Review: Siempre Exclusivo Vivo Blanco Tequila    95.5/100
Review by Chip Dykstra
Published June 9 2023

Siempre’s Exclusivo Vivo is a blanco tequila which has come to us from a completely different pathway than other agave spirits as it was created as part of a unique project with International Tequila Academy founder Adam Fodor.

According to Adam Fodor:

” The Siempre Founder’s and I aligned with Mexico’s most renowned Master Distillers to create a series of innovative, exciting and delicious tequilas that fall outside of the day to day distilling techniques employed by the industry.”

Siempre Exclusivo Vivo was produced at Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados, S.A. de C.V. (Nom 1414) by Master Distiller, Sergio Cruz using a distillation technique that reflects an old Hispanic-Peruvian method of distilling wild yeast while the yeast is still living and fermenting. In addition to utilizing what has up to now been a lost distillation technique, the Tequila Master plays classical music (Mozart) during the fermentation.

The use of wild yeast in the fermentation process is accomplished by simply adding no yeast to an open air fermentation. Wild yeast from the surroundings eventually begins the fermentation process. It takes much longer for the the natural yeast to accumulate in sufficient quantity, and as a result this natural fermentation is much less efficient. There are also factors such as local bacteria which may compete with the wild yeast which decreases the potential yield of alcohol. However these natural factors also add complexity to the final fermentation.

The final tequila is bottled at a higher than standard bottling proof, 47.5 % alcohol by volume.

In The Bottle  4/5

Siempre Exclusivo Vivo is a high end indulgence, yet it arrives in a fairly inauspicious bottle with a label that doesn’t jump off the shelf at you. Apparently this was done on purpose as Siempre wants to highlight the tequila in the bottle which they feel is far more important than the bottle itself. I suppose I agree in principal, but not in practice. Most consumers judge their new purchases based on presentation first, and the fine print is secondary. I wonder how many persons will pass this up in a retail setting as it looks too ordinary to justify the price.

I like the wax top, and the easy tear strip at the back of the bottle, but that pastel turquoise colour is easy to overlook. I like the QR code on the back of the bottle that allows me to scan it to see how the tequila is made. Then again I would actually have to have picked up the bottle and turned it around to see it. I’m not sure that in a retail setting this bottle would have aroused my curiosity. If it did, unfortunately I do not even have a smart phone (I am not the only one), so I wouldn’t be able to scan it.

So I guess, I find myself in disagreement with the folks at Siempre regarding their bottle and label. A special spirit should look the part, or it just might sit on those retail shelves as the more dolled-up bottles get chosen first.

In The Glass 9.5/10

When the tequila is poured into my glass another story begins to evolve. The spirit begins to behave like the ultra-premium Blanco that was promised by its price. It is a soft warm agave that greets the breezes and tantalizes my nostrils. There is a gentle sweetness and a light effervescent quality that suggests that this is going to be suave and easy to sip. Bits of peppery spice combine with a mild green mint and light citrus zest relaying a sense of sophistication and polish. There is a hint of flowers and pollen in the air as well. Interestingly, the bees in my backyard have noticed it too. They have begun to hover near me and over the glass whenever I set it down. I decide to retreat to my tasting room as the idea of constantly swishing the pollen loving insects away seems a little dangerous.

I think I love this nose as much as those bees did, and in my tasting room now, I have decided it is time to take a sip.

In The Mouth  57.5/60

If there is a notable flaw here, I am struggling to find it. All the polish and elegance promised on the nose comes through as my palate is bathed in a soft buttery agave. There is some spicy pepper and citrus zest to be sure (this is tequila after all), but the pepper stays in check and the citrus zest is more like a softened grapefruit zest than hot orange peel. I taste melon and limes, hints of cinnamon, licorice and mint, and and ever so light mescal like smoke within the fruity agave.

Perhaps Siempre Exclusivo Vivo will be too mellow for those who want more fire in their glass; but for me this is hard to put down. I just want to keep sipping …  those bees that were harassing me had good cause!

In The Throat  14.5/15

The buttery texture of the spirit coats the palate giving the Exclusivo Vivo a long satisfying exit where spicy pepper and bright citrus linger long after the swallow. A whisper of mint adds just the right touch of coolness. Despite the spicy pepper, the finale is refined and very smooth.

The Afterburn 10/10

Siempre Exclusivo Vivo is a special tequila spirit. The blanco spirit has a welcome, suave complexity carrying light nuances of tantalizing flavour alongside buttery agave. The peppery finish is neither too spicy nor too mild finding a middle ground which is eminently pleasing. And, at 47.5% alcohol by volume, the spirit is remarkably smooth both in the delivery and through the finish.

I have never before heard of a spirit which touts a living yeast present during distillation; but if this is an example of the outcome, then I am very glad that this “lost distillation technique” has been rediscovered.

You may read some of my other Tequila Reviews (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews.

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Suggested Recipe

Siempre Exclusivo Vivo is a sipping spirit; but that doesn’t mean I cannot mix a cocktail. I decided to go with a tequila standard, the Margarita, and I now find myself in a quandary. Do I mix more lovely Margaritas, or do I reserve this blanco as my primary sipping tequila? Gosh, that is a hard question to answer.

Rum Howler Margarita

2 oz Exclusivo Vivo Blanco Tequila
7/8 oz Bols Triple Sec
1/8 oz Sugar Syrup (1:1)
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
ice
Lime Wheel

Combine all ingredients in a large metal shaker and add ice
Shake until the sides of the shaker frost
Strain into a chilled martini glass
Garnish with salt and a lime wheel.

Please enjoy this indulgence responsibly!

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You may (loosely) interpret the scores as follows.

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing Tequila.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, (we are probably still cocktail in territory).
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing delicious cocktails!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)