Caballito Cerrero "Chato" Blanco

Caballito Cerrero is a storied tequila company founded in 1950 by Don Alfonso Jiménez Rosales in Amatitán, Jalisco, the historic birthplace of tequila itself, and is still produced today at Fábrica Santa Rita by 14th and 15th generation tequileros. The brand holds the distinction of being the first producer in the Amatitán region to use the term "tequila" at all, and it's earned a devoted following among the next generation of agave enthusiasts across Guadalajara and Mexico City for its commitment to traditional, uncompromising production. Where the Azul expression is built from Blue Weber agave, Chato is crafted entirely from estate-grown maguey Chato (Agave angustifolia, closely related to or synonymous with maguey Espadín), a variety prized for its intensely vegetal, herbal character and naturally high mineral content. The agave is cooked in traditional brick steam ovens, extracted through a double-pass mill, fermented in open stainless steel tanks with a combination of wild and proprietary yeast, then distilled in a mix of stainless steel and copper, a pure agave style with no additives, letting the Chato varietal speak entirely for itself. Because the estate's traditional methods sometimes diverge from official Consejo Regulador del Tequila standards, the family labels these releases as "Destilado de Agave" rather than certified tequila. In the glass, expect an inviting nose of cooked agave, baked bread, and broiled grapefruit, lifted by a clean note of alcohol. The palate opens with green bell pepper and anise alongside cooked agave, rounding out into cream, tangerine, and vanilla, richer and earthier than the brighter, more herbaceous Azul expression. It finishes clean, with milk chocolate lingering alongside persistent agave and vegetal notes. Versatile behind the bar as well as neat, Chato holds its own in a Mezcal Negroni or a Tommy's Margarita, where its herbal backbone and natural sweetness elevate the drink without overwhelming it. Best enjoyed neat or over a single large ice cube to let the Chato varietal's full character unfold, it's a compelling, terroir-driven counterpoint to the brighter Azul bottling, and together the two make for a genuinely instructive side-by-side study in how agave variety alone can reshape a spirit's entire personality.