Review: Siempre Tequila, (Near) Complete Lineup (2024)
Our first experience with Siempre Tequila was not wholly memorable — and that fact was perhaps not lost on its Canadian brand owners, which, since that 2019 review, dumped its original distillery and upgraded to a new NOM, the well-regarded but fairly busy NOM 1414, Feliciano Vivanco. The new expressions also carry “vintage” production information that the old bottles lack.
Today, Siempre makes six expressions — the three traditional bottlings plus two unique, “wild” blancos and a single-barrel aged tequila. Here we review five of the six — all but the single barrel “Rebel Cask.”
Note however that only three of the tequilas here represent the new NOM. One, Siempre Supremo, hails from a third, unique NOM, while the anejo bottling we got was made at the old NOM 1438. The differences were immediately striking. To find out more, read on.
Siempre Tequila Plata (2024) – Unaged. Very bold agave punch, laden with pepper, turned earth, and mixed greenery. Lemony aromas emerge with time in glass, followed by a racy jalapeno quality. Extremely spicy on the palate, biting with both red and black pepper in a way that few other blanco tequilas can manage. The sharp, green agave notes are unrelenting, with turns of jalapeno and serrano pepper both coming on strong. The only respite from all of this comes late in the game, after some time in glass. Notes of vanilla and white chocolate inform the finish in a surprising way that, at last, takes the foot off the gas. A much different tequila than the 2019 expression, and some amazing margarita fodder. NOM 1414. 80 proof. Vintage 5/23. A- / $38
Siempre Tequila Reposado – Aged in American oak for an unstated length of time. Fresh and spicy, with aromas of ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon all prominent. The peppery agave provides a strong through-line, here showing as moderately green, almost like aloe. Ample vanilla and some milk chocolate round things out with ample sweetness. On the palate, the tequila is immediately sweet and immersive, showcasing vanilla, dark chocolate, and ground coffee. The agave notes are mellow but still present, taking a back seat to an increasingly festive palate. Brown sugar, more cinnamon, and just a pinch of red pepper hang on for the finish. This is a straightforward reposado, but one which feels made well and with a specific point of view. NOM 1414. 80 proof. Vintage 11/23. A- / $40
Siempre Tequila Anejo – Old NOM production; American oak, but no other aging information. Clearly a harsher product, more vegetal than expected, with more of a muddy than earthy quality on the nose. The sweetness on the nose is akin to melted butterscotch candies, maybe with a few in the mix that didn’t get the cellophane wrappers off in time. Indistinct on the palate, with a gummy quality to the body that grows more persistent with time in glass. Notes of vanilla, coconut, and milk chocolate all feel candylike and waxy, though there’s a spicy, bittersweet quality to the finish that redeems the experience to some degree. NOM 1438. 80 proof. B- / $69
Siempre Tequila Supremo – Blanco tequila, wild yeast fermented with no added yeast, agave crushed in a traditional tahona. Basically: The rustic silver experience. (And made at a different distillery than the above.) Big, wild, and racy on the nose. Giant green agave notes, hugely peppery, with a fresh jalapeno punch. Thanks to a slightly higher abv, it pinches and bites at the nostrils even more than expected. The palate feels appropriately rustic but engaging. There’s some family DNA shared here with the Plata, but more of a funky, gamy quality that indeed feels a little wild. The palate’s core of green agave again evokes notes of jalapeno, but also yellow and green onion (in the best possible way), followed by some maritime seaweed notes. The finish is sharp and lengthy, which allows for plenty of flavor. If you’re not prepared for it, that might be an issue, however. Note that a 110 proof version of this tequila, not reviewed here, also exists. NOM 1137. 86 proof. Reviewed: Batch #3. A- / $59
Siempre Exclusivo Vivo Blanco – An even wilder silver tequila, distilled using live yeast, “a technique that has either been lost or not applied in the tequila world until now.” From the nose, you might think this was mezcal, with a bright salinity and a slight smokiness and earthiness evident. Sharp, peppery, and agave-forward, the nose quickly evokes green bell pepper infused with the punchy bite of lemon peel. The palate finds few diversions awaiting the drinker: punchy and again quite sharp at 47.5% abv, with more notes of lemon and chopped green herbs. Some late-game astringency fades fairly quickly, leaving behind notes of crushed black pepper, rosemary, and a curious pinch of fresh ginger. More salinity clings to the aggressive — and again, slightly smoky — finish, bringing everything full circle. NOM 1414. 95 proof. Reviewed: Batch #1. A- / $120
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