Patrón Reposado Tequila

The aroma presents sweetness with hints of savory notes, agave, and pepper. The taste is sweet with a peppery spice and abundant fruitiness, transitioning to more cooked agave and a familiar flavor. It's sweet and spicy, with the cooked agave lingering. There are traces of licorice and spearmint that add interest, though not enough to make it exceptional. It carries that characteristic cardboard note. The texture is rich and viscous. A significant amount of sweetness is present without seeming artificial, but it doesn't come across as particularly aged. Its complexity surpasses that of El Jimador Reposado, but it should for the price. I'm uncertain if it matches Jimidor Añejo. The Blanco expression offers more rubber and pepper notes, making the Blanco almost undrinkable in comparison, though it does possess a strong herbal and vegetal character. This is a considerable improvement over the blanco, showcasing a surprising difference after only two months of aging, which itself is barely enough to qualify as a reposado. It's lighter than Embajador premium, with more cinnamon, clove, and floral notes, though the cinnamon isn't overly spicy. The subtle flavor is pleasant and sweet with good balance. I'd prefer a richer profile, but this is quite good. Jimador Añejo attempts more daring flavor combinations and has a richer, more robust baking spice profile. Between the two, Jimador might be slightly better. This offers a more potent, spicier tequila character, but the alcohol is also more prominent. The Patron Blanco exhibits more desirable oiliness with savory herbal and vegetal notes, similar to Fortaleza Blanco. The palate features that Patron spice along with earthiness accentuating the caramel agave. It's sweeter and tastes more aged, but also more numbing with a hint of clove and faint mint. It lacks significant intrigue. It's comparable in quality to the blanco but less engaging. The finish concludes too quickly.

Smell - damp earth, vegetal funk, a little vanilla, chili, clay, clove, cooked agave, nutmeg, bell pepper, rotting grass, aged wood, noticeable alcohol sting. Flavor - bell pepper, nutmeg, clove, earthy notes, cooked agave, chili, ginger, mint, prickly pear, raw wood, tobacco, vanilla, caramel, apple, considerable alcohol sting, ending moderately long with notes of chili, cooked agave, and vegetal funk. This certainly isn't as dull as Patron Silver, but I'm uncertain if it surpasses it. It has more sweetness, yet also more earthy, vegetal, grassy funk. There's a prickly pear, raw wood character present that I also detect in Don Julio Añejo, though less prominent here. I'll assign it the same rating as the Silver. A respectable tequila, but excessively expensive.

Neat. The nose is very subtle. No ethanol burn, just citrus peel, white pepper, oak. The taste begins slightly sweet, then rapidly turns bitter. Citrus rind, tamarind, bitter orange, white pepper, anise, a hint of vanilla. A somewhat long finish of orange rind, artificial sweetener, and French oak. The mouthfeel is thin and finishes very dry. Absolutely no 'Cuervo Gold bite'. I feel obligated to dislike this, but I don't. I haven't encountered a tequila quite like this. Dry, bitter, citrusy. I can certainly understand how the bitterness would alienate many who prefer a rich, fruity tequila. This is the opposite of something like a Clase Azul Rep. Those who enjoy a dry IPA or a Belgian Wit with orange might appreciate this.

My suggestion... this is a budget option. There are superior choices available. Don't be swayed by marketing. If you were in Mexico, you'd recognize the distinction. Here in the US, it seems diminished and compromised. It's excessively bitter for my taste. When I first started exploring tequila, this was my go-to, until I sampled various options from the premium section of my local store. That's when I discovered the vast array of other choices. To me, this isn't good enough for a backup, yet it remains priced and positioned at the top shelf. Not good.

The nose offers fresh, sweet, fruity agave with a subtle oak presence and faint vanilla mixed with sour citrus aromas in the background, plus a hint of fresh chili peppers. - On the palate, I detect dusty white pepper, oak, vanilla, light fruit, agave, chili flakes, pineapple, lemon juice, and honey. The palate is very complex! It has noticeable spice compared to the silver. - The finish provides a spicy pepper tingle, clean woody flavor, and a faint floral note alongside sweet vanilla.

This is the ultimate tequila! It lacks overly sweet notes, with the agave flavor taking center stage. It's a fantastic way to kick off a party. Suitable for sipping or shots, and ideal for crafting a premium margarita. It possesses a noticeable heat, as expected from tequila, yet remains very smooth with a subtle agave sweetness. A touch of ethanol is present in the smooth finish.