Fortaleza Tequila Reposado

93 Points John Caro
In stock
Simply the best Tequila, hand made in the town of Tequila and milled in the traditional way by an old volcanic stone mill. The flavour however is perfectly refined – fresh, spicy and vibrant it is also complex, silky smooth and almost ethereally light on the palate. A perfect sipping Tequila, this is sublime to taste and – as a cultural treasure in effect – it is worth every penny.
$161.00 in mixed 6+ or $161.00 per bottle

Its Origins

Fortaleza Tequila Reposado is 100% estate grown Blue Agave Tequilana Weber, and aged in oak barrels for 6-9 months. The drawing on the label represents the traditional method of production, a Tahona or stone mill, with a horse pulling it as it was done over a century ago. The house is located in the town of Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico, first populated in the 1530’s by Spanish forefathers, nestled in rich valley at 4,000 feet of altitude, in the foothills of the 9,560-foot tall, Volcan de Tequila. Here blue agaves grow for seven to eight years, caressed with the warmth of the Mexican sun, nourished by the summer rains, and protected from the harsh and cold winter winds. The Tequila is produced entirely within the walls of our estate, using centuries old, traditional methods, which are very labor intensive but create a tequila unequaled in taste and smoothness. Using the age-old brick oven, with its meter thick walls, the agave is cooked for thirty six hours. Then it is crushed or milled , as it was 135 years ago, in the stone mill called the Tahona. The crushed agave is then washed with the pure mountain water from the Volcan de Tequila to separate the pulp from the woody fibers to create an agave juice called mosto. The woody fibers of the agave, called bagazo, are removed at this time, and taken to the fields to use as compost. The agave mosto is then naturally fermented for five days in small wood vats, and then double distilled using small, labor-intensive copper pot stills. The glass bottle is hand-blown in Tonala, Jalisco by artisan glassmakers and the bottle tops are artisan designed to represent the harvest agave, or Pina, and are hand-made by our workers.

What The Critics Say

Number 1 of the top 18 Tequilas, Men's Journal

"Fortaleza is made by fifth-generation tequilero Guillermo Sauza (yes, that Sauza, though the family sold off its eponymous brand decades ago), who in the 1990s sought to re-create the tequila his great-great-grandfather made a century before. The agave is crushed by a traditional tahona (or stone wheel), fermented in small wooden vats, and distilled in tiny copper-pot stills for maximum quality control. Notably, Fortaleza is a "lowlands" tequila, which is made from agave that takes longer to ripen than highlands versions and typically has a sweeter flavor. Sure enough, Fortaleza is silky smooth, coming on sweet and a little spicy – like coconut candy with a touch of cinnamon – but leaves you with a briny finish, almost like a salted glass rim. Most of our other picks in this roundup are of the highlands variety, but Fortaleza is, to us, perfection."

Volume 750ml
Alcohol 40.00%

We deliver throughout New Zealand and to some locations overseas. Our deliveries are made by trusted third party carriers. For further details on prices and delivery options please go to DELIVERY INFORMATION section of our site.

If for any reason you are not entirely happy with your order or you suspect that they may be affected by a quality issue, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will remedy the problem straight away. Contact us on 0800 422 767.