Partida Is the Single Malt of Tequilas

What we’re drinking: Various releases from Tequila Partida

Where they’re from: Named in honor of third-generation agave farmer Enrique Partida, this namesake brand is an additive-free, estate-grown tequila from The Lucas Bols Company.

Why we’re drinking these: Partida has touted itself as “the world’s highest rated tequila,” and while I can’t vouch for that claim, the brand has racked up a ton of honors, including a best tequila in the world win for the brand’s reposado. So when we had a chance to talk to Master Tequilero José Valdez, currently celebrating 20 years with Partida (he was there when the brand launched), we jumped at the chance.

“I was a tequila aficionado in college, but I wasn’t like a third-generation tequila maker,” Valdez says. “I’d visit other distilleries, but I was starting from scratch. In those years, there wasn’t a university that taught you how to produce. So I hired a guy who had worked 40 years in another big brand, who was retiring. He was like, ‘Okay, I’m still young. I can teach somebody new.’”

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Partida offers a pretty wide range of tequilas, including the standard fare (blanco, reposado, añejo), two unique cristalinos (including one that spends extra time in ex-sherry casks), a 48-month aged extra añejo and two releases that undergo a second maturation in ex-sherry casks that also previously held some pretty high-end Scotch. So this isn’t your tequila for Margaritas or Palomas, although the blanco does a good job in those classic drinks. But we like to think of these releases as a little closer to single malts. Let’s dive in.

How they taste:

Reserva Blanco (40% ABV): Sweet, a bit dry and not quite as peppery as other blancos. A nice bit of citrus rounds it out, with the cooked agave and earthiness shining through.
Roble Fino Reposado (43% ABV): Aged for at least six months in ex-bourbon barrels before it’s aged for two months in ex-single malt, sherry-seasoned casks. While the cooked agave is thankfully still present, you’ll find a nice balance of vanilla, banana, honey and dried fruits, with the sherry making most of its impact on the nose.
Roble Fino Anejo (45% ABV): Partida’s Añejo (aged 18 months in ex-bourbon barrels) is finished for an additional five months in ex-single malt, sherry-seasoned casks. The toasted oak is more present here, along with hints of cocoa. Surprisingly, the citrus notes make a little return as well. A bit more sherry-forward, it’s warm and inviting on the palate and ideal for Scotch drinkers

Partida’s Master Tequilero José Valdez

Partida

Fun fact: The brand launched a single barrel añejo program last November. “It’s more common in the bourbon world,” Valdez says, who narrowed the barrel choices for bar and high-end consumers down to 30 that each offer a “unique and different tasting profile.”

Where to buy: You can find Tequila Partida in stores and online for $43 to $364.