Anteel Coconut Lime Blanco Tequila Review: An Infused Spirit With Beachy Vibes
For those who want a change of pace from the same old familiar tequila brands, Anteel tequila is a fresh alternative. It's a recent entry into this category of distilled spirits, with the spark for the concept beginning in 2016 between married couple Don and Nayana Ferguson.
Fermented from both Highland and Lowland agave plants from Mexico, which each respectively offer up sweet and earthy notes, the brand's goal is to have a smooth, balanced tequila at the base. Anteel recently added a new coconut and lime-infused blanco tequila to its lineup and we were lucky enough to try it.
Upon opening the bottle, you can pick up on a slight aroma of a gimlet, which gives an early indication that this tequila could deliver strong lime notes; but then the scent takes a quick veer into having a heavy presence of coconut. It has us immediately thinking of sun tan lotion — and, that's not necessarily a bad quality considering it reminds us of sunny beach days. But, let's get to how it tasted.
What does Anteel Coconut Lime Blanco tequila taste like?
The immediate question we had with this blanco tequila infused with natural coconut and lime flavors was, "How does it taste in its purest form?" We started by enjoying it at room temperature, neat in a straight shot with considerate, thoughtful sips. The coconut immediately came forward. The lime does appear towards the end, but it tastes more like the light essence of the peel or pith versus the tangy juice of the sour fruit.
We were then interested to see how this tequila would hold up on the rocks and whether any of the flavors would diminish when the ice melted. We gave it a sizable 1-inch cube and found that whether it's on ice or served as-is, the coconut is still the dominant flavor.
In both cases, however, the tequila goes down extremely smoothly. The amount of soothing coconut in this infused blanco does mitigate a lot of the burn you would normally associate with the spirit.
How is Anteel Coconut Lime Blanco tequila with a few squeezes of lime?
Coconut can come across as too cloying for some if it's the predominant flavor. And that holds true for Anteel's coconut lime blanco tequila.
We liked adding a heavy dose of lime juice to provide a big acidic boost to a glass of this tequila. This is particularly beneficial if coconut isn't your top choice when it comes to beverage flavors. One small wedge might be enough to do the trick, but we opted for a squeeze from half of a lime in a standard 1.5-ounce shot to counteract the sweetness of the coconut. We also recommend serving this one on the rocks versus a neat shot so you have plenty of time to savor it.
Is Anteel Coconut Lime Blanco tequila good in a margarita?
Anteel's coconut and lime blanco tequila works incredibly well in a margarita recipe. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering the bottle is already replete with a potent mix of flavors.
We're happy to report that the coconut still comes through just as strong as when we drink it neat or on ice, but within a margarita, the acidity from the citrus and the sweet tang of the triple sec are given equal chances to shine. We also think this spirit would be a great base for a paloma.
Where to buy Anteel Coconut Lime Blanco tequila and how much it costs
In its relatively short time of production, the Anteel tequila brand has racked up numerous awards and accolades, including medals at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2020 and the SIP Awards in 2021. Given all this positive feedback, it is starting to gain a bigger footprint in terms of distribution.
At the time of publication, its products are available for purchase online with a 750-milliliter bottle of the coconut-lime infused blanco selling for $55 plus shipping and handling. You may also find it in select liquor stores within the states of Georgia, Michigan, and California.
Final verdict
Will you fall in love with Anteel's Coconut Lime Blanco tequila? After trying it every which way from room temperature to on the rocks to within a margarita, we believe it all comes down to how much you enjoy coconut. Throughout our various tastings, we consistently picked up on a ton of fruit — and it was much more coconut than lime.
The bottom line is that you're not getting the unique, layered nuances that come with tequila. But, if you want to get into the spirit — literally — and don't particularly like the taste of tequila, Anteel's recipe for this blanco covers it up well. It does go down incredibly smoothly and evoked some past memories of Malibu rum but with more bite and a lot more maturity. While this tequila might not be for the most hardcore, serious tequila consumers, we would argue that it's an excellent shot option or mixer.