Review: Tequila Avion, Complete Lineup (2010)
This new brand hails from New York, where a former Seagram exec decided to strike out on his own in the brave new world of tequila. As the story goes, founder Ken Austin scoured Jalisco for the best spirit that hadn’t made it to the U.S., and found it on the highest agave plantation in the area, where the agave was being slow-roasted at low temperatures in order to keep a mellow, sweet character in the resulting spirit.
The result is Avion, bottled from this mysterious source (and even ready in reposado and anejo versions) and ready for sale in the U.S.
I tasted all three varieties during an Avion visit to San Francisco recently and have sampled the Silver on its own later — only reconfirming my thoughts about this solid, top-shelf product.
All are 100% agave and 80 proof.
Tequila Avion Silver (2010) – Sweeter than the blanco you’re probably used to, with a buttery body and fruity notes of pineapple and lemon. Herbs and some agave kick in for the finish, which is smooth and without almost any bite at all. Gorgeous. A / $45 [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS] [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]
Tequila Avion Reposado (2010) – Aged 6 months, quite long for a reposado, which gives it impressive caramel and vanilla notes, which play well with the agave in the body. It’s surprisingly light in color for a spirit with a flavor this rich, while also disarming in its complexity. A / $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS] [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE]
Tequila Avion Anejo (2010) – A masterpiece. Aged two years, giving it huge vanilla and cinnamon character, with notes of nougat, chocolate, and fresh cookies. Maple syrup lines the finish, but all the way it is nothing but smoothness. A beautiful, old tequila that can stand up to the big boys’ anejos — and extra anejos. Also an absurd bargain considering the quality. A+ / $55 [BUY IT NOW FROM CASKERS] [BUY IT NOW FROM THE WHISKY EXCHANGE]
Tequila Avion Silver (2010)
$45
Wasn’t this the brand featured on the last episode of Entourage?
Yes it was, they are going big with this Tequila, nice, very nice Avion.
That’s too funny! I just saw the Entourage episode last night and I just stumbled upon this website this morning. Guess I should look into picking up a bottle.
Just had the Anejo last night… it is effing good.
I have never tasted a tequila as smooth as Avion Anejo… WOW!
Avion is the best tequila I ever tasted. Patron watch out. Will never drink Patron again. Bottle is awesome too
All my fellow bartenders in NYC can see through the marketing haze, smoke and mirrors.
This is no new classic. Bring me a Casa Noble. Or a Cuervo Tradicional.
As can I but if it sells hotter than patron here I’ll order it. Haven’t tried it yet though.
Read the review from drinkhacker. This reviewer does not mess around. The marketing is solid but the Avion is even better. The real deal. Everyone knows Patron is only marketing.
This is a marketing brand. No heritage just manufactured for the tv show. Silver is ok but not work the price. Reposado and Anejo are crap. The owners must think we’re stupid to jump on a make believe brand.
I met the people from Avion two weeks ago in my bar and 6 of us did a blind taste test against Patron, Don Julio, El Tesoro and Cuervo Trad. We asked to do the taste test to make it fun. We sell shitloads of tequila in our place mostly Patron but Avion doing well now too thanks to how much we like it and people asking for it more every day. We didn’t know which was which and 5 of us picked Avion as the best. Anyone who says it’s crap is either a competitor or is full of crap. They are very nice people, all come from the industry and worked on the brand for a long time and wasn’t made for tv. They spent an hour with us. They told me getting on Entourage didn’t cost anything which is off the hook and how grateful they are so why attack them? BTW, it’s blowing up in our place and I work at one of the hottest bars in the meatpacking district in NY.
The entourage thing was too cheesy. The Monkeys of tequilla.
Contract tequila, the ones making the money are US citizens who own Jets, not the agave farmers in Mexico where the $ should be going. Avion is in the same boat as Justin Timberlakes 901 and Sammy Haggars Cabo Wabo, marketing is great the tequila is not.
The guys may be nice but what business do a bunch of white dudes in the states have making tequila……………it is made in the same place as Clase Azul…….do your home work kids, their are 20+ brands coming out of that distillery, NOM is 1416 check it out for yourself and enjoy
Don Julio 1942 is twice the price and 10 times as good.
I tried the Silver, I didn’t really think it tasted like Tequila and it had a not so pleasant aftertaste. It was smooth, but smooth doesn’t mean great tequila to me. This was weird and had a bad aftertaste.
To each their own I guess but I wasn’t blown away.
Definitely a really smooth Tequila! I’ll be rocking this stuff when I hit NYC in November so I cannot wait! Watch out Patron!
Is it supposed to have stuff floating around in it? I have looked everywhere and am reluctant to drink it without knowing if it is okay to drink…
Stuff floating in it??? NO.
I tried Avion tequila…and was not impressed. Too bad, since they heavily marketed it on the show Entourage as one badass drink. Unfortunately, it was just ok.
The bottle looks tres chic.but the taste is comme si comme sa for its price.
Please read the NOM number off the bottle, display it here and we can end the discussion of the Tequila’s heritage with solid facts. The NOM number will tells us what we want to know.
I’ll pick up a bottle anyway when I pass thru Atlanta in a few weeks, It’s not available here.
Al Agave – NOM 1416 on my bottle (blanco).
NOM 1416 on my bottle too, which is the Reposado.
I can understand some of the animosity towards the brand due to either a real or perceived lack of ‘purity’ amongst the brand’s ownership. That being said, a lot of the comments here show a high degree of ignorance so it’s hard to take them seriously. The owners paid NOTHING and gave up NOTHING for the priceless advertising on Entourage. One of the owners of Avion and Doug Ellin, the creator of Entourage, have known each other since elementary school. On top of that HBO is an advertising free network, so none of the products you see on any of the shows paid to be there.
I don’t care who makes this tequila. It’s the year 2010. If some rich white guys want to start up a tequila company, by all means let them. They are providing employment for people in the US and Mexico, and as long as they’re compensating all employees fairly I don’t see how you can get on them for that. Sure there’s no heritage, but to me heritage is ONLY valuable for marketing, even if it doesn’t show up explicitly on the balance sheet. I love a good history story as much as the next person, but I’d rather have a delicious drink from a decade old start up as opposed to some crap that can trace its roots back to a cabin in the year 1812.
I have a bottle of Reposado for this weekend and I’m excited to try it. This weekend is a special occasion so a buddy and I decided to splurge a little bit and Avion was our tequila of choice.
great stuff
bought a bottle of reposado the other night, my friend bought a bottle of don julio. He and I were both convinced that Don Julio was the one… until we tried the avion. amongst our friends, all of us loved the flavor and smoothness of the reposado over the don julio.. patron and 1800, etc were a joke compared to Don julio.. and now, we have a new favorite in avion.
This stuff is definitely is winning people all over.
Unfortunately understocking hurts. Popular bars will run out by the end of hte night.
all the haters can eat shit. this is the best tequila I’ve had on the rocks so far. deff a sipper, it’s too good ta shoot. They did their home work on this tequila, the flavor profiles are amazing. If you don’t like it. Your palate sucks, sorry.
It’s interesting how easily so many of you are swayed by one little TV shows influence.
heritage is the arguement. people who talk like this are total fools. Avion which took years to make (i met the owner in my bar) won a double gold medal at SF World Spirits Competition. This was a blind taste test with most critical judges in the world all saying Avion was the best. Haters be gone and let’s see you have the balls to go start a business like these guys did. They are against giant kill the little guy companies like Diageo, Beam, Patron, Pernot Ricard, Bacardi, Foreman, etc and we all should wish them well and support them vs. these giants. So dumb to see haters. It is in the bottle and i personally think it should be more expensive especially the Anejo that is better than DJ 1942 which is almost 3x as expensive and is fake hype. Good luck Avion! The real people vs. the haters wish you the best and you deserve it.
Just purchased my first bottle today. Looking forward to making my own taste test! I’m married to a Mexican and who better to judge! During one of my many travels to Mexico, I asked a mexican next to me at the bar what Mexicans drink??? He suggested Cazadores which we love and an inexpensive but good El Jimador. We received a bottle of Cabo Wabo for Christmas and like it as well. By the way mixologists, it goes down much smoother when it’s ice cold! We keep our tequila in the freezer. The quick chill at the bar just don’t cut it! TBC!
I’d be interested for you to re-try it. I too didn’t think it was a bad product when I first tried it in 2010, but I’ve recently revisited it and was thoroughly unimpressed. Thinking the quality has gone down as they’ve rapidly expanded.
Totally agree with Jeff; we were given this tequila as a gift, and “smooth” is NOT the operative word. This tequila was quite harsh, with a very pronounced agave flavor. I told my partner I felt it tasted like agave had been pureed and poured into a cup. Not appealing. I could see the strong agave flavor being a boon for mixed drinks, which usually wash out all the tequila taste, but for a sipping tequila? Something a bit more smooth and complex would be nice. I shouldn’t be wincing.
I think i’ll have to try some of this tequilla!
I bought the Anejo the other day, and while it is not the smoothest-finishing liquor I’ve ever had, it is a very flavorful tequila. I caught the honey, vanilla, and cinnamon notes, but the agave came on strong; perhaps too strong. I generally agree with your higher rankings (Tito’s, Broker’s, Bulleit), but I don’t think the Anejo deserves an A+. At least an A-, maybe an A, but to pinnacle this Anejo is pushing it.
This is hands down the best tequila I have ever had. For all of those that are knocking Avion you have probably never tasted it. This is as smooth as it comes and a great taste. I have never met someone that has tasted it and really enjoys tequila that has nothing but praise for Avion. Even the none tequila drinkers are really surprised at how good it is. For all those trying to advertise other tequilas as better, pull your heads out, obviously you have been tasting your ass for to long.
I tried Avion Espresso first, but wasn’t impressed. Even when diluted in coffee, it was cloyingly sweet and syrupy. I later learned when I bought Avion Anejo that it is a much better mixer for coffee. I was never a big fan of tequila, but this is a solid product and I am happy to have tried it; I am anxious to make tequila sunrises.
Have had only the Anejo. It’s quite good, but not groundbreaking. If you enjoy this, try Piedra Azul. Their repo and anejo are eerily similar and at half the price. The Avion Anejo is actually the most “repo” anejo I’ve ever had. Don’t like it too sweet so in my book that’s a good thing.