Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul’s New $40 Tequila is Shockingly Solid

(Photo: Dos Hombres)

It’s been nearly two decades since “Breaking Bad” premiered on American television, and less than 10 years since George Clooney’s Casamigos turned celebrity-owned tequila into a cause célèbre on liquor store shelves. The hit AMC show has since spun off into a string of remakes, movies, musicals and video games, while Clooney — ever the businessman — has shifted his attention to a nonalcoholic beer venture.

Times have changed. The culture has, by and large, moved on, which makes it all the more surprising when a new combination of words feels like it was plucked straight from the era of selfie sticks and fidget spinners.

Last week, Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul unveiled Dos Hombres Blanco, the pair’s first tequila release and the third product to come from the actors’ joint spirits venture.

We were immediately intrigued. And more than a little bit skeptical.

Dos Hombres, Spanish for “Two Brothers,” kicked off in 2019 with an Espadin mezcal distilled in San Luis del Rio, Oaxaca. It was relatively cheap, costing around $60 per bottle, and about as widely available as a mezcal can get in the American market. Cranston and Paul took an unusually hands-on approach to the project, pouring drinks at surprise bar appearances across the country with their signature combination of casual charm and media-ready one-liners.

Though Dos Hombres is easily the most famous and widely available celebrity mezcal of its kind, the liquid isn’t much to write home about. Reviewing the product at launch, we found it to be an uninspired, if inoffensive, twist on trends of the day. A pop of sweetness and funk on the nose, some lingering clay on the palate and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it finish. Decent stuff, but nothing that can stand its ground against powerhouse mezcal brands like Del Maguey or Siete Misterios.

Read Our Full Review of Dos Hombres Espadin Mezcal Here

The “Breaking Bad” alum went back to the drawing board for their tequila expansion, building from scratch at a distillery beloved among the agave spirits enthusiast crowd. Dos Hombres Blanco is produced at Tequilera TAP, the small but mighty distillery behind Hijole!, Tres Agaves and recent fan favorite Cazcanes. The facility’s output is synonymous with high-quality, additive-free fare; the kinds of bottles that your favorite tequila influencer is all too happy to recommend in a tier list. Cranston and Paul clearly did their research.

But does the gamble pay off? If you ask us, most definitely.

We received an early sample of the brand’s Blanco, which is slated to launch on May 1 at a suggested retail price of $39.99. Dos Hombres has also announced a $50 reposado aged for four months in ex-Four Roses bourbon casks, but that one is still some ways away and has yet to be circulated to reviewers or content creators.

Right off the bat, the packaging looks great. The brand has stripped down the visual design of its original iteration, opting for a minimalist light blue-and-white color scheme and a detailed list of production details on the back.  If you squint your eyes hard enough, the color of the label bears an uncanny resemblance to Breaking Bad’s famous blue magic crystal meth. Probably just a coincidence, though.

Poured into a tasting glass, the tequila has a bright, citrusy and floral aroma. Orange peel and lemon dominate with a zesty, none-too-sweet zing, pairing with gentle hints of marigold flower and springtime mist. It has a perfumed vibe that punches well above its $40 price tag.

Things don’t change all that much on the palate, but that’s far from a bad thing. There’s plenty more orange, lemon and grapefruit to be found, a pleasant hit of agave and a twang of grassiness. After a few minutes of breathing time, subtler hints of jasmine and dried pineapple emerge as well, alongside a flash of spearmint that creeps up on the finish.

Solid stuff! Though it doesn’t hit you over the head with complexity, the flavors that are there fire on all cylinders. The tequila has a distinct citrus vibe that feels like a shoo-in for cocktails like the margarita and paloma, enough of a bite to stand up by itself and a wildly modest price tag for what you get inside the bottle.

File Dos Hombres Blanco right alongside Guy Fieri’s Santo Spirits in the “shockingly good celebrity tequila” aisle.

Read Our Full Review of Dos Hombres Tequila Blanco Here