Unoaked and agave-forward, Tequila Corrido Overproof is clearly potent.
In early 2023, Brian Raab and Tony Boyle were up for a new challenge. The Tequila Corrido co-owners had been distilling their widely admired blanco, reposado and añejo tequilas for six years and were looking for a fourth “expression” to add to their product line. “We were thinking about expanding with a cristalino,” Boyle says, referring to aged tequila stripped of its color. “But we were much more excited by overproof.” Essentially blanco tequila with less dilution, overproof is a trending style that invites more of the spirit’s agave essence into the glass – along with more alcohol. “It’s the truest, purest expression [of tequila] you can produce,” Boyle says. We asked for transparency, and Corrido obliged.
- Like all Corrido styles, overproof is made from Blue Weber agave piñas that are roasted, pressed and fermented in Guadalajara by master distiller Ana Maria Romero. By law, agave spirit must be distilled in Mexico or it cannot be marketed as “tequila.”
- After distillation, Corrido reposado and añejo head off to oak barrels. Meanwhile, the blanco goes into stainless steel for 30 days, to rest the spirit and integrate the flavors.
- After barreling, blanco is diluted with demineralized water to 80 proof (40 percent alcohol by volume). Overproof, meanwhile, is only cut down to 100 proof.
- Less dilutions amplifies the spirit’s aromas and nuances. “Primarily, you’ll get cooked agave,” Boyle says, “but you can also pick up hints of citrus, tropical fruit and subtle spices.”
- Raab and Boyle imported just two pallets of the overproof during its initial run in 2023 – exactly 960 bottles – but the initiative paid immediate dividends when it was awarded Double Gold at the WSWA Wine & Spirits Tasting Competition in January.
- With its abundant fruit notes, the overproof is perfect for sipping, Boyle says, “but I also personally love it in a carajillo or a bloody Maria.”
$58
Tequila Corrido Overproof
ilovetequilacorrido.com
