The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Villa Lobos Plata
Tequila

Villa Lobos Plata

Villa Lobos · Fábrica Santa Rita, Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico

$6080 proofNAS (unaged)Arandas, Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
A brilliantly focused Highland blanco from a legendary distilling family — quiet in its presentation but razor-sharp on the palate, and a benchmark for what unadorned agave clarity can achieve.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Bright cooked agave leads, edged with lime zest, wet river stone, and a faint whisper of white pepper and fresh cut grass.

Palate

Clean and precise — sweet roasted agave fibers, green apple skin, cracked black pepper, and a saline minerality that keeps everything taut and focused.

Finish

Medium-length, dry and herbaceous, with lingering citrus pith, mineral coolness, and a peppery snap that fades slowly.

Specifications
Agave
100% Blue Weber Agave (Agave tequilana), highland-grown in Arandas
Production
Slow-cooked in traditional masonry ovens, milled with roller mill, open-air fermentation with wild and cultivated yeasts, double-distilled in copper pot stills.
Region
Arandas, Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Cooking Method
Slow-cooked in traditional masonry ovens, milled with roller mill, open-air fermentation with wild and cultivated yeasts, double-distilled in copper pot stills.
NOM
NOM 1139
Additives Free
Yes
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

The Blue Hour — 2 oz Villa Lobos Plata, 0.75 oz fresh lime juice, 0.5 oz blanc vermouth, 0.25 oz agave syrup, 2 dashes celery bitters. Shake with ice, strain into a chilled coupe, garnish with a lime coin and a single cracked peppercorn.

Food Pairing

Grilled octopus with smoked paprika, olive oil, and lemon over white beans.

The Story

Crafted at La Alteña by the Camarena family — the same Arandas dynasty behind Tapatío and Ocho — Villa Lobos is the personal project honoring their storied lineage, made with slow-cooked highland agave and traditional roller-mill extraction.

Train These Aromas
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