Wonderful añejo Tequila, produced at the Tequileña Distillery in Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco. Using agave grown at mid-slope elevation, the Tequila is aged for an initial period in Cabernet Franc wine barrels, before being transferred to ex Canadian and Tennessee rye whiskey casks for further maturation! Masterfully balanced and with plenty of complexity, this is a most enjoyable añejo. It was released as part of the ArteNOM range, which explores Tequilas from a selection of distilleries.
Layers of flavour! Vanilla, dark chocolate, butterscotch, allspice and citrus zest. Caremalised nuts and earthy coffee with cream, spicy hints of ginger and pepper, and plenty of oak.
I personally prefer blanco tequilas, where the flavours are pure agave and no barrel. As such I'm not an expert. Still, this is clearly a great anejo and I can't mark it down. People coming from whisky would likely prefer this, making it a great starting point. The flavours are complex, likeable and well-rounded. Familiar flavours of barrel-aged spirits, yet with a different base.
