Of course I want to
like PuraVida, with
it's Texican Rock 'n' Roll mystique and my guitar-hero Billy Gibbons as its figurehead. But there's hype and there's taste. Let's get down to the reality of this juice and see if it's a Lone Star Legend or a Tall Texas
Tale.
 |
| Tejana Mama! |
I've always been leary of triple-distilled
tequila. It's never been my favorite. Why? Because to me 3D often tastes overly
sanitized; smoothed-out; homogenized. I feel - and I am by no means alone - it
removes some of the agave color and character from the juice. After all, what are
we making here? Vodka? So when I saw that the Pura Vida
"Silver"/blanco, and "Gold"/reposado, are triple distilled,
I have to admit it gave me pause. As it turns out, in only one case did this
prove to be any issue at all.
Pura Vida Tequila's line-up of the three
expressions is the story of "Good, Better, Best."
The Good - Gold: This one pretty much validates why I'm not a huge fan
of triple-distilled. It's a very nice mixing tequila, and even as a sipper I'm sure many will
find it quite pleasing. With the blanco's bold punch of agave (see below) I expected
more from the reposado. Here are my tasting notes: Smooth and lightly sweet but somewhat meek. Cinamon, pear, a bit of vanilla, hint of wood, light mouth feel, not
enough agave. Mellow. Three Pencas.
The Better - Silver: My triple-distilled worries dissolved
when I tasted PV's blanco tequila. After a week or so of decanting, I
determined that the PV Silver is great on rocks, with it's clean, peppery
profile. Here are my tasting notes: Herbs, white and black pepper, agave,
anise seed, mint, licorice, lemon-zest, green-pepper chili-pepper, medium heat,
a little bite. Overall medium bodied with warm finish. Good pop of agave. (One wonders how good this blanco would be if twice-distilled) Four Pencas.
The BEST! - Añejo:
And what do you know, the DOUBLE DISTILLED añejo
is hands-down my favorite of the three, and one of the best añejos I've
tried in recent memory. Aged in spent bourbon barrels, PuraVida añejo
brings to fruition the promise of an artisan-crafted highland tequila. I'm not
a big añejo guy, as most people know, but I could sip this juice all night
long. Here are my notes: Coffee, molasses, caramel, vanilla,
cola-nut, toasted almonds, burnt sugar, wood, smoke, and bourbon - but
thankfully not overly bourbon-y. Plenty of agave left to please a guy like
me. Great balance. Borders on being too sweet, but does not cross that border (pun intended). The añejo is la crema de PuraVida,
with a TASTE AS BIG AS TEXAS! Five Pencas.
Pale Rider's buddy, The Tequila Whisperer, concurs! Here's his
review:
The anejo was
where this brand (and NOM 1414) really shines. There is a lush and
wonderfully balanced essence in the anejo which brings forth baskets of fruit,
herbs, vanilla and even traces of coffee! This fruity and grassy
herbaceous mix is a complete satisfaction event, and the price (around $40)
makes this anejo a
must-have in your collection. Nice work, Pura Vida!
** He said, "lush!"
** He said, "lush!"
