Lunazul 2016 Double Barrel Reposado

Wow, this has real scoring potential. When Lunazul first appeared on the market, it was featured in nearly every bar for their house margaritas or other standard tequila cocktails. I was surprised by how pleasant it was, especially given its very reasonable cost, which might explain its recent market dominance. I've seen it less frequently since then, but I still believe it can compete with other inexpensive tequilas, offering significant savings and hopefully steering people away from consuming mixto beverages. I was unaware that Lunazul offered a double-barreled version, let alone different vintages and barrels. After acquiring this, I managed to locate a 2015 variant online, but nothing beyond 2016. I initially thought I had discovered a rare find in the store, but then I encountered it repeatedly in shops across multiple states. Despite the confusion, I'm eager to analyze not only the double barrel flavor but especially any potential Rittenhouse characteristics, given its status as one of the most robust rye whiskeys available. The color is surprisingly light for a double barrel finish, with a golden hue only slightly deeper than some oak-finished chardonnays. Lightly toasted agave on the nose gives way to notes of white pepper, cedar, and an overall vegetal character. There's hardly any cinnamon, and it might only be perceived as a psychological effect from using the rye barrel. The ethanol seems more potent than 90 proof, but significantly better than the typical 80 proof. The flavor initially emphasizes the more vegetal aspects of the agave, followed by the aforementioned pepper, providing a mild spice. This quickly escalates to a much more intense spice, a combination of the slightly higher ABV and some of the spicy oak becoming prominent. Once this subsides somewhat, the actual finish is thin and dissipates rapidly; it seems this would benefit from additional time in both barrels. The flavor profile is as expected from the Lunazul brand, but it's so similar to the regular reposado that there's no reason to seek this out or pay extra if the regular reposado is available alongside it. I don't recall the price I paid for this, but I don't remember it exceeding the brand's typical pricing. While it might hold up well in a classic margarita, you might need to increase the amount slightly to ensure the subtle spice can stand up to the tart lime, particularly if one insists on the overly sweet sour mix commonly used in restaurants (to each their own). The value remains excellent overall, but this particular double barrel experiment was a failure, which is quite disappointing coming from one of the largest whiskey corporations. Perhaps it's a lesson about staying within one's expertise, but then again, maybe that's why no further versions were found after this 2016 variant.

This limited edition Lunazul Double Barrel Reposado, a collaboration between Heaven Hill and Tierra de Agaves distillery, is aged first in American white oak and then finished in Heaven Hill's Rittenhouse rye barrels. Master Distiller Francisco Quijano blends it with select extra añejo tequila and bottles it at 45% ABV. It's quite good, with earthy and fruity notes, plus hints of vanilla and rye spice.