El Jimador Reposado Tequila

What's your vacation drink of choice? I've been enjoying a few days off of the corporate hustle and while I can't travel to a beach right now, I'll soak in the sun, close my eyes and sip tequila. I had not seen this bottle of El Jimador Reposado in a while since I tend to keep taller bottles to the back of my bar for aesthetics. The Jimadores (harvesters) cut each agave heart (piña) by hand with a sharp tool (coa). The agave hearts are then roasted in a clay oven before fermentation and double distillation. The spirit is then rested in oak bourbon barrels for two months prior to bottling. El Jimador Reposado's nose offers agave, a bit of tangy lime and a savory quality like fresh butter. Later on, I can pick out soft floral notes like lilac, cedar and more fresh citrus. This is a mild tequila. It begins with brief vanilla sweetness that pivots. You still sense the familiar ramp up to bite that tends to induce wincing facial expressions, but it feels more like going over a speed bump than a cliff. I can taste wisps of menthol threaded through cooked agave, spices and oak. The finish is long but pleasant: Herbal and sweet. It doesn't offer some of the substance and personality that other tequilas might offer but at the low price point, this would fit nicely in mixed drinks (or be a less abrasive option to sip straight at 40% ABV).  6.75/10

I don’t know how this tequila scored so high. I don’t know if you should only use as a mixer cause I tried to sip it and it gave me this cheap alcohol burning sensation in my stomach that I haven’t experienced since my early 20’s. Only able to tolerate in a margarita

Nose: lots of black pepper! sweet agave, brown sugar, oak and vanilla come through after resting for a few minutes. Slight citrusy freshness and faint mustiness. Palate: smooth but watery, pepper, some faint fresh vegetal notes (rocket) . Perfectly fine but just not impressive. Tastes like a non-offensive, watery tequila.

Doesn’t quite live up to their Anejo, but still a good sipping tequila.