Whereas aficionados are inclined to favor blanco tequilas, and imbibers of darkish spirits normally gravitate in the direction of añejos, the reposado class is usually ignored. However these light-to-medium aged tequilas provide unimaginable variety. They usually pair properly with meals, or function the right finish of the evening sipper.
So, we gave 10 repos (each newer merchandise and established ones) to members of our tasting panel in a blind style take a look at to assemble their ideas. We rigorously chosen merchandise with a variety of aromas and flavors, and naturally, all wanted to be additive free.
Because the excessive scores recommend, all of them are winners, and value a strive.
Right here’s what the panel members thought:
Wild Widespread Reposado
As an aficionado fan favourite, it’s maybe no shock that the small batch Wild Widespread Reposado racked up the best scores of the tasting, at 90.096 common factors. Barely over proof at 43% abv, tasters discovered tons of cooked agave, cinnamon, black pepper, and mineral notes with a contact of pure vanilla and caramel from the barrel.
This tequila is made on the beloved Cascahuín distillery (NOM 1123) by Salvador Rosales utilizing a mixture of tahona and curler mill extraction, fermented with and with out fiber in each stainless-steel and cement tanks, and is then distilled in copper pots.
The number of manufacturing processes blended collectively brings refined complexity to the aroma and taste profiles, with out having to make use of components.
Cazcanes No. 7 Reposado
Subsequent up was one other aficionado-approved model, Cazcanes, produced on the Tequilera TAP (NOM 1614) distillery in Amatitán, Jalisco. It scored a formidable 88.702 common ranking by our panelists. At 40% abv, this reposado nonetheless packs a taste punch. Tasters discovered mild wooden, floral, honey, and citrus notes with a spicy end.
The model is understood for experimenting, and felt that this distillery was an excellent companion for his or her additive-free manufacturing and particular tasks. The manufacturing course of for this reposado is extra conventional, however they provide their very own pure spring water, as an alternative of utilizing the deep properly water that’s normal for the distillery.
Agaves are cooked in low-pressure autoclaves, extraction is by way of curler mill, and fermentation occurs in open air stainless-steel tanks. Distillation is finished in a stainless-steel pot nonetheless with copper coils. The tequila for this lot (R72304) is aged for a mean of 6.4 months in an assortment of used American white oak barrels beforehand used for bourbon (Jack Daniels, 4 Roses, Clermont, and Jim Beam) with a heavy, medium, and lightweight char ranges. It’s then aerated simply earlier than bottling.
(The lot quantity is written in purple on the entrance label.)
Campo Azul 1940 Reposado
Racking up an 87.25 common rating is a brand new tequila made at a distillery recognized for greater manufacturers, Productos Finos de Agave (NOM 1416). This time the Third-generation tequila household wished to return to its roots and honor the present proprietor’s father, Don Ricardo Lopez, who was born in 1940.
Agaves are cooked slowly in a brick oven for 30 hours, adopted by 24 hours of cooking with out steam. They then open the doorways and permit the agaves to chill for 18 hours earlier than they’re put via a curler mill. After a sluggish, open-air fermentation, it’s then distilled in a stainless-steel pot nonetheless with a copper coil. This reposado rests for six months in fatigued American Oak Barrels that beforehand contained tequila. To spherical out the flavour, it’s aerated previous to bottling.
It has refined citrus and grass notes to offset the marginally candy barrel notes. We discovered this to be simple to drink, with loads of the layered agave notes that we love.
“This tequila strikes a harmonious steadiness between the sweetness of cooked agave and the mild affect of sunshine barrel getting old,” stated one taster.
Ocho Tequila Reposado
It’s no shock that this very flippantly aged, agave-forward repo happy tasters with its earthiness, honey, citrus, and vegetal notes. It achieved a mean rating of 87.1 factors. Made in Los Altos by the Camarena household, its terroir shines via.
“Properly balanced, even with virtually no coloration,” one taster commented. This product simply goes to indicate that even a contact of barrel notes can add a pleasant complexity to an already nice blanco, with out overwhelming it with barrel flavors.
Anybody who is aware of Ocho is aware of that agave is all the time the star of the present. The barrels used are outdated and exhausted, imparting a faint contact on the ultimate product. Consequently, followers of agave usually flock to their merchandise.
Volcan de Mi Tierra X.A
Regardless of its “X.A” identify, this tequila is definitely a mixture of aged tequilas (reposado, añejo, and further añejo) that produces a layered and scrumptious profile. The common ranking clocked in at an above-average 87 factors.
Keep in mind, the foundations of tequila manufacturing state that it’s essential to use the class of the least aged part within the mix. Although this product accommodates añejo and further añejo components, it have to be known as a reposado.
Tasters discovered a lot of fruit and spice notes, such orange blossom, apple, mango, and cinnamon with a naturally candy, lengthy end.
“This tequila boasts one of the vital distinctive aromas I’ve encountered, and I discovered it fairly pleasurable,” one taster famous.
The model used particular Grace Casks, that are lightly-toasted American oak barrels produced from bushes in numerous plots to present the spirit a singular taste profile. This observe is normally reserved for the wine trade.
This reposado is uncommon in that it hopes to span each the nightclub and aficionado crowds, with its fancy bottle and additive-free juice. Tasters dinged it a little bit on the value level, however the high quality nonetheless shined via.
Volcan de Mi Tierra Reposado
Volcan’s core line reposado got here in shut behind, scoring 85.8 common factors. Aged 5 months in a mixture of American and European oak barrels with a medium toast. Tasters famous that it was “the darkest of the ten samples” with a caramel nostril, aromas of stewed fruits and baking spices. It has a pleasant sweetness on entry, and some tasters talked about it was harking back to bourbon.
Vanilla, caramel, leather-based, cinnamon, clove, butterscotch, chocolate, orange peel, and nutmeg had been detected by a number of of the tasters.
The tequila has “a darkish golden hue” and “agave with each sip” commented one taster. “It virtually drinks like an añejo.”
As a reminder, there’s loads happening behind the scenes on the Volcan distillery (NOM 1523), a course of that includes each tahona and curler mill extraction, use of agaves from the Los Altos and Tequila Valley areas, cooking in each brick ovens and curler mills, and fermenting with a number of yeast strains in stainless-steel and wooden tanks.
Their ever-expanding barrel room is slightly below their single-brand distillery, and each drop of liquid made there’s used solely for Volcan de Mi Tierra.
Cierto Personal Assortment Reposado
Made on the La Tequileña distillery (NOM 1146) within the city of Tequila, this premium model is attempting to introduce complicated, pure tequila to the higher-end client. It achieved an above common rating of 85.192.
This repo is aged 11 months in French Limousine Oak – only one barrel sort in 1146’s expansive barrel assortment.
Tasters famous heat wooden notes of leather-based, tobacco, and pepper with a pleasing lingering end. Some additionally detected a malolactic word, which is usually current in a number of the distillery’s blanco profiles.
It has “candy, buttery cooked agave, barrel spices, and lightweight caramel,” one taster famous. Cierto is a reasonably new-to-market model though it has been within the making for a while. This high-end bottle got here in a bit decrease for worth.
Cambio Reposado
This can be a comparatively new model that takes slow-and-low to a different stage, beginning with fermentation, which is finished for longer and at low temperatures (20 levels C for two weeks, adopted by a secondary malolactic fermentation lasting 3 days!), which is mainly chargeable for its distinctive aroma and taste traits which brings lots of layered complexity.
The rating common was 85.048.
Agaves are cooked slowly in brick ovens, and move via the tahona earlier than coming into wooden fermentation tanks. Even their distillation course of is slowed down in contrast to what’s typical throughout the trade.
Their reposado is aged for 30 days in white burgundy and white Bordeaux barrels, after which positioned in used French Oak Chardonnay barrels from Sonoma for five months.
Tasters appreciated the lengthy end that the upper 46% ABV introduced, and commented that the aroma and taste was properly balanced with fruit, cinnamon, caramel, and slight licorice, particularly within the aroma.
La Gritona Reposado
Common rating: 84.423. Made totally by ladies, this well-priced repo stands out for fruit, mineral and brine notes. One taster commented on its delicate malolactic taste, which is usually a divisive component, and should clarify why it scored a little bit decrease than others. Nonetheless, every batch is exclusive because the distillery is dedicated to letting nature form its profile.
It’s cooked in a brick oven for twenty-four hours, crushed after which left to ferment for over every week. After distillation the ultimate product is then aged 6 months in reused American whiskey barrels.
“A really mild coloration with an aroma that’s earthy and vegetal,” one taster commented.
Siempre Reposado (1414)
This Los Altos tequila made by Sergio Cruz options NOM 1414’s well-known “Mozart” methodology utilizing each champagne yeast and rum yeast in open air tanks. Conventional manufacturing strategies, similar to sluggish cooking for 30 hours in brick ovens, and distillation in 100% copper pots went into this batch (lote 2).
It’s then uniquely aged for 4 months in a stainless-steel tank, lined with deeply-charred American Oak slats across the edges of the tank’s inside. This non-traditional getting old course of will be the supply of the widespread aromas and flavors discovered by the raters: raisin, clove, cinnamon with a touch of black licorice.
It earned an common of 83.7 factors amongst this group of tasters. Nonetheless, of all the tequilas on this lineup, it completed in first place when it got here to worth, which is a sign that it is a strong bang-for-the-buck tequila.
As one taster famous, “This reposado doesn’t maintain again—it’s massive and daring, bursting with intense flavors. I can think about sipping it open air by a crackling hearth.”
Siempre’s new dwelling at NOM 1414 is giving them the chance to experiment with every batch, which pays tribute to the truth that consistency doesn’t need to be extra vital than the craft or honoring a pure course of.
Because the divergent tasting notes show, the reposado class gives a style profile for each sort of palate, whether or not the drinker prefers flippantly aged tequila or one thing nearer to an añejo.
And given that every one these merchandise had been inside a 6-point vary, it’s clear that there’s some wholesome competitors on the market. So, subsequent time you’re looking for a terrific sipper, take into account including certainly one of these repos to your bar.
