Had this recently and was blown away. I'm not easily impressed with tequila, and there is a flood of so-so stuff out there. This one, however, is an absolute winner.
“J-N-M”...appears as the symbol of the brand. Those three initials represent Jalisco’s Los Altos region; the Nayarit Mountain Range, an area in the adjoining state that is allowed in tequila production; and the Michoacan Inlands, another area just to the south of Jalisco that is allowed. These are the three “keys” of Tridente, three terroir sources of Tequila Weber Blue Agave melded into one tequila.
When the rules say all your tequila must be made from one plant, the Tequila Weber Blue Agave, your best strategy for increasing complexity is to express the terroir of each separate growing region, then mingle them together into a fully integrated master blend. Cedeño Cruz selects the three estate origins of Tridente because of what each terroir adds to the blend. Tridente is the very definition of terroir-driven tequila under the hands of a master.
Third and finally, Tridente is superb tequila, encompassing fine structure, lush texture, and flawless aromas and tastes of pure agave. The Blanco is, at different times, intensely fruity, then herbal, then redolent of black pepper spice, yet manages to sustain an amazing and seamless balance of all its elements.
The Tridente Reposado, which in tequilero terms is “rested” rather than aged, shows more the pleasant mellowing effects of a short time in used barrels rather than a broad expression of oak. There’s the barest ghost of a kiss of caramel there, a diacritical mark that gives a slightly different accent. Drink this one neat. It deserves the attention and rewards the drinker accordingly.