Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Today we're tasting a little piece of history. The original four Copas Blanca from NOM 1480, Giles Les Americas. Long before production moved to NOM 1522 under the current master distiller, Ileana Partida. This bottle represents early days of organic tequila, before additive free was even a buzzword for Copas was the first ever certified organic tequila and the first 100% agave tequila to be certified kosher under the kosher rules. If you care about purity and sustainability and history in your glass, this is one worth revisiting. If you haven't had it. 4 Kopas was born in the heart of Amatan Jalisco, the sacred birthplace of tequila. Surrounded by volcanic soil, agave fields that stretch all the way towards the tequila volcano, this brand set out to prove true craftsmanship could also mean organic production. Made from 100% organic Blue Weber agaves and and fermented from organic yeast, for Copas was a pioneer, earning both the USDA and the EU organic certification long before organic tequilas or organic spirits even were trendy. Back then, tequila production was handled by tequila Las Americas nom 1480, known for its traditional Valles profile. Earthy minerality, cooked agave, touch of pepper. Every step honored the land long before sustainability became marketing. And what's exciting is I'm soon sitting down to interview one of the partners, Rafael Deanda, to talk about how four Copa's evolved from its early version to today's production at NOM 1522 under Ilana Partita. Let's check it out in the glass.
[00:01:44] It's got a crystally silver tone. It's really clean.
[00:01:47] It does have a little bit of a, like, a little bit of a gray hue to it.
[00:01:53] All right on the nose. It's sweet, it's buttery, it's balanced. It's got a nice cooked agave smell with a little bit of vanilla. There's a little citrus in there too. I'd say some pear, some grapefruit, maybe even a little bit of lemon zest. There's some nice earthy vegetal notes as well. And I do pick up just a little bit of a funkiness that is reminiscent of some of the Valles tequilas, for sure. It's got this nice little funky smell. Let's dive into the taste on the palate. This is silky with a light, oily feeling. It's got a real sweet up front. You get cooked agave, some vanilla, a little bit of white chocolate. It's got a buttery flavor to it, followed by a little mint pepper and then that citrus. Talked about that funk that I get in there.
[00:02:41] It drives a little more vegetal flavors and a little more minerality, but also gives you that buttery taste that you pick up. So the funk in the smell is not in the taste. Let's have another hit here and do the finish. The finish is creamy and slightly sweet with a lingering hint of like a lemongrass, a little bit of cream soda, and then some citrus peel. It's a nice finish. It's not super long. It kind of starts to fade as you get into that. That citrus peel flavor. But it does kind of leave you wanting another sip, that's for sure. You can tell it's crafted with care and simplicity. No tricks, no shortcuts. So my verdict? Nom 1480 version of 4 kopas is a blanco that I enjoy. It's authentic tequila, paving the way for the organic movement that we see celebrated today. It's not perfect. The nose is a bit soft, and the finish could be a little longer, but it's the foundation that built for Copa's reputation. I can't wait to try the newer NAM 1522 version, which is crafted by Ileana Partita, to see how it's evolved under her direction. I'll be talking more about that with my upcoming interview with Raphael, one of the partners behind the brand. So make sure you subscribe, hit the bell, all these things so you can check out that video. That'll be coming soon. Salute and have a fantastic night.
