Siete Leguas Tequila Blanco

I've just started to delve into the world of tequila, having only drunk Jose Cuervo as a teenager, and recently trying Don Julio añejo. I had assumed that, like scotch, the older a tequila is, the better, but tequila is a completely different animal. As a tequila ages, it picks up more of the characteristics of whatever wood it's being aged in, with a corresponding reduction in the agave flavors. This is why it's sold in blanco, reposado (aged at least 2 months) and añejo (aged at least a year), so you can get the agave-wood balance you're interested in.

Blanco is called the purest expression of agave as it's not aged at all. Siete Leguas uses small brick ovens to cook the agave, and crushes it in stone mills powered by mules, so it's a more traditional manufacturing method. Unlike many other tequilas, it's distilled in copper stills (like scotch, and unlike most other tequilas that are distilled in stainless steel stills). Copper is used in scotch distillation as it supposedly removes more impurities; I'm not sure what the effect is here as tequila has over 300 congeners that contribute to the flavor of the final product.

Siete Leguas was named after Pancho Villa's horse, which supposedly could run seven leagues without tiring. It is 100% de agave (under Mexican law, "mixto" must have at least 51% agave). As expected, the agave flavor is the most prominent, fruity on the nose with some vanilla on the palate, and a long peppery finish. I can only compare it to Don Julio blanco, which I didn't care for. It's an outstanding drink if this is what you're looking for.