Scarlet and I were fortunate to review the full lineup of Don Weber tequilas. When we conduct reviews, we like to take our time, and will re-taste a tequila over and over again until we get a good feel for it. Over the course of about a month, we tasted the entire Don Weber lineup 4 different times, (and even blind-tasted their blanco one evening).

The Don Weber tequilas are produced in the Los Altos region (the “highlands”) of Jalisco, Mexico, at the same distillery (NOM 1414) as some tequilas we really like, including Gran Dovejo, ArteNOM, and Alderete.

Several things became obvious during our tasting:

• Tequilas made in the same distillery can (and often do) taste very different from each other
• Although Scarlet and I tend to enjoy many of the same tequilas, there are some exceptions, and that’s where things get interesting for us
• Tasting a tequila, forming an opinion about it, and then tasting it again blind is a really amazing exercise that we are going to repeat often

Don Weber begins by cooking their Los Altos agaves in traditional stone ovens. They are then double distilled in copper pots, producing a very worthy blanco. All of their aged products rest in white oak barrels; the reposado for 8 months; the añejo for 18 months; and the limited edition extra añejo for 3 years.

Interestingly, our ratings varied pretty greatly. We used our Tequila Matchmaker app to rate them, and the scores (and tasting notes) for each expression can be seen below.

One night, just for fun, I set up a blind tasting for Scarlet using 4 different blancos from 1414. Tequilas included were: Don Weber blanco; Gran Dovejo blanco; Alderete blanco; and Tequila Cabeza blanco.

All of them tasted different, and all of them (with the exception of Cabeza) were worthy of drinking straight. (To be fair, Tequila Cabeza was created by bartenders and is designed to be mixed into cocktails, where a stronger flavor profile is desirable.)

We are impressed with the quality and variety of tequilas that are coming out of NOM 1414, and hope we can visit this distillery soon.

About our ratings: We do not claim to be “tequila experts,” and the ratings numbers included in this review only indicate how well they match with our own personal preferences. We used the Tequila Matchmaker app, to calculate the ratings. A low score does not necessarily mean that the tequila is bad. In fact, if we feel there was something wrong or bad with a tequila, we would not spend the time it takes to review it as we’ve done here. Any tequila we review on our blog is worthy of your consideration.

Tequila Don Weber Blanco

Tasting notes:

Grover:
“This has a spicy, dry finish. Give it some time to open up. It has pleasing aromas of black pepper, cinnamon and slight mint. It has a pleasing warm finish that feels oily in your mouth. This is a solid blanco with character.”

Scarlet:
“This tequila has aromas of pepper, cinnamon, green apple and mint. It offers a spicy flavor with a slightly sweet, cinnamon finish. Pleasant and straightforward.”

(Note: If the liquid inside the bottle looks a little low, it is. The bottle arrived with a small crack in it, and some of the contents leaked out during shipping.)

Tequila Don Weber Reposado

Tasting notes:

Grover:
“This has a creamy vanilla nose, and a spicy finish similar to the blanco. It has a moderately thick body that retains agave well, with a fair amount of sweetness. Little bits of cinnamon are evident as the dry finish lingers on your palate.”

Scarlet:
“Similar nose and flavor as the blanco, but it’s smoothed over with vanilla and caramel notes, making it sweeter and spicier.”

Tequila Don Weber Añejo

Tasting notes:

Grover:
“This tequila smells great. It has a very creamy vanilla, fruity peach, and caramelized sugar with a touch of grass in the aroma. If you are a fan of spicy tequilas, you will love the long dry woody finish. When the finish fades it leaves you with a mixture of vanilla and cooked agave.”

Scarlet:
“A little drier and less sweet than the repo, the anejo offers a hit of vanilla and baking spices with a quick finish.”

Tequila Don Weber Extra Añejo

Tasting notes:

Grover:
“I actually enjoyed the Añejo version of Don Weber more than this. It’s a great value, for sure. [Under $60.] The spicy finish is intensified from the additional contact with wood, and I’m sure this flavor profile will be popular with fans of bold spicy experiences. There is a bit too much wood here for my tastes. The añejo is where this line seems to peak, and given the choice I would stick with that.”

Scarlet:
“The barrel adds some spiciness to this XA. Aromas of caramel, vanilla and chocolate create a pleasant nose, with a somewhat sweet, spicy burst of mouth flavor.”

We found that the entire lineup is priced well, and is available for sale online through Hi-Time Wine Cellars. Don Weber Blanco ($34.99); Don Weber Reposado ($39.99); Don Weber Añejo ($44.99); and Don Weber Extra Añejo ($56.99).

More information about Tequila Don Weber can be found on their website. Consider following them on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Please contribute your thoughts to this review. What do you think?

– Grover