Whether the true GOAT of the NBA is Michael Jordan or LeBron James is a controversial subject. Besides the fact that it’ll likely be Steph Curry by the time he retires, everyone seems to have an opinion. Those opinions run so deep and are so passionate that we’ll likely never have a consensus. But can we find a common ground by figuring out who is the GOAT of the celebrity tequila? It just so happens that they both have a brand.
To find out who is the true GOAT of celebrity tequila (with all due respect to Kendall Jenner) I grabbed a bottle of Jordan’s Cincoro Reposado and blind-tasted it side-by-side with LeBron James’ Lobos 1707 Reposado. This is a one-on-one, mano-a-mano showdown of luxe tequilas that you can actually find.
Once I blind-tasted each of these tequilas, I ranked them according to the depth of flavor, deliciousness, and whether or not I actually wanted to drink them after this tasting. Shall we get into it? Let’s figure out which of these tequilas is a… slam dunk (I’m so sorry).
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The Tasting/Ranking
2. Taste 1 — Cincoro Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $99
The Tequila:
While Jordan is a co-founder and co-owner of this brand, the actual tequila comes from NOM 1438, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila (Casa Maestri) in Tequila, Mexico, which makes 165 (!) other brands currently. Cincoro’s Reposado is aged for eight to 10 months in ex-Tennessee whiskey barrels, which far exceeds the two months of aging required to be called a “reposado.” Once those barrels hit the right mark, they’re batched, proofed with local well water, and bottled in one of the tallest glass bottles you’ll find.
Blind Tasting Notes:
There’s a clear and rich sense of slow-roasted agave piñas on the nose with a slight note of caramelization next to soft vanilla pods (almost like a pudding), sour cherries, spiced holiday cake (clove, anise, and cinnamon heavy), and a dusting of white pepper powder. The palate is lush with a tapioca pudding vibe next to creme brûlée with burnt white sugar, a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, and plenty of caramelization. The mid-palate has a dark cacao waxiness that leads to mashed roasted agave with a slightly sour edge next to vanilla tobacco leaves rolled into an old cedar box with a hint of sour buttercream lurking underneath.
Bottom Line:
This was really freaking nice. It was complex yet approachable. There was a mild American whiskey vibe on the palate that complimented the roasted agave and white pepperiness of it all. I can easily see sipping this on some rocks or making a killer tequila old fashioned with it.
1. Taste 2 — Lobos 1707 Reposado
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $54
The Tequila:
Diego Osorio, acclaimed Spanish actor and documentarian, is the founder of Lobos 1707. King James came on a little later as a shareholder/ambassador. The juice is from NOM 1460, Compañia Tequilera de Arandas, S.A. de C.V. in the Highlands of Jalisco, which makes 42 other brands of tequila. The spirit initially rests for six months in American white oak before it’s blended with Lobos 1707 Extra Añejo and re-barreled into Spanish Pedro Ximénez sherry casks that Osorio sourced himself. Once the tequila is just right, it’s small batched, proofed, and bottled, creating a marriage of Spain and Mexico in the bottle.
Blind Tasting Notes:
This opens with a rich salted caramel note next to dark chocolate-covered coffee beans, slow-roasted agave with a good caramelization, plenty of white pepper, and a mix of cinnamon bark and allspice with this twinge of sour cream on the nose. The palate leans into that roasted agave with a hint of sour mulled wine full of star anise, allspice, and cinnamon with a slightly honeyed sweetness next to woody tobacco leaves. The end has a sense of waxy dark cacao nibs layered into that tobacco and packed into an old cedar box with a dash of white pepper next to dried red chili peppers over creamy yet slightly sour creamed cottage cheese with a slight hint of caramelized pineapple.
Bottom Line:
This is also pretty freaking great. The tequila has a lush texture that’s accented by seriously deep flavor notes and enticing aromas. It’s super easy to sip and really delivers a well-rounded tequila experience. I can also see this crushing an old fashioned application or on a rock or two as a slow sipper.
Final Thoughts
I have to give the edge to Lobos 1707 here. There’s just a richer and slightly more complex flavor profile. That said, these are shockingly similar sips of reposado tequila. We’re talking about splitting some serious hairs here. Full disclosure, I had my wife pour these again and I fully re-tasted them blind one more time just to try and find something to raise one above the other. It was there but you had to be looking for more depth to find it.
If you’re passively just looking for and drinking good reposado, then Lobos 1707 really is the play. This didn’t factor into the blind ranking at all, but it is half the price of Cincoro too. Just sayin’.
