San Antonio distiller offers its take on tequila

San Antonio-based Maverick Spirits in April released Agave Blanco, which the downtown distiller and brewer is describing as its take on tequila.

According to a news release, Agave Blanco is distilled from 100% blue agave nectar using a hybrid still—a pot with a column—and bottled in-house at Maverick Spirits.

Maverick Spirits' Head Distiller Kevin Graham said tequila, by law, must be distilled in Mexico, and until recently, few U.S. distilleries had been producing agave spirits. Graham said the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau amended regulations in 2018, giving stateside distillers more leeway to produce agave spirits.

“Our founder, Dr. Kenneth Maverick, closely followed the early federal discussions to determine an American style of agave spirits. With our proximity to Mexico and history here in San Antonio, it made a lot of sense to us to produce agave spirits,” Graham said. “When [new] regulations were approved by [the ATTTB] for an agave spirit category, we were ready with a predesigned label and recipe for distilling. In fact, we were the first distillery approved for producing agave spirits in the United States.”

According to the release, the blue agave base ingredient results in “an approachable floral and fruit-forward spirit” in Maverick Spirits’ new beverage.

“It is appealing to tequila lovers and non-tequila drinkers alike with its fragrant scents of dry white wine, apple blossom, roasted agave and white pepper. The palate is loaded with agave, green fruit, vanilla and honeysuckle, and a beautiful, lush mouthfeel,” the release said.

Agave Blanco is now available for purchase at Maverick Spirits, 115 Broadway St., where the distillery and brewery is open to tours, and the taproom offers a food and drink menu featuring Maverick’s beers and spirits, which include whiskey, gin, the Agave Blanco and reposado tequila.

The spirits are also available for purchase online and at select retailers, the release said. For more information, visit www.maverickwhiskey.com.