Herradura’s New Higher-Proof Blanco Tequila Will Be Great in Your Next Margarita
Herradura is a popular tequila brand here in the U.S., and one with a pretty big footprint due to the fact that it’s owned by Jack Daniel’s parent company Brown-Forman. Yesterday, Herradura launched a new expression that is available for the first time in the American market—a blanco tequila bottled at a higher proof than most—and we were able to get an early taste.
Herradura’s history can be traced back to the late 1800s, but it really wasn’t until about a century ago that the brand became known by that name. Herradura is credited with introducing the first reposado tequila in 1974 (aged between two months and a year), and the first extra anejo tequila about 20 years later (aged for more than three years). In 2007, the brand was acquired by Brown-Forman, which as we’ve reported is facing some trouble with the temporary closure of its Glenglassaugh distillery in Scotland and laying off 12 percent of its global workforce. According to some reports, the distillery used a diffuser to extract sugars from the agave for a period of time in the early 2000s, but that practice appears to have been abandoned sometime after Brown-Forman took over. Still, there are some who firmly believe that the best Herradura tequila can be found in the dusty bottles that were produced before the turn of the century.
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Herradura Blanco was previously available in Mexico, and the closest thing you’d find here was the Silver expression which was aged for 45 days in barrels before being bottled. There is also a Reposado (11 months aging), Anejo (25 months), and some other expressions including a Cristalino and the Double Barrel Reposado. “Herradura Blanco holds a unique place in tequila history,” said U.S. brand manager Kelley Kerger Sr. in a statement. “For nearly a century, this was the only tequila produced at Casa Herradura, shaping not only our heritage but the tequila category as we know it today. By bringing Herradura Blanco to the U.S., we’re sharing a piece of that origin story, inviting consumers to experience an authentic taste of history in every pour.”
Unlike the Silver expression, the new Blanco spends no time at all in barrels. We got to sample the tequila, and it has a bright and crisp palate, with notes of citrus, vanilla, grass, and pepper. It clocks in at 92 proof (46 percent ABV), which is higher than the 80 proof at which the rest of the lineup is bottled, so there is some astringency and heat on the finish. But overall, this is a solid if not remarkable new blanco that works well in cocktails and can also be sipped neat.
Herradura Blanco (SRP $45) comes in a unique retro-style bottle that differs from the rest of square bottles in the brand’s lineup. It’s rolling out now in select markets throughout the U.S., so check your local liquor store to find a bottle. In the meantime, you can find the rest of the lineup available from websites like ReserveBar now.
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