Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Fortaleza didn't just celebrate their 200th batch. They changed the fermentation. Quite honestly, that changes everything. What is Fortaleza Lot 200B Fortaleza Blanco Lots going to be is a highly limited, one time special release created to mark the 200th batch of Fortaleza. This isn't just the same Fortaleza bottle with a tag put on it. This batch used a unique production method that does not exist in regular Portales Oblanco. And there's a key difference in the bottle. You'll notice that this one is actually the hand blown glass bottle. Okay, so let's jump into the production of what they did different here. The biggest difference is when they went to ferment this after the bagazi or the crushed agave come out of the tohona, it went right into the fermentation tanks. So this lot 200B is fermented with fibers. And why that matters is normally Fort de Laser removes all the fibers before fermentation. They decided on this one to see if it changed the profile. A little bit more contact with agave solids, a more earthy, rustic fermentation character, increased texture and mouthfeel and it could create a deeper expression of agave. It is a true throwback method. Old school, messy, very intentional. When you go look at a lot of the older productions of tequila and Mezcal today, you'll see a lot of times that the fibers are always put into the tanks to start fermentation. This one is also distilled tube proof at 80%. So no water dilution after distillation. So let's get it in a bottle and try it. I already poured a little bottle of the regular which was lot 196B. This one is lot 200B. You know, a lot of people are going to just collect this bottle. I am going taste it. All right, let's dive into the nose. Wow, you really do get a deep cooked agave smell. There's some citrus peel, some olive brine, a deep earth, and a little bit of. A little bit of dark pepper as well. Let's taste this one. It does have a lot more agave sweetness than what I think normal Portales does. I'm going to test it here in a second. It's got a lot of earthy tones. There's a herbal bitterness, lime zest, and then kind of that savory like olive brine.
[00:02:10] And it is oily and really has a thick mouth feel. The finish is long, peppery, a lot of earthy like flavors. And then just this lingering agave flavor. All right, let's. Let's have a little side by side here. Here's your regular blanco. Not quite as. Quite as much cooked agave. You can kind of smell a little more sweetness in this one, if that makes sense. Way different on the mouthfeel. Not. Not quite as oily, not quite as thick as a great fortaleza flavor. And the finish is similar. Not quite as bold, I would say, with the agave sweetness in the finish and a little less minerality and a little more citrus in this. Not like a lime, a little more lime in that one. So truly a thicker, oilier, a more bold agave taste in this. 200 people will call this bottle a unicorn for sure. One time release. No plans to repeat this method. This one follows legendary batches like lot 150. Extremely limited distribution. It's sold out almost immediately in all markets. It was released in late 2025, early 2026, and it is already very hard to find in the United States. This is a bottle that hardcore Fort DeLisa fans will hunt for and usually hoard it and usually not drink it. I like to drink them. How should this be enjoyed? However you like to enjoy tequila, I personally would do it neat, at room temperature. I would sit back and just sip on the glass. For me, I wouldn't put it in a cocktail, but I'm sure people will and that's okay. No judgment here. Where did I get the bottle? That's a question that a lot of people ask when I have bottles on here. This one, I actually purchased it while visiting the distillery a few weeks ago. You are allowed to buy one per person and bring this home, so I'm excited that I was there and able to get one before they were sold out. Lot 200B isn't about proof or hype. It's about fermentation, texture, and letting the agave speak loud. If you find this bottle, pick.
