La Venenosa 15th Anniversary, Blanca, Cabo Corrientes

La Venenosa was the first raicilla brand to establish a real international presence, and this bottling celebrates 15 years of that work bringing traditional Jalisco agave spirits to the wider world. The Blanca expression comes from the Cabo Corrientes region on Jalisco's Pacific coast, specifically the Juntas del Sur area, and is crafted by Maestra Tabernera Blanca Rodríguez González, the first woman to lead a taberna in raicilla production, carrying forward a tradition long dominated by men in the region. Production follows traditional coastal raicilla methods: agave (a mix of Rhodacantha and Angustifolia) is cooked in an underground stone conical oven fired with oak wood, then hand- or mechanically-milled, fermented naturally in stainless steel containers with agave fibers, and double-distilled in a stainless steel Filipino-style still. As part of the 15th anniversary series, this release is bottled at an elevated proof (in line with other anniversary expressions in the line, around 47.6% ABV) to let the spirit's natural intensity and terroir come through even more distinctly than the standard bottling. On the nose, expect a dominant sweet agave character layered with tropical and ripe fruit, apple, peach, mandarin, and tart citrus, alongside herbal and vegetal notes of fresh-cut grass, mint, and pine, often with a thread of smoke and earthy, roasted agave underneath. On the palate, bright citrus and white pepper heat lead into more tropical fruit (papaya, pineapple, berries), savory notes of olive brine, cedar, and wet stone, and the funky, slightly wild character that's become a signature of the Blanca expression. The finish is clean and evolving, often mineral-driven, leaving a long, layered impression that reflects both the coastal terroir of Cabo Corrientes and the artisanal, small-batch nature of the release. It's a limited, collector-oriented bottling best suited to slow, neat sipping rather than mixing.