I recently attended a media dinner, at Casa Romero, hosted by Daday Suarez, the CEO and founder of Alto Canto Tequila. Alto Canto was just launched last year in New York City, and now it was being launched in Boston as well. I was thoroughly impressed, on multiple levels, by the three tequilas from Alto Canto and they earn my strongest recommendation. And Daday was fascinating, passionate and personable, a fine spokesperson for his tequila. It was a pleasure to chat with him, about a variety of topics, and not just tequila.
Daday Suarez, with a degree in mechanical engineering, also possesses a sommelier certification. In addition, he's close to finishing a Bachelor's degree in philosophy, and may even continue his studies to acquire a Master's degree. Much of his philosophical studies included the various philosophies of the ancient Greeks. I also have a degree in philosophy, having studied the ancient Greeks as well, and have continued reading and studying philosophy over the years. Thus, I was intrigued to speak with Daday, to determine whether philosophy played a role in his new tequila brand.
The Reposado ($105), with a 40% ABV, was aged in new American white oak, in an adobe wine cellar, for about five months. I had some initial worries that the new oak might overpower this tequila, that its influence would be too bold, but as soon as I tasted the Reposado, all of those worries vanished. The Reposado had a nice, bright yellow color, and an intriguing nose of agave, citrus, and honey. On the palate, the tequila was silky smooth with a sense of elegance. The complex melange of flavors tantalized my palate, with notes of agave, citrus peel, dried fruit, honey, salted nuts, and more. Each sips seemed to bring something new to my mouth. The finish was quite lengthy and pleasing. The oak influence was more subtle, enhancing the tequila rather than detracting or masking its taste. This was my favorite tequila of the three, an impressive spirit which I would enjoy primarily on its own, slowing sipping and enjoying each taste. Highly recommended!
Alto Canto, a small, high-altitude distillery which produces more natural and traditional tequila, is worthy of your attention. These are some of the most compelling tequilas, for numerous reasons, in the market. And speaking with Daday Suarez, his passion for this project was obvious and infectious. It was clear that much thought went into the creation of these tequilas, and the success was evident in the taste of the tequila. How many other tequila brands have a foundation in philosophical musings?
About six years ago, Daday decided he wanted to produce an agave-based spirit, to leave a legacy to his children. Initially, he considered producing Mezcal, but as he delved deeper into the matter, he decided there were too many regulations and that producing Tequila would be an easier endeavor. As he began his plans, he also considered several philosophical issues, which he felt would elevate this tequila.
Initially, he asked himself the question, "What is tequila?" He was seeking more than a simple legal definition, but instead seeking a more metaphysical definition, a question of the identity of tequila. I'm willing to bet few, if any, tequila producers ever considered such a philosophical question when they started their brands. Daday also realized that he needed to bring out the identity of their tequila, to properly communicate about the new brand.
In addition, Daday saw this tequila brand as a transcendent element of himself, a passion and legacy to pass on to his children, forming a sense of immortality. Thus, the identity of the tequila would be intimately tied to Daday, and he needed to ensure that he could be proud of what the tequila represented. His tequila is much more than a simple commercial product. I'll note that Daday's oldest son is currently studying medicine while his other son is studying math.
With his experience as a sommelier, Daday knew that with wine, aroma was the key, and he felt that applied to tequila as well. Thus, he desired his new tequila to possess a compelling aroma. He then sought out a partner, selecting maestro tequilero Juan Reyes, a famed distiller. Together, they eventually decided to construct their own small distillery, rather than use an existing distillery. The new distillery, a small operation, would contain forty-kilogram ovens and twenty-liter copper pot stills.
Their objective was to produce tequila through more low-intervention and environmentally friendly methods, more traditional production methods. They decided to locate their distillery at a site in the mountains of the Sierra del Tigre, at an altitude of about 9,0000 feet. This is now the highest tequila distillery in Jalisco, the second highest distillery being situated at 6800 feet, over 2000 feet lower in altitude.
Why so high? The altitude brings lower temperatures and higher humidity, which allows them to better slow cook the agave piñas, making them softer and sweeter. In addition, this isolated region offered spontaneous fermentation free of industrial pollutants and other contaminants. With Daddy's philosophical bent, I can imagine their site in the Sierra del Tigre as akin to Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek gods.
Their tequila is made from certified organic 100% Blue Weber agave, which they purchase, and it was mentioned that there are only about four producers of organic agave. It takes about 72 hours for them to cook the piñas in their small, stone ovens. Afterwards, the piñas are sliced and a volcanic stone Tahona is then used to mill the piñas, a very traditional method which is much better than the mechanical shredders used by many of the large tequila brands. Mechanical shredders can shred the bitter fibers on piñas, adding a harsh element to the tequila, but that doesn't occur with the Tahona. The Tahona process is also said to impart some minerality to the tequila.
Fermentation occurs naturally, in tinas, traditional wooden vats, and then the tequila is distilled twice in small alembic copper pot stills. Interestingly, during the fermentation process, they play classical music, which is thought to "relax" the agave. Daday showed me their playlist and it had a diverse selection of classical music. At least one other tequila producer does something similar, and I'm aware of a few wineries which also play classical music, some just in their barrel room where their wines age.
The tequila is not filtered, and the entire production process takes about eleven days. During this entire process, the only addition to the agave is natural spring water. Other tequilas may possess additives such as caramel coloring, glycerin, oak extract, and sugar-based syrup, but Alto Canto tequila does not. I'll also note that this tequila is Kosher. To Daday, the production of tequila is "more about doing things the right way."
As for doing things the right way, sustainability is also an important value to Daday. For example, they foster biodiversity by planting cherry and apple trees, which helps provide beneficial yeasts for fermentation, and they also are concerned about waste reduction. Social sustainability is also important to them, so they pay fair wages to their employees, as well as investing in local infrastructure and education. This all supports that the tequila is a transcendent element of Daday, a legacy he can be proud of when it passes on to his children.
As for the name of their tequila brand, "Alto Canto" translates as "highland song." They currently only sell their tequila in the U.S., in California, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. The tequila is not actually available in Mexico, for a number of reasons, such as higher taxes. The distillery only produces about 4000 cases (6-packs) annually, broken down into 45% Blanco, 30% High Proof, and 25% Reposado. Such a tiny production. They are working on producing an Anejo, which is a matter of waiting for it to properly age.
For their tequila, each bottle is numbered and topped with a ceramic cap, and those caps are all different. For their Reposado, they age it in new American oak, but don't char the barrel so it's not as aggressive. They chose not to age their tequila in used oak barrels, as they don't want to impart any flavors from the used barrels into their tequila. For example, a used bourbon barrel could impart a touch of bourbon flavor, and Daday wants Alto Canto to taste only like tequila.
I first experienced their tequila in a couple cocktails. The Bright Echo was composed of Alto Canto Blanco, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, lime juice & agave. It had a pleasant taste, with definite agave notes, lime and a spicy kick, especially on the finish. This is the type of cocktail I would order and enjoy at a restaurant or cocktail bar.
The Alto Old Fashioned was made with Alto Canto Reposado, simple syrup & bitters, and it was also a fine tasting drink. The agave notes were dominant, balanced with a touch of sweetness. A nice way to showcase the reposado.
Then, we moved onto tasting the three tequilas on their own.
The Blanco ($80), with a 40% ABV, isn't aged in oak at all, although you might read some notes to the contrary, such notes being mistaken. On the nose, there was a pleasant and prominent agave smell, along with more subtle citrus notes. On the palate, the tequila was soft and smooth, without any bite or burn. There was a prominent agave taste, with complex notes of citrus, mild herbal notes, minerality and a little sweetness. It possessed a long, satisfying finish, and I could easily drink this on its own, or maybe atop some ice. Blanco tequilas are commonly best in cocktails, and this would work well in such, but it can easily be enjoyed straight up as well. This was certainly one of the smoothest Blancs I've tasted in a long time. Daday stated the Blanco paired well with ceviche, Manchego cheese, and Spanish ham. Highly recommended!
The High Proof ($90), with a 48% ABV, also isn't aged in oak and was intended for using in cocktails.
On the nose, there was also a prominent agave smell, along with citrus and herbal notes. On the palate, the tequila was smooth with a bit of heat from the higher ABV. There was a prominent agave taste, with complex notes of citrus, strong herbal notes, hints of earthiness and some minerality. This is a tequila that I'd use in cocktails rather than drink as is, and it was a favorite to some of the other people at the event.
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