Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Every once in a while, a bottle shows up that feels like history in the making. Today I'm going to review the first To Hona produced tequila ever to come out of nom 1414 Viva Tojona. High proof right here, 96 proof. It's all about a bold new character for the distillery, known for consistency, quality and innovation. Viva is making a statement with this release. NOM 1414, home of some of the most respected traditional brands, has never put out a Tohona product before. That alone makes this bottle significant. Add to the fact that it's bottled at 96 proof, you've got a tequila designed to showcase both tradition and intensity. Now, I've been at the distillery when this Tohona was just finished being put in. I got a nice picture standing next to it before it was used. So I'm really excited about this tequila. It changes so much of what we get from NOM 1414. Let's jump to a couple of quick production notes on this one. It is 100% blue Weber Agave grown in the highlands, part of the family farms where they grow their own agave. It's slow cooked in their brick ovens. Instead of using the roller mill that 1414 is famous for, Viva's using their new traditional stone tohona to crush this cooked agave. That gives us more fiber, more oils, and a rustic expression of agave in the finished juice. Fermentation happens in those stainless steel tanks, all open air with some classic music playing like they do at NOM 1414. Double distilled in their beautiful copper pots. Nothing added, no shortcuts. Just awesome. Sergio Cruz Magic making a fantastic tequila. All right, let's dive into the nose of this thing.
[00:01:34] I love the bottle. It's almost a little hard to hold on to because it's so chunky, but it just makes such a good look to it. All right, let's jump in on the nose of this one. Wow. Cooked agave is just so strong.
[00:01:46] So much minerality and of earthy vegetalness. You get some roasted pepper, some citrus zest. Just a lot of minerality. Almost a little pedrichore. Like a. Almost like a wet earth. There's a little bit of wet cut grass, fresh cut grass in there too. This is a fantastic tequila that's just laid on top of already. What signature fruity and brightness from 1414. Gosh. All right, here we go. Let's take a taste. First sip, you could tell it's 96 proof. It's bold, it coats your whole mouth, but it's surprisingly balanced. No heat, just a little bit of peppery heat in the finish of it, which is really nice. Cooked agave front center, I get lime peel, green apple, a touch of white pepper. The tohona characteristics are there too. It almost has a chewy texture. It's got great earthy tones to it. You. You pick up a little bit of that limestone. You pick up a little bit of that wet grass. There's an amazing natural, lingering sweetness. And it has a little olive brininess that adds a little bit of complexity there too. It almost has, like, a fruit hit in the front that is hard to put my thumb on. It's like apple and pear and sweet potato put together. And that. That's. That cooked agave. It's so good. The finish is long, it's warm. It's very satisfying. The mouth feels great, and your mouth kind of dries up afterwards as well. At high proof, you'd expect some heat, but it's not overwhelming. Instead, it's a slow fade into agave sweetness. A little pepper spice, and the minerality just keeps on going, man. Every sip. This is amazing. Viva to Hona. High proof. It's not just another tequila. It's a milestone nom. 1414 has finally put a tahona into motion, and they did it with this. 96 proof. This is awesome. This bottle is for the people who love traditional tequila, who want to taste the agave in its purest, boldest form. If you're looking for a sipper that's both rustic and refined, this is it. Viva just raised the bar for their own tequila. They've also raised the bar for all of the other brands that come out of 1414. If you've tried Viva Tojona, let me know what you think of it in the comments. Does the Tojona from 1414 live up to the hype? If you tasted it and if you're enjoying these reviews, make sure to, like, subscribe and share. We got plenty more of bottles coming your way. Thanks for tuning in. Have a great night. Enjoy. Viva Mexico.
