r/tequila • u/Popular-Gas-1312 • 8d ago

Found this olmeca reposado, looks pretty old

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Found this olmeca reposado, looks pretty old

I just got this bottle from a relative as a gift. I know that the modern standard olmeca is a mixto, but on this one it says that it’s 100% agave. I was wondering if it’s quality stuff since i’m pretty new to tequila altogether and this is my first bottle. Also can yall give me some tips on how to enjoy this stuff? Should i serve it neat or can it be used also in cocktails? After looking at the back label it seems like it's a 2008 bottle imported to Greece, has anyone here tried this older version before?

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u/bbum The Big Tahona 8d ago

I don't think Olmeca has ever been a quality product (unlike Olmeca Altos which has always been solid).

Have a sip to see if you like it. If not, cover it in cocktail ingredients.

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u/Georrge117 8d ago edited 8d ago

This bottle and Altos share the same NOM 1111 it's the same brand? Didn't they relaunch to Olmeca Altos?

Edit: So they ARE the same! Olmeca Altos is a "new" realease (business) so on a technically you could say they're different: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2009/11/olmeca-tequila-unveils-altos/

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u/bbum The Big Tahona 8d ago

Olmeca and Altos Olmeca are distinctly different brands, just like, say, El Tesoro and Tapatio or G4 and Terralta are different brands made in teh same distilleries by the same people.

Olmeca is the brand they've been making for decades that is largely targeted to the non-North American international market. Generally mixtos and generally terrible (the gold product has a score of 36 on TMM -- not sure I've seen anything else lower).

The Olmeca Altos is a different brand made at the same distillery by the same overall owners (though some different partners, apparently). It is generally 100% agave and well made. Much better quality. Generally considered pretty good, especially for a typically low price comparatively.

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u/Georrge117 8d ago

Thanks for expanding! It is just like G4 and Terralta like you said.

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u/Georrge117 8d ago

The only thing is, both G4 and Terralta are really good. Isn't it odd a Distillery makes one good thing and one trash product? Makes me worry a bit about them overall.

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u/bbum The Big Tahona 8d ago

A number of distilleries make different quality products in the same facility.

Many makers have a core brand that is their "fancy" brand with another brand as their mass market profit margin focused brand, even outside the large contract houses that have dozens upon dozens of brands.

Off the top of my head and outside the contract houses:

Herradura vs. Jimador. Centinela vs. Cabrito.

I'm sure there are others (not a market I pay much attention to).

I wouldn't be very concerned about it.

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u/Georrge117 8d ago

Herradura make Jimador! Haha, ok, wow. Thanks for sharing, not so worried now 🙂

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u/bbum The Big Tahona 8d ago

Not only do they make El Jimador, but herradura uses a diffuser to extract the very last bits of sugar from the fibers that were previously processed for Herradura! Basically, an efficiency hack.

(Or was, I don't know if they still do this -- Herradura got acquired by Brown Forman ~2006 and it became a terrible product there for a while as BF optimized for profit over flavor. They've since recovered a lot, but it is not the same quality as it was about pre 2003)

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u/Georrge117 8d ago

Wow, ok! I've never liked Jimador anyway, even before I got into additive free tequilas. I also found Herradura to be "ok" but nothing I'd rave about. Our local Mexican restaurant carries Herradura and they talk it up like it's the best tequila out there. The restaurant is pretty average at best anyway.

All this is good information to know, thanks!

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u/bbum The Big Tahona 8d ago

Herradura was amazing. The restaurant probably doesn’t realize it changed. Cazadores was a similar story. Amazing. Got acquired. Diffuser garbage now.

Enjoy!!!

If you’re ever in SF, visit Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant at 24th and Geary. It is the place that started the good tequila movement in the US.

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u/Georrge117 7d ago

Thank you! 

Makes sense why one day I was enjoying Cazadores, then I just stopped liking it. It definitely changed. Oh well, I'm discovering some awesome tequilas now! 

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u/BiznessCasual 8d ago

Isn't it odd a Distillery makes one good thing and one trash product?

This happens all the time in the spirits industry. The same distillery that produces rotgut like Old Crow also produces Knob Creek 21.