Review: De Nada Tequila, Blanco and Reposado
De Nada Tequila is the brainchild of Adam Millman and Danny Neeson, who met while attending Tulane University, realized they shared a love for entrepreneurship and tequila, and set about starting a brand. Considering this origin story, I didn’t have high hopes for De Nada Tequila (lots of us loved tequila in college), but De Nada Tequila is absolutely legit. It is distilled on the Vivanco estate in the highland region of Jalisco, Mexico by Sergio Cruz and Jose Manuel. De Nada means “you’re welcome” or “it’s nothing” in Spanish, and De Nada Tequila is distilled 100% from Blue Weber agave and confirmed additive free, which means it is made without any sweeteners or coloring agents.
Two expressions, a blanco and a reposado, are available. Both are 80 proof. NOM 1414.
De Nada Blanco Tequila – Unaged, this tequila pours perfectly clear and has a bright nose showing lovely herbal agave character, pineapple, and light grapefruit citrus. The palate is similar, with roasted agave notes coming first, introducing a gentle sweetness. Then comes light pineapple along with some pepper for a medium length finish. This blanco is easily good enough to sip on its own and provides a fantastic base for cocktails or margaritas. A- / $39
De Nada Reposado Tequila – Aged for four months in oak, De Nada Reposado also sometimes includes some añejo tequila, which is added when necessary to ensure that different batches have a consistent color since no artificial color is added. As with the blanco, the reposado has a bright agave nose but the herbal note is balanced with caramel, vanilla, and cinnamon. The palate, on the other hand, is quite different from the blanco. It is not as sweet, and the wood plays a significant role. Cinnamon comes along first and lingers as caramel, vanilla, and roasted agave join in. The cinnamon then remains on the long finish, which is lightly drying. The cinnamon note distinguishes this tequila from other reposados, and I expect many will enjoy it. I did. A- / $43
De Nada Reposado Tequila
$43
