for a long time. I let it sit for 20 minutes. Aroma: Time definitely opened up the aroma, now there is an aroma of cooked agave very present like being in the distillery at the moment they are taking the piñas out of the oven. Minerality. Herbal. A little wild yeasty. Flavor: An exceptional sweetness, with many nuances, I notice pepper and green herbs. I let it oxygenate and rest for 15 more minutes. I think it can open up even more. A simply spectacular flavor.