La Gritona Reposado Tequila 750ml

La Gritona is genuinely distinctive from the moment you pick up the bottle — every one is hand-blown from recycled Mexican Coke bottles, giving the brand a look unlike anything else on the shelf. But the story runs deeper than the packaging: La Gritona is produced entirely by an all-female team, led by master distiller Melly Barajas, one of the few women anywhere leading a tequila operation from start to finish. Distilled at her small facility (NOM 1533), Vinos y Licores Azteca, in Valle de Guadalupe, in the Jalisco Highlands, the tequila is made using only fully mature, 10-year-old agave plants, cooked with a deliberately slower, gentler method that Barajas credits with preserving more of the agave's natural character.

Production genuinely leans into tradition: a small, vintage copper still handles a unique double-distillation process that incorporates some of the spent agave fibers back into the run — a technique that adds real texture and depth. Once distilled, the tequila rests eight months in used American whiskey barrels, specifically former Jack Daniels barrels, a resting period chosen deliberately short — long enough to round the spirit's edges and add subtle barrel warmth, without ever burying the wild, herbaceous agave character that defines a genuinely great highland tequila.

Agave Matchmaker's independent review found something genuinely surprising: "lots of vanilla cake batter on the nose, some ethanol when you get deep into the glass, some agave and vegetal notes... I thought it was going to be a vanilla cake bomb but the nose definitely doesn't fully translate into the tasting. I get raw agave, a touch of vanilla and oak — it's at a nice sweetness. Lingering is a very interesting spice note, reminiscent of cinnamon or baking spices. All in all, I'm very pleased with this — definitely a highly competent reposado." Tequila Report's own tasting found it "mellow and easy-drinking," with "caramel, light vanilla, cooked agave, subtle florals, light oak, anise, and cinnamon" up front, closing on "green pepper, herbs, and soft oak." One home mixologist's independent review put La Gritona through a Paloma and came away genuinely won over: "I really loved La Gritona in this Paloma. The fruit notes blend well with the citrus and gave the cocktail a pleasantly sweet flavor." This is genuinely thoughtful, small-batch reposado — best enjoyed neat, over a single large ice cube, or in exactly that Paloma.

Origins & Craftsmanship

La Gritona Reposado Tequila is produced by an all-female team led by master distiller Melly Barajas at Vinos y Licores Azteca (NOM 1533), a small distillery in Valle de Guadalupe, in the Jalisco Highlands of Mexico. The tequila is made entirely from 100% Blue Weber agave, using only fully mature plants at least 10 years old, cooked using a deliberately slower, gentler method intended to preserve more of the agave's natural sweetness and character.

Distillation takes place in a small, vintage copper still, using a unique double-distillation process that incorporates some of the spent agave fibers back into the run. Following distillation, the tequila rests eight months in previously used American whiskey barrels — specifically former Jack Daniels barrels — a resting period deliberately kept short to accentuate the agave's own character rather than let the barrel dominate. Every bottle is hand-blown from recycled Mexican Coke bottles, giving La Gritona one of the most distinctive packaging designs in the entire category.

Critics Reviews

Agave Matchmaker (extended independent review):
"This is a very interesting tequila. Lots of vanilla cake batter on the nose, some ethanol when you get deep into the glass, some agave and vegetal notes. The flavor is very surprising, I thought it was going to be a vanilla cake bomb but the nose definitely doesn't fully translate into the tasting. I get raw agave, a touch of vanilla and oak, it's at a nice sweetness. Lingering is a very interesting spice note, reminiscent of cinnamon or baking spices. All in all, I'm very pleased with this, definitely a highly competent reposado. Something agave lovers can enjoy while also being something interesting to show to a non tequila drinker."

Tequila Report (extended independent review):
"Reposado-only brand in distinctive bottle offers herbaceous notes and fair value. Taste: Mellow and easy-drinking. Sweet up front with caramel, light vanilla, cooked agave, subtle florals, light oak, anise, and cinnamon. Finish: Green pepper, herbs, and soft oak linger."

Let's Drink It (extended independent review, Paloma application):
"I really loved La Gritona in this Paloma. The fruit notes blend well with the citrus and gave the cocktail a pleasantly sweet flavor. It was almost like a soda but the citrus helped to balance the sweetness."

Sip Tequila (official tasting note):
"Nose: Fresh agave, bright citrus, and green herbs with a whisper of vanilla from the barrel. Palate: Lively agave-forward flavors, soft herbaceous notes, and a gently mellowed texture that feels open and inviting. Finish: Clean and medium-length."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Pale straw hue, with fresh agave, bright citrus, and green herbs, joined by a whisper of vanilla from the barrel. Some tasting finds vanilla cake batter, white flowers, and mint as more dominant notes.

Palate
Lively and agave-forward, with tropical fruit — lychee and a faint floral hint — meeting a whiff of ripe banana funk midpalate. Cooked agave, caramel, light vanilla, subtle florals, light oak, anise, and cinnamon add layered warmth, with a nice natural sweetness throughout.

Finish
Long and drying, with grapefruit peel and pink peppercorn, or alternately green pepper and soft oak, closing clean and medium-length with lingering baking spice.

Quick Overview

Cocktail Suggestions

Paloma
2 oz La Gritona Reposado · grapefruit soda · fresh lime · salt rim — independently reviewed as a genuine standout serve.

Neat or Over a Single Large Ice Cube — the recommended serve to let the agave character breathe.