G4 Blanco De Madera Tequila 2024
G4 Blanco De Madera Tequila 2024 is a 45% ABV (90 proof), 750mL unaged blanco from Destileria El Pandillo (NOM 1579) in Jesus Maria, Los Altos, Jalisco — 100% estate-grown Blue Weber agave, fermented entirely in pine wood tanks, a first for the distillery. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45% (90 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Blanco tequila — unaged; the wood influence comes from fermentation, not barrels
- Agave: 100% estate-grown Blue Weber, Los Altos (Highlands), Jalisco
- Fermentation: 100% in pine wood tanks, open-air, without fibres — a first for El Pandillo
- Production: Stone/brick oven (22 hours), tahona extraction (the handmade "Felipestein"), double distilled in copper pot stills, deep well water
- Distillery: Destileria El Pandillo, NOM 1579, Jesus Maria, Jalisco
- Master distiller: Felipe Camarena, fourth generation
- Origin: Jalisco, Mexico
Fermented in Pine, Not Aged in Oak
G4 is the Camarena family's fourth generation: Felipe Camarena, whose family has farmed agave since 1860 and distilled since 1937, built El Pandillo in Jesus Maria in 2011 and runs it the traditional way — stone ovens, a handmade metal tahona nicknamed Felipestein, copper pot stills, and additive-free production. El Pandillo normally ferments in stainless steel. De Madera — "of wood" — was his experiment: ferment a blanco entirely in pine wood tanks, and see what the wood gives the spirit before distillation ever starts. The answer is texture and complexity that no barrel was involved in, and the experiment has become an annual limited lot release since 2022. Browse the G4 Tequila collection and more tequila at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
No official brand tasting sheet is published for De Madera; reviewers and specialist retailers converge on a consistent set: cooked agave, apple, cinnamon and black pepper with caramel and pine emerging on the nose; a sweet cinnamon and earthy agave entry with an oily mouthfeel; and a long finish of citrus, subtle caramel, olive, lemon, mineral and cooked agave with anise, mint and pepper. The pine fermentation shows as texture and that distinctive resinous lift.
How to Enjoy
Neat, first — at 90 proof with this much texture, De Madera is a blanco built for sipping. It also gives a margarita or paloma a depth most blancos cannot reach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "De Madera" mean in G4 Blanco De Madera? "Of wood" — the tequila is fermented entirely in pine wood tanks, a first for El Pandillo, instead of the distillery's usual stainless steel. It is not barrel-aged.
What proof is G4 Blanco De Madera? 90 proof (45% ABV) — higher than the standard G4 Blanco at 80 proof, and different from G4's 108-proof high-proof blanco.
Where is G4 tequila made, and by whom? At Destileria El Pandillo (NOM 1579) in Jesus Maria, in the Highlands of Jalisco, by fourth-generation master distiller Felipe Camarena.
Is G4 Blanco De Madera aged in wood barrels? No. It is an unaged blanco; the wood character comes from fermenting in pine tanks, and it is made with deep well water rather than the rainwater/spring blend used for the standard G4 Blanco.
A blanco with the soul of a wood-fired experiment — find G4 Blanco De Madera Tequila 2024 at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA, ready to order online.