Oli Dodd rounds up five 100% agave tequilas recommended by bartenders to show the spirit at its unadulterated finest.

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It’s a massive claim and could have seismic ramifications for an industry that has kept much of its production shrouded in ambiguity. But, whether proven or not, it does raise a wider question – can we truly be sure what’s in our copita?

The mystery is based in the way tequila operates in Jalisco. While large companies like Diageo or Bacardi have oversight on their own distilleries, a huge portion of the industry operates through contract distilling.

Tequila distilleries are identified by a four-digit NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana). Some of these NOMs may just produce one or two brands – 1493 produces Fortaleza and Los Abuelos, 1492 is Patrón, 1412 produces Mijenta, Don Felix and a few other brands – but these distilleries can grow to be enormous with dozens of active brands in production. Take NOM1438 – it’s home to more than 200 active brands, including Cincoro, Hussong’s, Vivir and 21 Seeds.

In a conversation with founder of Tequila Matchmaker and the Additive Free Alliance Grover Sanschagrin last year, he explained that many contract brands might think their tequila is free of additives when they’re not. To put it into perspective, the additive testing that he and his wife Scarlet were conducting had a failure rate of 80%, with some distilleries telling a prospective contract what they wanted to hear then operating in another way under the assumption that there would be no way to uncover the deception. 

The accusations levied against Diageo are related to false claims of 100% agave, not additives which are allowed by the regulatory body. And whether the claims are valid or not, tequila does have a transparency problem, so to take some of the guesswork out of finding a bottle that backs up its bark with bite, we asked five bartenders who know the category best for their recommendations.

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1 Volcan Blanco

DEANO MONCRIEFFE, HACHA, LONDON

Volcan tequila is a standout. This year, I led a blind tasting with eight other bartenders and we all rated it the best in taste. It’s agave led, herbaceous with exceptional depth of flavour – agave, citrus and a hint of white pepper. It’s incredibly versatile because you can sip it or you can use it in a plethora of cocktails. We use it in a cocktail called Tierra, with a papaya & mole liqueur and peach it brings out tropical fruit notes in Volcan while remaining agave forward.

» Distributed by Speciality Drinks

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2 Fortaleza Winter Blend 2020

COURTNEY FRANCIS, COUCH, BIRMINGHAM

 The bottling that really drew me to Fortaleza was its Winter Blend 2020. The barrel spices really come through on the nose with notes of butterscotch, tiramisu and apple, which expands to give acidity on the palate. The beer cask gives a malty, yeasty fl avour and dryness and the finish is silky, grassy with caramel. It just invites you in for another sip. This is an interesting bottling of Fortaleza tequila that eases the transition of someone not familiar with the agave category into exploring it further.

» Distributed by Indie Brands

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3 Arette Artesenal Reposado Suave

PIETRO COLLINA, VIAJANTE 87, LONDON

A delicious representation of a well-made reposado, at a good value, from an independent producer. It has open-air fermentation which lengthens the time, creating deeper character. It has a great cooked agave note with classic barrel spices that do not linger. Traditionally I would use it in a Oaxacan Old Fashioned, but it works really well as a Manhattan style substituting sweet vermouth for Cocchi Americano.

» Distributed by Indie Brands

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4 G4 Blanco 108 proof

CARLOS LONDOÑO, CAFÉ PACIFICO, LONDON

I love the combination of rich sweet agave with herbal and mineral notes. On the nose it’s full of agave and sweet notes of guava, sweet potato, plantain and crème brûlée. On the palate sweetness and bitterness are very well balanced – there’s dark and white chocolate, pink peppercorn, papaya, mandarin and lime – it just fi lls your mouth with warmth and spicy, rich agave goodness.

» Distributed by Spirit Cartel

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5 30-30 Blanco

JEN FOLEY, 400 RABBITS AND LOOSE ENDS, NOTTINGHAM

Tequila 30-30 is a wonderful brand on the cheaper end of the spectrum and, of course, completely additive free. It’s owned by a family who only quite recently started producing tequila, having previously been agave growers for many generations. Because of this incredible knowledge regarding their agaves they are able to harvest each individual plant when it is perfectly ripe, giving the tequila a remarkably sweet flavour. It's fantastic to use in cocktails or on its own. It has a slick body, grassy aromas and a lingering fi nish that proves its quality.

» Distributed by Casa Agave