Los Nahuales Special Edition No. 4

Verdict

High-proof single-varietal espadín is a format most producers treat as a bravado move; Los Nahuales' No. 4 treats it as a reference exercise. At 49% the espadín's signature is sharpened, not distorted, the bottle plays as the house's baseline with the volume knob turned where it belongs. Dixeebe's espadín at 52% is confident in a similar way; this is Los Nahuales' version of that argument.

Tasting notes

Nose: Concentrated cooked agave, warm stone, faint smoke, citrus peel

Palate: At 49% the espadín is turned up rather than roughed up, concentrated, clearer-edged, slightly more mineral than the standard joven. A house demonstration of what proof adds when it's managed

Finish: Warming, agave-true, long

The bottom line

A serious high-proof espadín. Worth the pour

Where to buy online

We found this bottle at 2 US retailers. Prices and stock vary – click through to check.

• Old Town Tequila
• Wooden Cork