If you’ve spent any time in the tequila aisles lately, you know the name. Fortaleza. It's the brand with the hand-painted agave piña stoppers and the cult-like following that borders on a religious movement. But every year, things get a little weirder when the "Winter Blend" drops. The Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 has been the subject of more Reddit threads, Facebook group arguments, and liquor store "backroom" deals than almost any other spirit this year.
It’s just fermented juice, right? Wrong.
For the uninitiated, Guillermo Erickson Sauza—the man, the myth, the legend behind the brand—doesn't just put his standard blanco in a different bottle and call it a day. He experiments. He plays with wood. He messes with ABV. The 2024 release is a fascinating case study in how a brand can maintain its "purity" while getting absolutely wild with cask finishing. Honestly, if you’re looking for a smooth, boring sipper, you’re in the wrong place. This year’s blend is loud.
What Makes the Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 Different?
Every year, the "recipe" changes. That’s the whole point. While the 2023 release leaned heavily into Hungarian oak and Sherry casks, the Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 took a slightly different path toward complexity. This year, the focus was on a meticulous marriage of various barrel types that Guillermo and his team at Destilería La Fortaleza (NOM 1493) felt captured the essence of a colder season.
They didn't just use one type of wood. They used several.
We’re talking about a blend of tequila aged in used American oak (the classic stuff) alongside a significant portion finished in Oloroso Sherry butts and French oak. It's a high-wire act. If you leave it in the Sherry for too long, it tastes like cough syrup. If you don't leave it long enough, why bother? The 2024 version hits that 43% to 45% ABV sweet spot—higher than your standard 40%—which carries those essential oils and agave spice much better across the palate.
Most people don't realize that Fortaleza still uses a stone tahona. A massive, multi-ton volcanic rock wheel. It crushes the cooked agave slowly. This isn't just "marketing fluff." It preserves the fibers. It creates a texture that modern diffusers and even some roller-mill processes just can't replicate. When you take that rustic, earthy base and throw it into sophisticated European oak, the result is a weird, beautiful friction.
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The Tasting Profile: Smoke, Fruit, and Dirt
Let's get real about the flavor. You open the bottle. The first thing that hits you isn't vanilla or caramel—it’s cooked agave. It smells like a campfire in a rain forest. Then comes the fruit. Because of those Sherry casks, the Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 has this underlying note of dried apricots and maybe a bit of raisin.
It's complex.
One sip is peppery. The next is creamy. It’s got that signature "funk" that Fortaleza fans crave—that briney, olive-like quality—but it’s wrapped in a warm blanket of baking spices. Think cinnamon, nutmeg, and a tiny hint of clove. It doesn't taste like a "flavored" tequila. It tastes like a tequila that went on a very expensive vacation to Spain and came back with a sophisticated accent.
Some critics have argued that the wood influence is getting too heavy. I've heard people say it's losing the "Fortaleza identity." I disagree. I think it’s an evolution. If you want the pure agave, buy the Still Strength (which is incredible, by the way). The Winter Blend is supposed to be the "chef’s special." It’s supposed to be a bit provocative.
The Secondary Market Nightmare
Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the price.
The MSRP (Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price) for the Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 is usually somewhere around $150 to $180, depending on your state's taxes. Good luck finding it for that. In the real world, you’re looking at $300, $400, or even $500 on the secondary market. It’s insane.
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Is it worth $500? Probably not. No tequila is, strictly speaking, "worth" half a mortgage payment for 750ml of liquid. But value is subjective. To a collector who has every Winter Blend since the inaugural 2019 release, that 2024 bottle is a missing puzzle piece. It's a commodity.
The scarcity is real, too. Fortaleza doesn't have a massive factory. They are a relatively small operation in the town of Tequila, Jalisco. They can't just flip a switch and make 10,000 more cases. When the 2024 stock is gone, it’s gone forever. They won't make this exact blend again. That "Fear Of Missing Out" drives the price into the stratosphere.
I’ve seen people camping out in front of Total Wine at 6:00 AM. I’ve heard of liquor store owners "bundling" the Winter Blend, forcing customers to buy six bottles of bottom-shelf vodka just to get the chance to buy one Fortaleza. It's predatory. It sucks. But it’s the reality of the 2024 spirits market.
How to Actually Drink It (Stop Shooting It!)
If you actually manage to get your hands on a bottle of Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024, please, for the love of all things holy, do not put it in a margarita. Don't drown it in lime juice and agave nectar. And definitely do not take it as a shot with salt.
You need a Glencairn glass. Or at least a wine glass.
You need air. Give the tequila ten minutes to breathe. Because of the higher ABV and the Sherry cask influence, the aromas need time to "unfold." At first, it might smell a bit tight or alcoholic. Give it a swirl. Let it coat the glass. You’ll see the "legs" or "tears" crawling down the side—that’s the viscosity from the tahona-crushed agave.
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- Drink it neat. Room temperature.
- Add two drops of water if the alcohol heat is too much. Just two. It opens up the floral notes.
- Sip it slowly. This is a 45-minute pour, not a 5-second gulp.
Why 2024 Might Be the Peak of the Trend
We’re seeing a shift in the tequila world. For a long time, everything was about "Extra Añejo" and making tequila taste like Cognac. Then the pendulum swung back toward "Additive-Free" transparency. Fortaleza became the poster child for that movement.
The Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 sits at the intersection of these two trends. It’s additive-free, but it uses barrel aging in a way that’s experimental and bold. However, the hype might be reaching a breaking point. With prices soaring, some enthusiasts are starting to look elsewhere. Brands like Cascahuín, G4, and Volans are starting to gain the same kind of traction.
But there’s something about that piña stopper. There’s something about the history of the Sauza family. Fortaleza isn't just a brand; it’s a piece of tequila history that survived the industrialization of the industry. That’s why people still care about the 2024 release. It’s a middle finger to the diffusers and the celebrity-backed brands that dominate the shelves.
Practical Steps for the Hunt
If you’re still looking for a bottle, stop calling the big-box retailers. They are tired of the phone calls. They probably have a "call list" that’s 200 people deep.
Instead, look for the smaller, "mom and pop" shops in less affluent areas. Sometimes, a bottle of Fortaleza Winter Blend 2024 will sit on a dusty shelf in a corner liquor store because the owner doesn't realize it's a "unicorn" bottle. Also, check high-end tequila bars. You might not get the bottle, but you can pay $35 for a 2-ounce pour. Honestly? That’s often a better deal than paying $400 for a bottle you’ll be too scared to open.
Final word of advice: don't buy into the hype so much that you lose your mind. It is a spectacular tequila. It is one of the best releases of 2024. But if you can't find it, grab a bottle of the standard Fortaleza Reposado. It’s 90% as good for 20% of the price.
Next Steps for the Savvy Collector:
- Check Tequila Matchmaker to verify the "Additive-Free" status and read user reviews on the specific 2024 lot numbers.
- Visit local independent spirits boutiques and build a relationship with the manager; these bottles rarely hit the floor and are usually held for "regulars."
- If you find it at MSRP, buy it immediately—but if you see it for over $250, consider exploring other tahona-crushed brands like Los Abuelos (the Mexican label for Fortaleza) to save money.