Note to all tequila distillers…
I love it when, along with your generous review bottles, you supply a story of how your tequila is made.
The makers of Embajador tequila did this by sending a simple folder with a few laser-printed pages that told a brief but helpful story about its goods.
And they are good.
(Some time after I typed my original tasting notes, I found it had a new and informative website. Click here to enjoy that story.)
Translated, Embajador, simply means ambassador, and it serves well in that role in welcoming the drinker into a solid sipping experience.
According to the distiller, half its agaves are baked the historic way, in a stone horno; the other half in a steam-heated autoclave. According to the company, blending those techniques creates an array of aromas rather than just a few notes.
Once fermented, it’s twice distilled to preserve agave flavor and aroma. After that, Platinum rests 40 days in stainless steel before bottling. According to Embajador, laying low for that stretch develops balance and character, though it doesn’t specify how.
To be honest, I didn’t get an array of aromas when I poured some platinum, but the bloom butterscotch and cooked agave was substantial. Both aromas lingered before giving way to a barely noticeable and appealing grassy note.
[Tweet “Embajador Tequila Blanco: substantial bloom butterscotch & cooked agave”]
The first sip of the blanco was slightly bracing, but refreshing, a delightful zip for an 80-proof spirit. Its peppery finish was an open invitation to sip again, so I did.
Subtly but pleasantly sweet, the mid-palate picked up some cotton candy interlaced with a bit of cinnamon. The finish on that go-round left some traces of lemon and vegetal notes.
Exhaling produced some pleasant menthol notes followed by orange blossom. Once emptied and dried, the glass gave off delicious aromas of roasted agave.
Platinum stood up nicely when mixed in different cocktails, but given my druthers, I prefer this one straight.
Its fresh, light flavor profile loses a bit of personality even when properly mixed, which is my wife’s preference. The good news is we both enjoyed Platinum to our liking.
One last bit of info from Embajador…
Platinum is best consumed at 60 F, so put it in the fridge for an hour or so before drinking to cool it off.
Embajador Tequila Online
Tequila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer. His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients. You can visit Steve online atwww.stevecoomes.com.
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