Fortaleza Blanco
Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico (NOM 1493)
Brick-oven cooked, crushed with a stone tahona and double distilled in copper pot stills at the Los Abuelos distillery. Fortaleza was on the independent additive-free list started by Tequila Matchmaker until every tequila was taken off it in October 2024. A 46% Still Strength version also exists.
- Congeners
- Low
- Histamines
- Low
- Polyphenols
- Low
- Sulfites
- Very Low
- Tannins
- Very Low
- Sugar
- Very Low
- Additives
- Very Low
- Calories
- 98
- Sugar
- 0g
14g ethanol at 40% ABV. No sugar, so every calorie here is alcohol.
In its favor
- ✓On the independent additive-free list until it was withdrawn (October 2024)
- ✓Tahona milling, brick ovens and copper pot stills
- ✓Unaged, no barrel congeners
What to watch
- !Premium price and limited availability
Factor by factor
Congeners Low ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Low ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Low ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Very Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Very Low ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Very Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Very Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
Fortaleza is among the most traditional tequilas sold in the US, and it was on the independent additive-free list for as long as that list included tequila (see the list). For this site’s purposes it is the cleanest chemistry profile you can get in a blanco.
Fortaleza Blanco questions
How many calories are in a shot of Fortaleza Blanco? ▾
About 98 calories in a 1.5oz shot at 40% ABV. All of them come from the alcohol, since there is no sugar.
Does Fortaleza Blanco have sugar? ▾
No. Fortaleza Blanco has 0g of sugar per 1.5oz serving.
Is Fortaleza Blanco gluten-free? ▾
Yes. Fortaleza Blanco is gluten-free, with no wheat, barley or rye at any stage.
What proof is Fortaleza Blanco? ▾
Fortaleza Blanco is 80 proof, which is 40% alcohol by volume.
Does Fortaleza Blanco give you a bad hangover? ▾
Fortaleza Blanco scores 3/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 4/10 for tequila overall. It is low on every hangover factor we track, so most of the morning after comes down to how much ethanol you drink.
Is Fortaleza Blanco additive-free? ▾
As far as independent checks go, yes. Fortaleza (NOM 1493) was on the Additive Free Alliance list started by Tequila Matchmaker, with its entry last updated in August 2022, until every tequila was taken off that list in October 2024 after warning letters from the CRT. No independent list has replaced it. Mexican rules let tequila contain up to 1% caramel colour, oak extract, glycerin or sugar syrup by weight, and the tequila regulator (CRT) does not allow "additive free" on labels, so the bottle itself cannot tell you.
Is Fortaleza Blanco vegan? ▾
Yes. Fortaleza Blanco is listed as vegan, with no animal-derived ingredients or fining agents.