Tequila El Mayor Añejo

Rated 14/23. I remember this as a rather mild anejo, but a side-by-side tasting with El Padrino Anejo showed this one to be the richer and more intricate of the pair. My outlook on this tasting is positive, so let's proceed. Nose: I detect oak, but not a very deep scent. There are notes of cooked agave, introducing some tartness and a touch of herbaceousness (like lime). I also perceive peppery notes with a hint of cinnamon and some butterscotch. The aroma isn't highly complex, but it's more pronounced than El Padrino Anejo's. There are some fainter traces of tropical fruit underneath, but they are difficult to discern. Palate: The taste is richer than the smell, with more oak tannins leading to further pepper, some toffee, and agave. The white pepper persists, enhancing that herbal character and leading into a bit of lime. The complexity isn't thrilling, but the profile is sound and reasonably balanced. It doesn't quite match the balance of Partida Blanco and remains quite mild, but it's a good anejo for the cost. Finish: The finish isn't exceptionally long, but it retains the oak and agave. The perceived lightness is further highlighted here, suggesting a somewhat mild spirit (perhaps comparable to Espolon) that wasn't aged for an extended period. Overall, a decent blend of tequila and oak aging. It appears to be an average tequila aged in an average way, but the outcome is likely a slight improvement. The blanco expression might not be a good value, but for an anejo, the price and quality seem reasonable. I'm considering a score of 12 to 14, potentially a 15. I'll settle on 14 for now. When compared directly, Partida has a surprising presence, and I believe I would prefer that over this by a considerable margin, which is ironic given I initially thought this was clearly better. However, I wouldn't say this is vastly inferior.

Rating: 13/23 This is the final pour from the bottle, and I'm tasting it alongside Lunazul Reposado. Nose: Quite rich. There's a noticeable wood influence with typical toasted American Oak spice and hints of vanilla. I also detect the agave's vegetal character, some mineral notes from its youth, and a bit of caramel. It's not overly complex, but it's not bad. Palate: The taste is much better than the aroma. It's fairly rich with ample wood and spices, plus some agave syrup blending into sweet caramel. I get some of the vegetal and herbal agave flavor, and plenty of vanilla. There are mineral notes, but they aren't overpowering. I'd describe it as a lighter añejo, but it still has a decent body. It lacks significant complexity, though. Finish: The agave flavor persists with the wood for a while, but minerals, vegetal notes, and a slight cinnamon burn gradually take over. It's pretty unremarkable. I can't say I'm a huge fan, but it's a perfectly functional tequila. I'm debating between a 13 and a 14. I'm considering rating Lunazul Reposado, Cabo Wabo Blanco, and this as 12, 13, and 14 respectively, but I'm still very uncertain about all of them. I'm going to make a bold comparison across categories to help establish my rating. Wild Turkey 101 is my benchmark 14, so let's see if this measures up. Nope. It's less complex and less enjoyable. It might be the lower alcohol content, but regardless, I like this less. Jim Beam Black is more of a 13 (though sometimes I think it might be a 12), and this is quite similar. I prefer this slightly over Jim Beam, but not enough to elevate it past a 13. This means I'll likely settle on ratings of 11, 12, and 13, unfortunately.

Sampled neat. The aroma is rich with agave, oak, some dried fruits, earth, vanilla, and caramel. The taste features sweet agave, oak, caramel, with hints of vanilla and dried plums and raisins. The sweetness is balanced by some green herbs, spicy cinnamon, and black pepper. The finish is moderately sweet, balanced by oak tannins, pepper, and cinnamon. It has a moderately full mouthfeel with minimal heat. Overall, it's top-tier within its price range. Sweet and rich, yet with enough spice and tannins to prevent it from being overly sweet. Additives appear to be minimal. I would purchase this again as a daily drinker.

This 100% Blue Agave Tequila was aged for 2 years in new white oak casks by Destiladora González González in Jalisco, Mexico for Luxco. It starts delicately with notes of caramel, ripe pear, and a touch of wood. Its flavorful journey adds notes of grilled squash, mango, honey, pepper, and oak, leading to a light and rich finish with hints of agave, vanilla, fruit, smoke, and cream. October 2018 / January 2019

This is a decent añejo, and while not particularly unique, it's a good value. It's a bit lighter than expected for an añejo, but the flavor is well-balanced and pleasant without any alcohol harshness. It has a slightly prickly spice with hints of cinnamon and vanilla, along with some caramel that actually tastes more like cooked agave.

It's quite something! The flavor hit me by surprise, and I'd say it tastes like tequila with an oak barrel character. Toward the end, it did resemble bourbon. Sipped without ice, it presented an initial short burst of tequila flavor followed by a bourbon-like finish. I would definitely buy this bottle again.