ContemplativeFox
Tequila Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Lot 1
Tequila Extra Añejo — Los Altos, Jalisco, Mexico
Reviewed
June 17, 2021 (edited September 20, 2022)
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 !
Create Account
or
Sign in
to comment on this review
Thanks @Rogi-Sanchez :) It was a comparison with the regular El Tesoro Extra Añejo, not the Paradiso.
@ContemplativeFox - hey great review. Quick question, is your El Tesoro comparison as to the American or French oak version (El Paradiso)? Thanks. Cheers!
@LiquorLonghorn wow…didn’t know that. Thanks !
@PBMichiganWolverine all tequilas have a NOM, which is the way the Mexican government legally labels all bottles of tequila. It’s a number that identifies the distillery, and some Mexican distilleries produce several brands in one place. This one is NOM 1139, the La Altena distillery which makes Tapatilo and El Tesoro. All this can be found on the Tequila Matchmaker website, which has a ton of useful information and official reviews that I find more informed and helpful than the official Distiller reviews.
@LiquorLonghorn really? Didn’t know that. How can you tell—-is there some identifier ?
@LiquorLonghorn Really? 😂 I can actually see that, but I wouldn't have guessed. Thanks for the information!
It’s no wonder you rank this close to the El Tesoro. They’re made at the same distillery!
Love this one. It may be my favorite so far, but I’ll need to do some more ‘research.’ I’ve been on a whiskey kick for a while now, but all these tequila reviews are giving me a hankering to shift my focus that way soon.