Clase Azul Plata Tequila Review

A lot goes into producing Clase Azul Plata Tequila. First, the agave: the plants are matured for at least nine years before being harvested for distillation. From there, the agave hearts are slow cooked for 72 hours in traditional ovens and then fermented using the company’s proprietary combination of yeasts. The tequila is double distilled in a copper alembic still, and the water goes through a five-step refining process before marrying with the tequila. The spirit is filtered three times before entering a bottle, and those bottles are hand-made by local community artisans.

Of course, the intricate production process is no guarantee that the tequila’s any good, so let’s take it for a spin.

On the nose, Clase Azul Plata Tequila is mostly pepper and vanilla – smooth and easy-going. The aroma doesn’t hint at what’s next, because on the palate it’s exceptionally sweet, with lots more vanilla, plus caramel and pineapple notes. The agave takes a back seat, but there’s an earthy nuttiness that comes through mid palate. The mouthfeel is very rich and viscous, and the sweetness lingers seemingly forever.

This is weird stuff. The flavor is actually pretty good, but it’s not what we’re looking for in a tequila. The agave is almost completely absent from this one, which is odd considering tequila is an ingredient-driven spirit full of terroir. But again, it’s tasty stuff. If your personal taste preferences lean toward sweet, then Clase Azul Plata might be the tequila for you. But if you prefer your blancos with agave and spice, then the sugary qualities will seem too heavy-handed.

Design wise, the Clase Azul bottle is more than 15 inches tall and too large to fit on many back bars and home liquor cabinets, and the large rubber cork topper is ill-fitting and unwieldy. It’s a very pretty bottle though, if you can look past the phallic likeness.

Stats:
– 40% Alcohol by Volume
– $70