What Is Maestro Dobel Tequila?

A Guide to Buying and Drinking Maestro Dobel Tequila

Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila being poured into glass.

Maestro Dobel Tequila

Maestro Dobel is an innovative brand of tequila that's produced in the lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico. What started in 2008 as an aged tequila that defied all logic in Diamante has developed into a full portfolio of well-crafted 100% agave tequilas that are equally impressive and smooth, including a smoked silver tequila known as Humito. Mixing tradition with innovation, some of these well-crafted, premium tequilas are great for cocktails, while others are best reserved for sipping. They are relatively affordable in the scheme of luxury tequilas, and they're worth every sip.

Fast Facts

  • Ingredients: Weber blue agave
  • Proof: 80
  • ABV: 40%
  • Calories in a 1 1/2-ounce shot: 97
  • Origin: Jalisco, Mexico
  • Taste: Earthy, oaky, slightly sweet
  • Aged: 6 months to 3 years or more
  • Serve: straight, on the rocks, cocktails


What Is Maestro Dobel Tequila Made From?

Maestro Dobel made a mark in the tequila industry with the launch of their first tequila in 2008. Labeled initially "Diamond," this expression has since changed to the Spanish name "Diamante."

The production of these tequilas begins just like any other tequila. Hand-selected agave plants grown in the lowlands of Jalisco, Mexico, the heart of tequila country, are harvested and baked. The juice is extracted and sent to fermentation tanks, where yeast converts the sugar into alcohol. The resulting liquid is then distilled to create high-proof tequila that is either aged in barrels or briefly rested in the case of silver tequila. The tequilas are blended with water to reach the bottling strength of 40 percent alcohol by volume (ABV, 80 proof). However, by employing a few special techniques, the distillers have created unique tequilas.

The brand's flagship demonstrates Maestro Dobel's innovation: Diamante is a crystal clear, aged tequila. This is fascinating because the tequila is a blend of reposado, añejo, and extra-añejo tequilas, each of which is customarily amber- or golden-colored from the time spent in the barrel. While it retains the complexity of rich oak flavors expected from those tequilas, the proprietary filtering process rids the spirit of both its congeners (impurities) and the color typical of barrel-aged liquor. Called a cristalino tequila, it looks like a clear silver tequila. Some of the other tequilas in Maestro Dobel's line-up are finished in equally unconventional ways.

What Does Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila Taste Like?

The aroma holds subtle, baked agave with the slightest sweetness mixed with earthy aspects. The palate is full-bodied and super smooth with complex and bold oak, vanilla, and butterscotch notes with a bit of herbal spice balanced by agave sweetness. It finishes quickly with sweet honey and a little more of a spicy snap.

Types

Maestro Dobel produces a series of intriguing tequilas. They're all 100% agave, single-estate, small-batch tequilas, and excellent choices when you're looking for a top-shelf tequila.

  • Humito: Another experimental tequila, Humito is a rustic version of the spirit designed to recreate 17th-century tequila. It launched in 2016 with a name that means "little smoked." The agave of this unaged silver tequila is smoked with steamed mesquite during the baking process before the juice is extracted. This extra step imparts a smoky taste that's similar to some mezcals and has a fabulous mesquite smokiness to it.
  • Pavito: A 2021 limited edition release, the process behind Pavito is genuinely unique in the modern tequila industry. The tequila is distilled twice in a copper pot still, then undergoes a fruit and spice maceration that includes tejocote. A pechuga (turkey breast) is placed on top of the tank during the third distillation in a completely unexpected twist. The result is tequila with a savory fruit-spice flavor that's perfect for the holiday season. It's also the only Maestro Dobel tequila bottled at a slightly lower 35 percent ABV (70 proof).
  • 50 Cristalino: This expression builds off the techniques used to make Diamante. It is an extra-añejo tequila that has the color removed through filtration. You'll enjoy a rich, creamy mouthfeel on the palate that's accented with the flavors of spices, vanilla, pineapple, and pumpkin.

Following suit with other tequila brands, Maestro Dobel produces a trio of what is thought of as the "standard" tequila offerings. The quality matches Diamante and Humito; they simply skip the fancy tricks used with those tequilas.

  • Silver: An unaged tequila, the Silver is bottled directly after the two-time distillation that all Maestro Dobel tequilas go through. It has some herbal complexity and is very smooth.
  • Reposado: Aged in oak for around six months in new American oak barrels, this tequila has a wonderful array of fruit, vanilla, and almond notes, along with a gentle oakiness.
  • Añejo: The oldest bottling, this tequila spends around 24 months in roasted white oak barrels sourced from the United States and is finished in European oak reserve casks.

How to Drink Maestro Dobel Tequila

Maestro Dobel Diamante is nothing less than spectacular and perfect for sipping straight, chilling, or serving on the rocks. It's also a great choice to show off in very clean cocktails like the tequini or margarita (not the myriad of frozen, overly fruity ones, but the original). 

Drinking Humito is an adventure on its own. You can easily sip it straight or chilled, and the bottle may disappear faster than you thought. It's also good with a bit of water to open up the flavor or some ice. Cocktails are certainly not out of the question, and it's undoubtedly one to experiment with in citrus or smoked cocktail recipes and a good substitute for mezcal.

When you want to enjoy the unique taste of Pavito, try this tequila with a splash of seltzer and pineapple juice. For the standard silver, reposado, and añejo tequilas, drink them as you would any other tequila: straight or in your favorite tequila cocktails.

Cocktail Recipes


Maestro Dobel's tequilas are diverse and can create some captivating top-shelf cocktails. Whether you have a bottle of Diamante or are exploring the other options, trying them in the simplest drink recipes will give you a good idea of where to go from there.