Tequila Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Lot 1

I don’t have much experience with tequila, but this one has got to be in the creme de la creme category of tequilas. Grassy , minty and herbal. Smooth without any of your typical tequila bite. This is not meant for mixing —-clearly. Best to have it neat, and maybe with a few drops of water. Thanks @ctbeck11 for the pour! One of the best tequilas I’ve had

Rating: 19/23 N: Spicy and minty, but still fairly full. I'm not getting a lot of other character here. Some bitter herbs with the mint, but that's not super interesting. Hints of brine and maybe faint hints of agave, but I'm reaching. P: There's a lot more here than the nose suggests. I immediately get hit by brine, which brings in some lime, then move into the herbal yet somewhat caramelized stewed agave. This is backed by some wood and those dusty spices that make me think a bit of El Tesoro Extra Añejo. The way the flavors churn over the course of the palate is delightful. I get clean water at moments, but never alcohol and this never tastes thin. Very nice balance and complexity. A bit of dusty earthiness as well. Perhaps a hint of red apples F: As I breathe out, I feel the mint. I get bits of brine and some rich stewed agave with some light caramel and very faint spices. - Conclusion - This is an excellent tequila. It goes right up there in the El Tesoro Extra Añejo range. Actually, they have similar flavors too. The complexity really impresses me here. This has a bit of a bolder profile than the El Tesoro, but the complexity is not on the same level. This has more agave and usual tequila notes, but I think I like the El Tesoro better. Fuenteseca 7 has sweeter, richer notes than this does that make me think more of rum or bourbon. It's another great tequila, but I think I like this one a little better. I'm inclined to give this a 19 seeing as the Fuenteseca has an 18 and the El Tesoro has a 20. If I were to go one way or the other, I'd likely slide down to an 18, but I'm feeling pretty good about this 19. Thanks for the sample @ctbeck11 !

It is a marvelous display of unique qualities tequila develops when aged. Notes of amaro and dusty libraries and funk, married with stewed agave, orange peel, sage, thyme, and pepper. It is very rich and exciting

Very smooth, caramel, herbs. Incredible.

It’s everything I could want from a tequila and more. Rich, sweet, agave. I’m already scared of the day I run out.

Absolutely delicious. Despite the time spent in oak this tequila is still incredibly vibrant. Want an extra anejo where the agave is still the star of the show then, look no further.