Cabo Wabo Tequila Blanco Review

Predating the modern explosion of celebrity-helmed spirit brands, musician and former Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar debuted Cabo Wabo tequila in 1996. Though the rocker sold his remaining stake in the business to Gruppo Campari in 2010, the producer continues to release affordable, mid-range tequila that works best in cocktails—though our tasting panel had mixed feelings about some of its other qualities.

Tasting Notes

Color: Clear

Nose: Agave, ethanol, vanilla

Palate: Vanilla, petricol, black pepper, jalapeño, peppermint, lime

Finish: Heat quickly dissipates to make way for peppery finish 

Suggested uses: Citrusy cocktails like Margaritas and Palomas, Red Snapper

Similar bottles: Espolòn, Casamigos 

Our Review

The opinions of our reviewers varied, although they all agreed Cabo Wabo Blanco is a solid choice as a mid-range tequila for cocktails. However, as a solo sipper it may not be the best expression of the agave plant. Both Jacques Bezuidenhout and Jeffrey Morgenthaler sensed a strong burn on the nose, and Bezuidenhout says the vanilla notes overwhelmed the agave, which should be front and center in a blanco expression. 

“That fresh, bright agave we look for in an unaged tequila is subdued, but some pleasant black peppercorn and jalapeño flavors help make up for it,” says Morgenthaler. He found the finish pleasant, while Julie Reiner found it metallic and tannic. “The pepper notes take over, and you are left with a medicinal taste on your palate,” she says. 

All of our reviewers found this tequila suitable for mixing, particularly in citrus-forward cocktails like Palomas and Margaritas. “I tried it in an ice-cold Tommy’s Margarita and found it quite drinkable after a long day,” says Morgenthaler. Reiner notes that its pepper notes could also make it a good choice for a Red Snapper. Our reviewers don’t recommend it for sipping. “The metallic finish makes it an unpleasant tequila to drink neat,” says Reiner. 

Overall, Cabo Wabo Blanco is a good-value option for novice tequila drinkers. However, “if you’re not afraid of spending an additional $10–15 dollars for an unaged tequila, you can find something much more elegant and expressive of the agave plant,” says Morgenthaler.

Production

Cabo Wabo Blanco is made with 100% blue agave at the Destiladora San Nicolás in Tequila, Mexico. The agave, which matures for eight to 12 years, is baked in wood-fired ovens, and the liquid is separated from the plant with roller mills. The tequila ferments naturally and is distilled twice in stainless steel stills. Like most blanco expressions, it’s unaged. 

History

In 1996, when musician and former Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar launched Cabo Wabo, the name most Americans associated with tequila at the time was Jose Cuervo. More than a decade earlier, inspired by Keith Richards and Patti Hansen’s wedding at the Finnistera Hotel in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, Hagar booked a trip to the resort. He soon fell in love with the country, where he visited Tequila and tried 100% agave tequila for the first time. Hagar even wrote a Van Halen song called “Cabo Wabo,” released in 1988 and named for the “Cabo wobble” one might experience after a long night of drinking. 

In 1990, Hagar opened the Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas, and six years later he set out to source and launch an in-house tequila for his establishment. He enlisted the help of Juan Eduardo Nuñez, a third-generation distiller for Tequila El Viejito, and in 1999, made a deal with wine distributor Wilson Daniels to begin importing the tequila into the U.S. In a 2002 Salon article, writer Porter Fox called Hagar “Bono on agave,” and by 2006, his was the second-best-selling tequila in America behind Jose Cuervo. Although the musician is still somewhat synonymous with Cabo Wabo, Hagar sold most of the brand to Gruppo Campari for $100 million in 2007, before parting with the remaining 20% in 2010. 

—Compiled and edited by Audrey Morgan