Arette Fuerte Artesanal 101 Proof Blanco Tequila
Arette Fuerte Artesanal 101 Proof Blanco Tequila is high-proof blanco at its most honest: a 50.5% ABV (101 proof) unaged tequila, bottled essentially straight off the still by the Orendain family at El Llano, NOM 1109, in a 750mL format — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 50.5% (101 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: unaged blanco — no oak contact
- Distillery: El Llano, NOM 1109, Tequila, Jalisco — Orendain family (fifth-generation distillers; founded late 1800s)
- Agave: 100% estate-grown Blue Weber agave from the Tequila Valley (lowlands)
- Process: brick-oven cooking, roller mill extraction, open-air fermentation with wild house yeast in cement vats, double-distilled in stainless steel pot stills with copper coils
- Additives: no dilution beyond bottling proof — bottled at still strength character
The Story Behind Arette Fuerte Artesanal
Arette ("Arete" was the horse ridden to Mexico's 1948 Olympic golds by Humberto Mariles — the brand is named in its honor) is produced at El Llano, one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in Tequila, Jalisco, run for five generations by the Orendain family. The Fuerte Artesanal line is Arette's traditionalist statement: it stands apart from the more common industrial approach (autoclave cooking, stainless fermentation with distiller's yeast) by cooking agave in traditional brick ovens, fermenting open-air with wild house yeast in concrete vats, and double-distilling in small copper-accented pot stills. Fuerte 101 is bottled at 101 proof — 50.5% ABV — specifically so the pure agave character comes through undiluted, the way the distillers taste it.
Tasting Notes
Big, concentrated, and agave-first. The nose is intense: cooked agave, cracked black pepper, citrus peel, and fresh herbs, with a crystalline, almost minty freshness underneath. The palate is full-bodied and rich — agave jam sweetness, earthy minerality, pepper, and bright vegetal notes (mint, thyme, grilled succulents) — carrying through to a long, warming finish of pepper, citrus, minerals, and lingering cooked agave. Remarkably mellow for its proof, with no harshness despite the strength.
How to Enjoy
Sip neat in a tequila tasting glass — give it a few minutes to rest after pouring, or add a few drops of water to open the citrus and mineral notes. The 101-proof punch also makes it a powerhouse cocktail base: a premium Margarita or Paloma where the agave refuses to get lost. Pairs with ceviche, grilled fish, and tacos al pastor. Browse the Arette brand collection, more tequila, and other fine spirits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Fuerte" mean? "Strong" in Spanish — the name refers to the 101-proof bottling strength (50.5% ABV), well above the standard 80-proof blanco.
Who makes Arette tequila? The Orendain family at the historic El Llano distillery, NOM 1109, in the town of Tequila, Jalisco — five generations of distillers, not to be confused with the Fonseca family's El Tequileno (NOM 1108).
Is Arette Fuerte aged in oak? No — it is an unaged blanco. All of its character comes from the agave and the artisanal production: brick-oven cooking, wild-yeast open-air fermentation in cement vats, and pot-still distillation.
Why is it bottled at 101 proof? So the agave character comes through at full concentration — high-proof bottling preserves flavors that get muted at standard 40% ABV, and bartenders prize it for holding its own in cocktails.
Grab Arette Fuerte Artesanal 101 online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — 101 proof of the Orendain family's finest agave, bottled bold and honest.