Tastes

Nose- Vanilla, caramel, oak with a hit of menthol. A bit muted,but the bourbon aging really comes through! Palate- creme brulee, cherry cough drop, a bit of agave nectar followed by a wave of spice. You can taste the oak in every sip. Mouthfeel is rich and bourbony. Finish- nice long, spicy finish. Cinnamon red hot candies and some all spice are the prevalent notes it goes out on Overall- this is a bourbon lovers tequila! It has all the notes of bourbon with the rich, buttery mouthfeel of tequila. There is just enough vegetal agave to make you understand that this is aged tequila and not light bourbon. It is a really fun and perhaps dangerously good sip. If you are a bourbon lover looking to get into the art of tequila, let me recommend this to ease your way.

Nose- fruit forward nose with vanilla and a dusting of powdered sugar. There are some sweet agave nectar notes but nothing too sweet or cloying. In the background is a hint of black pepper. Just enough to keepnthis from becoming to much of a dessert. Palate- coating and viscous. Absolutely no burn on the entry. There are some caramel notes that make themselves apparent, vanilla bean, and custard. The background reminds me of bourbon as I quickly pick nutmeg as a barrel spuce. Really nice sip that makes you want to take another Finish- finish is medium, and very smooth without burn. It reveals a little bit of wood shop on the finish, but nothing where I would regard it as a flaw, just maybe a weakness if anything. Some may actually prefer the tad bit of drying wood. I could give or take Overall- This is one of my favorite sipping tequilas to date. It plays well for a bourbon drinker in that it has many of those same notes- vanilla, caramel, barrel spice like nutmeg. It is sweeter but not cloying or artificial. When other anejo tequilas are now commanding prices in excess of $100 this does the trick at about half of that. I would hate to say it is a "bang for the buck" bottle, as there is quality of craftsmanship in every sip. I will say though you absolutely get your money's worth.

Sweet agave nectar meets black pepper and vanilla. To me this is a "workhorse" tequila, much in the same way that Wild Turkey 101 offers bang for the buck in the bourbon world. This gives all the agave nectar, smokey vanilla, and peppery notes that is traditiinal tequila. Nothing more, nothing less. Best suited for a cocktail, but can easily be sipped.

Nose- I get citrus, vanilla, and some over ripe melon, like the rind of a cantaloupe. Palate- agave nectar, and pepper are dominant. There is a "Flintstone Vitamin" quality to it to. Dare I say similar with what one may get in a Dickel whiskey? I don't mind it, and actually find it to be an interesting flavor. The sip is rich, and coating on the tongue. Finish- this is a Loooooong finish! For better or for worse it stays with you. Gets a bit woody and ethanol on the exit. Black pepper fades to a white pepper zing. Wish I had more of the cantaloupe on the way out. Overall- this is a nice tequila. Not a great tequila, not a must have tequila, but a fun sip. What really got me going on the positive side was the rich mouthfeel, and the peppery zing. The minerality threw me a bit, but made me want to sip more. Kind of like rubber necking an accident on the freeway? It wasnt off putting, but just didnt have to be there. My principle concern was the finish. Normally I like a long finish that hugs you. Being an experienced whiskey drinker who loves barrel proofs, I would embrace that. This however takes it to a new level. It hangs around like a guest that you really enjoyed their company, but just doesnt quite know when to leave! I find myself asking continually when will it ever go home. I can take or leave this one. For the 49.99 pricetag it was a good experience. Over that.......I would say it extended its stay too long

The initial nose is smokey, like BBQ smoke. It is savoury and fat. There is a bit of pepper and agave nectar, but the smoke is forward. Palate- Pepper and vanilla are front and center. Almost tabasco like upon entry and then it transitions to vanilla pod sweetness. There is some heat here, both with the peppery notes and then with some ethanol. Finish- this is a long, spicy finish. Black peppercorn is the note it goes out on along with a puff of BBQ smoke, almost like mesquite. Overall- The balance seemed a tad off for me. More on the spicy side and needs more sweetness. This drinks a bit hot with some rpugh edges on it. I would like this to be a touch sweeter and perhaps more aged to round out some of the straight up peppercorn and tabasco. My suggestion is hold off for now.

Tasting- neat in tasting glass Nose- powdered sugar with black pepper. I detect a hint of lime skin ever so slight Taste- sweet agave nectar. A little sweeter than I had bargained for after nosing it. Would have like some more of those peppery notes to come through. A bit thin, but a likeable flavor all in all. There is a hint of green melon on the way out. Finish- not a whole lot going on here. Finish is on the over ripe green melon or cantaloupe note. Overall- This is a decent value, but I fear you are not getting much complexity at all. It's a bit artificial and one note for me. I would have loved if some of the spicier notes in the nose came through at the end. It is far from bad, but it just doesnt really grab my interest.