Fortaleza? Saw the Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo on Saturday after only seeing one or two bottles of one of offerings (Blano, I think) for past few weeks (and nothing for a while before), I assume local distributor got them back in stock.
-Al
1 Like
would love to grab a bottle of the anejo if you can point me in the right direction. thanks!
Saw it in a grocery store that doesnāt sell and ship. But, this store had none for quite a while and now has six to eight of each (shelf capacity) at the usual prices, so guessing the distribution is recovering.
-Al
super helpful thanks.
1 Like
Went to a local store that said it was in stock on the website only to be told itās not in stock. Shoulda read the fine print.
Iām interested in the reposado.
While I was at the store I grabbed a bottle of the El Tesoro Reposado.
Been drinking Dobel Diamante fairly regularly lately on ice with an orange wedge.
Canāt tell whether thatās sarcasm. 
I saw the Fortaleza in Draegerās in Danville. They are a local family owned chain (four stores in SF Bay Area) with a pretty well curated selection of wines and spirits, although not the best prices. I picked up a bottle of the Reposado, I think the price was between $55 and $60 which was same or similar price as before it disappeared. Donāt think they have any particular pull with the distributors, and it hasnāt been available there in those quantities for months.
The Total Wine near me states itās sold out although expected to be back in stock āMarch 2023ā. They also claim it may be in stock in limited quantities at a few Total Wine stores nearby, but thatās not super reliable as Mike indicated.
So, I think the shortage will ease though may take a while as people snap it up when they see it. I think it was a good sign that it doesnāt appear the prices have changed (donāt recall the Anejo price, though).
-Al
2 Likes
Good find, wish I was in town.
Walked into a liquor store, next to a local neighborhood market here in San Diego. Huge selection of every spirit known to man. Saw a few Fortaleza bottles, including one Reposado. Turned out to be the winter blend, for which they were asking $300 
This store has its spirits lining the wall, on shelving that climbs up maybe 12 feet. Another store was like the tower of Babel! At least half a dozen shelves above my head, probably 20 feet up. Needed binoculars to see the top shelves lol. Both stores have at least 100 feet of wall space.
1 Like
I spent some time in Old Town Tequila (San Diego) today. Have been there a few times before. Itās a compact, somewhat hectic and haphazard store, with rows and stacks of spirits of all kinds, particularly tequila, mezcal, bourbon, and scotch. Pretty sure they have some Fortaleza, but Iām not desperate enough to beg for it lol. At one point someone asked me if I was āa friend of [name withheld]ā, to which if I had answered yes I think I would have unlocked a bottle 
Had a nice discussion with one of their long time employees, who pointed me to a few bottles similar in style. Bought a bottle of Cazcanes Reposado.
The more fruitful discussion was upstairs, at El Agave Restaurant & Tequileria. Quite close to the airport, you could kill some time here waiting for a flight, or a long layover. Food is pretty good, though today I just had a single tequila pour, of a newer brand called Atanasio
Bartender suggested several in the Fortaleza style, and I picked this one because Iād never seen it before. Glad I did, very good stuff, nose and taste of a well made, unadulterated tequila.
Some others he recommended from what they pour:
El TequileƱo
Everything they make. There is a unique red label bottling called Reposado Rare, which he described as being aged like AƱejo, but in a larger cask, so less wood influence. Because of that, they apparently canāt call it AƱejo. And a bit pricy, but bartender raved about it.
Mijenta (another new to me)
Arette (I have a bottle, but havenāt tried it yet, thereās a āregularā square bottle, and a round āsuaveā bottling, though Iām not 100% clear on what that means. I think itās longer barrel aging, or maybe additional distillation. Probably a well known style Iām just not familiar with.
El Tesoro
Cascahuin
Iāve only seen Blanco
He asked if I ever get to TJ, I said not since college in the 70s, when we would go there and smuggle gallon bottles of Oso Negro vodka behind the tail lights of my roommateās Ford Ranchero; and early 80s a few times with my future wife for an affordable lobster dinner. He raved about a brand called Arenas, which isnāt imported. And another called Don Nacho, which is too cheap to be taken seriously (his words, lol) but is great quality for the price.
My afternoonās tequila adventure 
3 Likes
FWIW, some of the local mexican grocery stores in SoCal get them (Vallarta, Northgate, etc) and donāt sell out immediately because stock isnāt online//itās not a ātypicalā liquor store
2 Likes
Interesting. Couple of those not too far from me, or where I might be around San Diego.
Saw some fortaleza blanco today, but nothing more. Kind of seems like a bit of an artificial shortage, Iām betting that changes at some point and returns to normal supply.
1 Like
It wonāt. Their distillery expansion isnāt done. Demand is thru the roofā¦reminds me of the early days of Weller and EH Taylor. They have had nothing but issues getting goods across the border. Never ending problems with demand from Mexico, US, and Europe will make this a cult item like Bourbon.
Rightfully so. I buy all the Blanco I can as it is the truest expression of agave and I love theirs. Gonna grab a glass now. Thanks for reminder.
Yes, I also like drinking blanco tequilas because I like the taste of cooked and fermented agave.
-Al
1 Like
Please stop incentivizing me to buy more blanco lol. Thereās a neighborhood liquor store at the bottom of the hill, about 2 miles away, kind of off the beaten track in a more residential area. Iāve driven past it for decades, and just assumed it was one of those little mom and pop stores that sells cheap liquor and lottery tickets. Stopped in today, and it is packed to the gills with everything you can imagine, including a bunch of higher end and culty stuff. Wall shelves, aisle displays, boxes stacked everywhere, and they were loading in a bunch more from a truck. They had a few bottles of blanco. Might have to grab another bottle. They have a bunch of blantons, apparently include their own selected barrel.
Pass on Blantonās. Funny story re. Fortaleza, during Covid they were having massive supply chain issues and I got a pallet of Blanco and Reposado. Ops called me and said the boxes were too small. Went to warehouse and we had received 2 pallets of 375ml vs. 750ml. Since we canāt send it back and hadnāt ever sold or set up 375ml we still have a board each of Blanco and Repo from 2020 that have sat in the warehouse aging gracefully from almost 3 years ago.
Need to get some samples!
Yeah, not really a blantons fan, donāt understand the hype, just relaying one somewhat more rare bottle I spotted. Tons of others.
I didnāt even know they came in 375s
Union El Viejo is really delicious and 90 proof.
Espadin & Tobala.
1 Like
I may have stumbled on a couple bottle of Fortaleza Repo at Total, will see if they actually materialize when I go to pick up 
1 Like
Happy owner of two bottles and while in there stupidly succumbed to a bottle of 2019 Montrose.
1 Like