One of the Best Ultra-Premium Extra Añejo Tequilas Is Back
As the year comes to a close, there have been some especially good spirits releases hitting liquor store shelves. It’s almost as if distilleries and brands are saving the best for last, which is often actually exactly the case. Add to that group this new extra anejo tequila from El Tequileño, one of the best in the category that was released to mark the distillery’s 65th anniversary this year.
El Tequileño calls itself “Mexico’s best kept secret,” but the quality of the tequila coming out of the distillery is well known to dedicated fans of agave spirits. It was founded in 1959 by Don Jorge Salles Cuervo (yes, a member of that family), and his family still runs the operation. This marks the second release of this special extra anejo, a label that means the tequila has been aged for a minimum of three years. A father and son team were behind the creation of the new expression, gran tequilero Juan Antonio Salles (one of just four people to hold that title) and third-generation master distiller Jorge Antonio “Tony” Salles. They selected just five barrels to blend together for the 65th anniversary bottling—one American oak barrel previously used to mature Jack Daniel’s containing tequila aged for four years and nine months; three new French oak barrels containing tequila aged for four years and one month; and one French oak barrel previously used to age El Tequileño containing tequila aged for three years.
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This is a beautiful extra anejo, as was the case with last year’s release. Ripe baked agave and brown sugar aromas greet you on the nose, with a bit of grassiness underneath. The palate is sweet with a bit of spice, and the influence of the barrels is pronounced but it has not overpowered the tequila’s cooked agave and earthy notes. Flavors like vanilla, red apple, burnt sugar, orange, and some pine intermingle on the palate, and there is very little heat on the finish.
This is a limited-edition tequila, with just 1,000 bottles being released. Each one is a pretty crystal decanter inspired by the shape of the penca, or leaves, of the agave plant, and it comes inside a custom-designed box. El Tequileño 65th Anniversary Extra Anejo is available now at select retailers (SRP $800) around the country, and you can find other expressions from the distillery to purchase from ReserveBar.
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