Partida Tequila Blanco

Some people put Partida on a fairly high pedestal for some reason - the premium price, the cute little bird logo...whatever. Other folks think it is somewhat over-hyped and definitely over-priced. I fall into the latter category, but tried to be fair with my ratings. In the end, I guess it beat my expectations, so my rating was higher than I might have anticipated, but it is what it is.

A pleasant, but light, nose of floral and mint, with a whisp of cooked agave and alcohol. There is a well-balanced sweet and minty taste. I have heard Partida described as a crowd pleaser, and I think that's fitting. A nice medium-weight body that coats well, but is not oily. The balance of the nose and taste go well with the weight. There is some heat in the finish that hits the back of throat, but it diminishes fairly quickly. There is a slight duration, where a subtle vegetal note is present.

This is a well-balanced tequila throughout, with above average characteristics in all aspects, making it a solid product. But, nothing particularly shines or stands out, which keeps it from being especially memorable or remarkable. The high price is a major hindrance for this brand; it is consistently priced over $40 (usually closer to $45), which is a little steep in my opinion. I paid $39.99 for my bottle, and I will enjoy the rest of it, but probably won't replace it or keep it in stock - not a difficult choice since it's not locally available anyway :) It is a very attractive bottle and overall classy presentation that should appeal to the high-end crowd.

I've always learned not to judge a tequila brand just from one expression. I haven't fallen in love with the Partida Anejo the times that I've had it because it lacks character that makes it unique. It's a fine tequila, but for the premium price that Partida has on the sticker, I just expect more. So I decided to try the base tequila to see the starting point...

Aroma: Straight cooked agave with a hint of earth. Very basic.
Initial Taste: Nice full agave flavor with just a bit of earth and pepper.
Body: Fairly thin body. There's not much there to make it unique. The flavor is good, but it's very basic and sort of muted...agave, earth and pepper.
Finish: A pleasant light finish that ends fairly quickly. Nice agave/peppery kick that I wish would last longer.

It's a very basic tequila. I would describe it as a similar tequila to Patron with a bit more agave and earth. It's REALLY easy to drink and smooth, but it lacks the character that most are looking for in a premium tequila...particularly for the premium price. The bottle looks great and it will probably not be offensive to tequila newbies, but for $45-50 a bottle, you can do better.

Earthy pepper flavor with a moderate burn. Clears quickly but leaves residual after taste. Not on my top 10 list.

Clear with medium viscosity and some suspended sediments. Aromas of sweet baked agave, some alcohol and florals. Very soft and sweet entry. Body offers no real depth of flavour - aromas similarly fail to develop. Finishes quickly, leaving a taste of pepper and semi-bitter earthy anise.
Overall, Partida Blanco fails to measure up to the promise of its very attractive package.

The presentation was wonderful, almost perfect, I think thats why its so expensive. Overall, a strong 'B' grade tequila, in my humble opinion. But not my first choice for purchasing another bottle.

Aroma: Earthy with strong agave hints
Initial taste: Peppery, slight alcohol burn
Body:Not as much depth as Id like, but still mild hints of floral
Finish and duration: smooth finish and short duration