Tequila ArteNOM Selección de 1146 Añejo

Amazing. A truly lovely tequila. If you believe tequila is only for mixing with lime and salt and evokes bad memories from college, I strongly encourage you to reconsider, do some research, and purchase a fine, additive-free, well-crafted sipping tequila. My journey started with bourbon, then scotch and Irish whiskey (like many of us), moved to rum about two years ago, and in the past year, I've genuinely started to appreciate quality tequilas. I'm considering brandy for 2023. ArteNOM is comparable to a Douglas Laing or Lost Lantern for tequila. The founders commission specific tequila distilleries, or NOMs, to produce special batches exclusively for them. This particular one originates from NOM1146, which is also known for other notable producers like Fuenteseca and Tears of Llarona. This tequila undergoes its initial aging in French red wine casks for 2-3 years, and the blend is then finished in new French oak casks for a year. This is essentially an extra añejo, but due to the final aging period being only one year, it is legally classified as an añejo. The wine casks have not masked the agave. Cooked agave remains prominent on the nose, but it's complemented by a buttery Bordeaux wine that imparts notes of berries, nuts, and some earthy tobacco. These flavors carry through to the taste, with the addition of delightful milk chocolate that persists through the finish. Magnificent!

The flavor is rich and woody, similar to bourbon, with faint hints of floor polish that aren't unpleasant. The wood is initially overpowering, but hints of maple syrup eventually emerge. The spirit is smooth, though it has a slight taste of rubbing alcohol. There's a definite presence of a wheat vodka. Unfortunately, the bitterness is too dominant. It has characteristics of young scotch that I dislike, though perhaps with more exposure I might change my mind. The floor polish and faint coconut notes remind me of Glenfarclas 25, but not in a positive way. Cinnamon spice is present, backed by unsweetened cocoa powder, but not excessively so. I wish the finish were sweeter and offered more complexity. Regrettably, it's somewhat bland. The vodka flavor is unwelcome in an añejo. The chocolate finish is disappointingly dry, even without consuming anything particularly sweet beforehand. After a full serving, I briefly detect that grape drink flavor mentioned by a reviewer, but its appeal is questionable. Intriguing, but ultimately unremarkable. Note: this assessment understates the sweetness.

An intense Agave Spirit from Nom 1146 that was aged in French oak for 60% 2 years & 40% 3 years, then aged together in American oak for 1 year. It has an aromatic beginning with notes of agave, wood, herbs & spices; while a woody middle adds notes of oak, caramel, smoke & vanilla; that led to a long & oaky end. November 2016 / April / September 2017

This is unquestionably the finest tequila I've ever sampled. I usually go for whiskey or red wine, and this has been wonderfully aged in oak from former cabernet franc barrels, bestowing a gentle sweetness that still honors the agave's origin. It offers rich notes of baking spice and even vanilla, concluding with lingering whispers of the agave's sweetness. I'm a huge fan.

From the advent calendar, day 20. Sampled neat. The aroma has butterscotch, caramel, vanilla, and clove. The palate is exceptionally smooth and nutty, with hints of oak, mild vanilla, cinnamon, and cocoa nibs. Outstanding. I will purchase this one for my collection!

An excellent tequila that is technically an extra añejo, having been aged 2-3 years in French wine casks followed by 1 year in American oak, resulting in 3-4 years of aging. This is a fantastic dessert drink with flavors of caramel, chocolate, cooked agave, and pepper.