12/09/2024
Five untamed horses and a unicorn walk into a bar... Let's welcome this lineup from Caballito Cerrero to BARCOA! The two blancos pictured here have been on the backbar for a minute, but the repo, añejo, puntas, and super rare unicorn are new to the stead.
"Caballito Cerrero" translates to "The Untamed Horse" and refers to a tequila brand founded by Don Alfonso Jiménez Rosales, whose family previously co-founded Tequila Herradura. After a family dispute, he broke away to start his own distillery in 1950, choosing the name as a symbolic statement of independence, essentially saying his "horse" doesn't need the "horseshoes" (Herradura meaning horseshoe). Today, Caballito Cerrero is often considered a "tequila in all but name" due to its unique production methods and use of agave varieties not strictly classified to make tequila, leading to it being labeled as "Destilado de Agave" (Agave distillate) instead.
Here's what we've got behind the bar:
Azul Blanco, 46% abv, $24
Robust, peppery, long & beautiful finish.
Chato Blanco 46% abv, $19
A little funky & mezcal-like.
(chato is a wild agave angustifolia in Jalisco, so it's like a snapshot of tequila before the monoculture of blue weber agave that exists today)
Chato Reposado, 46% abv, $33
Smells and tastes like a sugarcane distillate!
Azul Añejo, 48% abv, $55
Aged 15 months in American whiskey barrels. Still full of agave flavor, but mixed with cinnamon and silky smooth textures.
Puntas, 70%, $45
For adults only. It'll rip the paint off the walls. If ordered, sit with it a minute.
Unicorn, 55%, $38
It opens with brilliant cooked agave and goes into a vibrant fireworks display of citrus, mint, black pepper, melon, and vanilla. The finish vaporizes slowly, leaving you with feelings of pure joy. This "one off" still stength batch of the estate grown agave Azul Tequilana yielded a total of only 180 liters. At 110 proof this special edition from 14th and 15th generation father and son carries on the proud tradition of "vino mezcal" that has been theirs since the 16th century.
