Neat in a wide tulip. Almost comically simple packaging that nearly screams three dudes sketching up label ideas and moving forward with an interim "working" design, yet here we are a few hundred million dollars later.
A very pale honey in the glass. Quick legs and relatively light body. Vanilla and butterscotch in spades on the nose. Very sweet. Hint of oak. Cream soda. Extremely pleasant, but almost no "tequila" to it whatsoever. Definitely no alcohol harshness. Clean and buttery.
Sugar sweetness takes the helm.
Vanilla for days.
Syrup-saturated pound cake.
More cream soda.
A twinge of aspartame.
Okay... THERE is the cooked carrot / vegetal note that tells me agave may have been in, or at least near, the fermentation process. A dash of copper. Marjoram. Some white pepper makes an appearance, and even a trace of kettle corn.
Man, so much vanilla.
Some minty notes dance around the periphery here and there, and maybe a bit of white chocolate. Negligible finish.
OK. Full disclosure: if you shut your brain off and just drink this stuff, it is wildly easy to drink, super sweet, super smooth, with nothing harsh and how in the world can you complain? Fire those neurons back up, and this has too much - read: way too much - vanilla, and it's hard not to suspect significant flavoring, and probably sugar as well, which is totally permissible in reposado tequilas. It is quite possible I have no idea what I'm talking about, but I can't see how there are any barrels in the world, especially used barrels, that are going to impart that concentration of vanillins in such a short aging, much less the sweetness. A modest sugar addition I can forgive and often do in rums (say < 20 g/L), and for the most part coloring (or un-coloring) as well... but flavorings I think should always be disclosed. I'd prefer to classify this as a well-made "agave liqueur" or "bottled tequila cocktail".
Many years ago I was very taken with this product before I knew enough to suspect the "modifications", and its quite an easy pour with which to "drink, not think", but there are much better options at and below this price point with regard to authenticity, and more importantly simply better expressions of agave. The base spirit seems extremely well-crafted and is wholly inoffensive, but the apparent heavy-handed flavoring has resulted in somewhat of an alcoholic cream soda calibrated for American palates, which is ultimately overpriced and misrepresented as a premium tequila. It reminds me of Templeton Rye in a way - the base spirit is actually quite good, but is (in my opinion) clearly flavored and thus patently inauthentic.
This would be easy to serve to, and delight, the uninitiated, and partnered with Mr. Clooney's name recognition (despite his sale of the brand) it really isn't a bad bottle to have on hand... but hopefully you didn't pay the typical MSRP of ~$45-50. I'd steer well clear of making cocktails, however, as the flavor will be skewed substantially: little to no agave but buckets of vanilla. I don't regret buying the bottle, but I've learned my lesson.
40.0
USD
per
Bottle