Montagave Las Rocas Blanco Tequila
Montagave Las Rocas Blanco Tequila is a 45% ABV (90 proof), 750mL blanco tequila from Cascahuin (NOM 1123) in El Arenal, Jalisco — 100% Blue Weber agave, rested four weeks in a custom-made concrete egg instead of oak, and bottled at an elevated strength. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Blanco tequila — rested, never barrel-aged
- Agave: 100% Blue Weber, Lowlands (Tequila Valley), Jalisco
- Resting: 4 weeks in a custom-made concrete egg
- Production: Brick oven (72 hours), roller mill, concrete fermentation (96 hours), double pot-still distilled
- Distillery: Cascahuin, NOM 1123, El Arenal, Jalisco
- Master distiller: Salvador Rosales Trejo
- Origin: Jalisco, Mexico
A Concrete Egg in the Tequila Valley
Montagave was founded by John Melvin of Austin, Texas and Lucie Melvin, a native of France, who met in Aspen, Colorado in 2017 and married there in 2019; the brand began as a wedding project blending her French and his Texan heritage, made in partnership with Salvador 'Chava' Rosales Trejo of Cascahuin — a fourth-generation, family-run distillery whose Rosales family has distilled since 1904. The founding expression, Blanco 'Heritage', rests in Bordeaux Grand Cru red-wine barrels. Las Rocas takes the same old-world winemaking influence the other way: no oak at all, but four weeks in a concrete egg of the type used in winemaking — a vessel the brand calls a true first in tequila. Per the brand, the concrete subtly raises the pH, unlocking layers of minerality, while gentle micro-oxygenation enhances structure and mouthfeel. Browse the Montagave collection and more tequila at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
The brand's own description: Las Rocas explodes out of the glass with notes of agave, citrus and honey, carried on the minerality and rounded structure the concrete egg is there to build. Importer Skurnik's notes run further: buttercup and yellow flowers, wafer cookies, strawberry hard candy and sweet potato on the nose, then eucalyptus, lemon zest, resin and sweet herbs on the palate, finishing with a subtle wave of ocean air.
How to Enjoy
Sip it neat at room temperature first — the texture is the point of this bottling, and 90 proof carries it without heat. It also makes a blanco margarita or ranch water with noticeably more mineral depth than the standard 80-proof pour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Montagave Las Rocas? A blanco tequila from Cascahuin (NOM 1123) in El Arenal, Jalisco, rested four weeks in a concrete egg — a winemaking vessel — instead of oak, and bottled at an elevated 45% ABV.
Why is Las Rocas rested in a concrete egg? Per the brand, concrete subtly raises the pH and unlocks minerality, while gentle micro-oxygenation enhances structure and mouthfeel — texture and mineral character without any oak flavor.
What proof is Montagave Las Rocas? 90 proof (45% ABV) — higher than the standard 40% for blanco tequila.
Did Montagave Las Rocas win any awards? The brand states it was awarded World's Best Blanco and Double Gold at the inaugural Agavos Awards by Tequila Matchmaker.
A blanco built on texture instead of oak — order Montagave Las Rocas Blanco Tequila online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.