Blanco Tequila

Real agave goes into this one with a hint of tamarind behind it, and what comes out is smoky and peppery with a citrus lift rather than the sweet agave syrup flavor most tequila substitutes settle for. Earthy is the fairest single word. Dhos makes it in small batches at its Oregon distillery. On spec it is a 750ml bottle with zero sugar, zero calories, no alcohol and no artificial additives, carrying Clean Label Project certification. It was built as a base rather than a sipper, so it earns its keep in a margarita or a paloma where lime and grapefruit have something to push against. If you want it neat, take it over ice with a lime wedge and expect pepper rather than warmth, because there is no alcohol here to supply the burn.