Kevin Hart is drinking tequila. At this point, is that even surprising? Tequila is the drink of choice for celebrities; they can’t get enough of it. Michael Jordan, Rita Ora, Guy Fieri, LeBron James, George Clooney (he sold it), Kendall Jenner, and Nick Jonas all have their own brands of tequila. We haven’t even included half of the famous people that own tequila. A special mention goes to Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul for going outside the norm and mastering the mezcal genre. Respect.
The fact that Kevin Hart’s close friend The Rock owns a tequila (and it’s very good) may be the most significant among the countless celebrity tequila brand owners. So, wouldn’t you want one too if you were Kevin Hart and had plenty of free time and money to spare?
A reposado cristalino tequila called Gran Coramino is now available. Harts did a good job of going all out. The website features a photo of actor Kevin Hart inspecting a glass of Gran Coramino in an agave field lit by the setting sun. He also teamed up with an absolute heavyweight in the tequila industry, Juan Domi. He chose a relatively new, but popular, expression and focused on perfecting that rather than dropping a full line. He also scored an awesome swirling bottle design.
Beckman is the current CEO of Jose Cuervo and a kevin hart tequila 11th generation tequila manufacturer. Hart enlisted the family that essentially founded the tequila industry, and while Jose Cuervo isn’t the most coveted brand among tequila connoisseurs (it’s only the best-selling brand in the world), it is as authentic as they come, and the brand is responsible for many great bottles of tequila in its more upscale offerings.
So where does Gran Coramino fit in? Does it join the esteemed company of bottles like the Reserva de Familia Line, or does it fall to the bottom shelf with the Especial Series and other average options? To learn, we tasted a bottle.
Gran Coramino Reposado Cristalino
The Tequila:
When it comes to the process, Gran Coramino doesn’t take any short cuts. The tequila is produced using blue agave pias from Beckmann’s family farms that have been harvested at peak maturity (the brand doesn’t say what this entails; are we talking 7, 8, 9, or 10 years?) and then roasted in conventional stone ovens, extracted using roller mill extraction, and double-distilled in copper pot stills. The tequila I associate most strongly with this one, Gran Coramino, comes from NOM 1122, Casa Cuervo, the maker of 1800, Gran Centenario, and Maestro Dobel.
Gran Coramino does not specify the length of time the tequila is rested, but given that it is a Reposado, it should be between two and twelve months. Tequila is aged in Eastern European oak barrels. As a finishing touch, the tequila is slowly filtered to eliminate the colour and achieve that ultra-smooth, crystal-clear Cristalino state. It is then completed in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon barrels.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, I detect powerful aromas of vanilla and freshly cracked black pepper. With overtones of earthy caramelised honey and cooked agave, this tequila’s flavour is even less subdued once it meets your palate. It has a considerable burn on the tongue and throat and a strong oak flavour with a faint black berry finish on the finish. This cristalino is sweet rather than smooth.
Gran Coramino does not convey the distinctive smoothness that makes cristalino so appealing; instead, it uses sweetness to entice you in. It sort of works. but it also seems deceptive. Hart’s preferred pour, according to the website, is in a glass over rocks, so I gave it a try. It really helped bring the flavours together more harmoniously and lessened the searing effect. We advise you to consume it in this manner or even in a Cadillac Margarita.
The Bottom Line:
To look for this tequila, you need to be a really ardent Kevin Hart fan. It lacks the smooth, supple mouthfeel that cristalino needs in order to justify its exorbitant price tag, so it isn’t nearly as opulent as it would want to be. Gran Coramino might be able to fix that by simply allowing this one to age in the barrel for a little longer (perhaps even until it reaches an aejo state?). It is far superior to the Especial and Tradicional series of Cuervo goods, but it isn’t even close to the calibre of the superb Familia de Reserva line.
Overall, neither good nor horrible. Although slightly pricey, it’s okay. Overall, I’d say it’s superior to the Rock’s brand. And perhaps it was the main objective all along.
