BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Produced by La Pulga. Distilled by Agroindustria Guadalajara, NOM 1068
• MASH BILL: 100% Weber Blue Agave
• AGE: None
• YEAR: 2023
• PROOF: 80
• MSRP: $48.99
• BUY ONLINE: Seelbach’s Online Store

STEVE’S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any tequila fan and anyone hoping to get into this spirit.

WORTH THE PRICE: Sure. It’s a bit high at nearly $50, but not outrageous.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle since it’s good tequila. You’ll not regret it.

OVERALL: La Pulga is the name of an open-air flea market in Fort Worth, Texas, where founders Sarah Castillo (a restaurateur), Andrew De La Torre (a club owner) and Stephen Slaughter (a real estate developer) live. According to the brand’s story, “La Pulga has served as a gathering place and a gateway to the Northside of Fort Worth since the 1940s. Beloved for generations, it is one of the oldest flea markets in the United States and the perfect place for our brand to call home.”

Yeah, they’re industry outsiders who saw the chance to create a tequila brand. It’s not a big, deep story or heritage play, just an entrepreneurial story. So, let’s talk about the tequila.

The nose is rich with cooked agave and pleasant back notes of sour orange peel, tamarind, eucalyptus, wild honey, spring flowers and some minerality. It’s bright and lively on the palate, spiced with pink peppercorn, citrus peel and roasted agave. The finish is brief and lingers barely with some floral, honey and mineral notes. With each successive sip, spice and brightness increase appreciably, showing this blanco is no quitter.

Despite lacking complexity, this is an easy-sipping tequila that’s ideal for newcomers who are finally convinced to go slowly with tequila rather than shoot it. Its spice and citrus brightness make it an ideal cocktail tequila, so go with those bolstered by citrus. Spicy and bitter amendments (Ancho Reyes and Campari among them) common to modern cocktail menus would wholly obscure this delicate spirit. Its soft presentation, however, piques my interest in La Pulga’s reposado since wood may well contribute to that missing complexity and provide some beneficial oxygenation.

BRAND NOTES

Our Blanco starts with an irresistible nose of cooked agave and with a smooth sip you’ll enjoy touches of pure agave, citrus, anise, honey, and floral. Experience it neat for its fullest flavor, or in any of your favorite cocktails.

Each bottle of La Pulga is adorned in the style of alebrije, a beloved Mexican folk art, and the animal spirit of our Blanco is the bronco: symbol of a soul that cannot be tamed.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.