Defrente joins the list of tequila brands with one SKU: an unaged blanco.
Co-created with actor Diego Boneta in partnership with Casa Lumbre, the powerhouse behind many now well-known agave spirits, and Iván Saldaña, who has developed more than 60 Casa Lumbre brands.
How different can a blanco get? Defrente is an understatement.
The bottle I tasted was produced at Productos Finos de Agave (NOM 1416) and is made from a blend of three different blancos:
“The first is said to have a fresh, herbal expression from lightly cooked agave. The second has deep, sweet, roasted notes from intensely cooked agave. And the third combines both textures, made from tahona-milled agave, fermented and distilled with fiber.”
That immediately piqued my interest and made me want to try it even more. Visually, the bottle is subtle but still eye-catching.
Aroma: Cooked agave and anise initially, followed by brine, light rubber, pineapple, dill, black pepper, and subtle jalapeño notes.
Taste: Very light-bodied. More vegetal overall, with black pepper, orange, a touch of bitterness, and a hint of cinnamon.
Finish: Cinnamon and light honey, with a hot finish that fades rather quickly.
I can definitely see this working well as a cocktail base. It’s an interesting concept, and having a single SKU will certainly help with positioning in the market.
NOM | 1416 |
|---|---|
Agave | Jalisco (Los Valles) |
Cooking | Stone or brick ovens |
Extraction | Tahona and roller mill |
Water | Deep well water |
Fermentation | Open-air stainless steel tanks |
Still | Copper pot |
Age | — |
ABV | 40% |
Tequila Report Score: 81
81 points out of 100 (4.1 out of 5 points)
Price $36.83
More from Defrente: All of our Defrente coverage, including reviews, lists, scores, and more.
