Fortaleza Still Strength Reposado
Fortaleza · Destilería La Fortaleza (Tequila Los Abuelos)
Fortaleza's still-strength reposado showcases what happens when traditional tahona production meets a few extra months in oak with no dilution to bottling proof. The result is a tequila that carries more weight and concentration than the standard reposado, with the agave always front and center. It's a textbook example of how controlled heat — in the horno, the still, and the barrel — can build complexity without losing identity.
Nose
Rich cooked agave leads immediately, followed by warm vanilla and caramel from the oak resting. Butterscotch and cinnamon weave through a subtle floral lavender note. There is an earthy mineral quality beneath everything, grounding the sweeter aromatics.
Palate
The palate is plush and agave-forward, with a beautiful balance of fruit — ripe pear and cooked apple — against spiced oak. Pepper builds gradually, and a gentle honey sweetness emerges at midpalate. The slightly elevated proof carries more texture than the standard release without any harshness.
Finish
Long and warming, with lingering cooked agave, vanilla, and a light smoke that speaks to the tahona and copper pot still production. Cinnamon and earth echo on the fade.
- Agave
- 100% Blue Weber Agave
- Production
- Brick oven (horno) cooked, tahona crushed, naturally fermented, double distilled in copper pot stills, rested in ex-American whiskey barrels for 6–9 months
- Region
- Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico
- Cooking Method
- Brick oven (horno) cooked, tahona crushed, naturally fermented, double distilled in copper pot stills, rested in ex-American whiskey barrels for 6–9 months
- Distillation
- Tahona-crushed, double distilled in small copper pot stills
- NOM
- NOM 1493
- Additives Free
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Reposado Paloma — 2 oz Fortaleza Still Strength Reposado · 0.75 oz fresh lime juice · 0.5 oz agave nectar · 3 oz grapefruit soda · Build over ice in a salt-rimmed highball glass · Garnish with grapefruit wedge
Food Pairing
Slow-braised pork carnitas tacos on fresh corn tortillas with roasted tomatillo salsa verde, pickled white onion, and cilantro.
Guillermo Erickson Sauza, a fifth-generation descendant of the Sauza tequila dynasty, rebuilt his family's original distillery by hand and revived stone tahona crushing and small copper pot stills to produce Fortaleza in the town where tequila was born.
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