Siete Pozos Tuxca Ixteco Amarillo / Lineño

Verdict

Tuxca, the pre-tequila Jalisco distillate, is one of the category's most interesting side-chapters, and Siete Pozos deserves credit for putting it on shelves. But Refugio Pineda Cruz's ensamble here reads as a competent introduction rather than a definitive statement. For what Filipino-still Jalisco agave can do, Chacolo and Cuentacuentos push harder. This one earns curiosity, not commitment.

Tasting notes

Nose: Cut grass, cooked artichoke, a faint smoke, agave sweetness

Palate: 45% Filipino distillation gives this vegetal bones, juicy mouthfeel, a heat that softens into agave sweetness, without the structural complexity the tradition can produce

Finish: Vegetal, warming – medium

The bottom line

Worth trying for tradition's sake. Not the Jalisco bottle you hunt