Arta Tequila Añejo

This spirit begins with some bitter, mushroom-like notes and a bold mint flavor. It leans savory rather than sweet. A touch of citrus is present, along with just a whisper of clove. This is a dry spirit, not viscous at all. I don't care for this combination of flavors, and it lacks the necessary depth and variety. The very subtle hints of caramel and cocoa aren't sufficient. However, I do appreciate its smoothness and absence of off-putting alcohol tastes. It might have a flavor reminiscent of stale bread, but this merges with the mushrooms, so it gets a pass for that. It seems more suited for mixing than sipping (though it absolutely doesn't have that sugary frosting taste), but its price is too high for that use. It's as if two different spirits collided and became a mess. It doesn't possess the richness of a certain reposado, but thankfully, it has much less mushroom flavor. The mint is immediately noticeable, blended with less pronounced vegetal (carrot), caramel, and spice notes. It's somewhat like a blend of aged and unaged spirits, which isn't necessarily a good combination. The flavor depth is decent, but I'd prefer separate mint, vegetal, and caramel drinks. The mild cocoa notes add a pleasant richness. The flavors aren't exceptionally well-balanced, and I anticipate a more potent flavor from an aged spirit. The flavors are rich and deep, yet also clash. It's intriguing but not outstanding. It has a forest-like taste, but not in a juniper way. The balance is still off, but there's a good range of flavors, and the alcohol isn't dominant. This spirit is rich in an unconventional manner. It has significant flavor depth, but the mint is a bit overpowering. It's smoky and smooth, without any meaty notes. Overall, the balance is present, but it doesn't quite resemble a typical aged tequila or a mezcal. Nevertheless, it's quite good despite being an acquired taste. If you enjoy mint, this is a fine choice. Otherwise, it's a bit peculiar and not very enjoyable, even with its technical merits. This is intensely minty, with some spearmint present. It's not overly complex or rich and decadent either. There's certainly some caramel, but it's fairly subdued, accompanied by nice vanilla and some baking spices that aren't enough to overcome the clean mint. The mint includes other herbal and woody notes, similar to juniper and cedar. There are also some sharp citrus notes that emerge gradually, with lime being prominent. That woody, minty, herbal character is excessively strong, though. I wish for better balance. It seems like there's more going on in the background, but like with a certain blanco spirit, it's difficult to perceive. Here's some bad news if you don't enjoy sipping this: it's definitely not for mixing. The palate is too minty – like spearmint. Beyond that, there's milk chocolate and caramel, somewhat like a candy bar. It's bitter and herbal throughout, with hints of a particular lime wafting through. It's drinkable, but not exciting, and has an odd spearmint flavor to deal with. It's smooth with a bit too much spearmint and a hint of pepper. There's also some caramel and cinnamon mixed with subtle orange notes. It's light but slightly creamy. There's some earthiness, but it's not overdone. Overall, the balance and complexity are good, apart from the spearmint. Compared to a certain blanco spirit, this has more mint (including spearmint) and some caramel creaminess that helps to mellow the spearmint. This lacks the rich, full, oily character with spicy and luscious fruit notes found in that other spirit. This has no actively unpleasant notes besides the spearmint (though it surprisingly pairs well with the caramel), and there's a nice touch of cinnamon, but the overall impression is of something weak and lacking. It has less aggressive alcohol than a certain blanco spirit, but it's also weaker and lacks a fruity vibrancy. The flavor is more subtle than many other tequilas, but it's also too mild and oddly minty. It's better balanced than a certain blanco spirit, but less engaging. Frankly, while I can detect some chocolate notes and hints of other flavors here, it's simply not as satisfyingly enjoyable as many other options, and the spearmint is an issue. The balance finally starts to improve towards the end of the bottle as the intensity lessens, but that's quite late for it to become noticeable. It's slightly better than a certain blanco spirit and doesn't immediately fall short compared to a certain blanco spirit, but it ultimately loses out to that one.