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AFTER YEARS OF deliberation, the Mexican government has created the designation of Extra Añejo, which signifies that a 100% agave tequila has been aged for three or more years.
For generations these ultra-luxurious spirits were reserved for the private use of the maestro tequilero and family, but now any commoner with a few extra hundred dollars in their pocket can afford what many consider the epitome of the craft. A handful of these rare añejos are already thriving in the States, among them is the highly acclaimed EL TESORO DE DON FELIPE 100% AGAVE PARADISO AÑEJO TEQUILA.
The renowned 100% agave tequilas of El Tesoro are handcrafted in the Highlands of Jalisco. They are distilled from estate-grown agaves in the same way they have been for the past 75 years, relying on methods long ago abandoned by other distillers as too expensive or too labor intensive. Paradiso is comprised of a blend of tequilas aged in white oak barrels, each selected for their distinctive characteristics. The prized tequila is further matured in French oak casks previously used by A. de Fussigny Cognac.
While production of this extra añejo is limited, scarcity and demand doesn’t begin to explain the tequila’s intrinsic value. Paradiso is a rare spirit, one skillfully balanced between the elegance of cognac and the sultry character of tequila, both of which are deeply imbued in its wafting bouquet, velvety textured body, and bakery-fresh flavors. If it’s true that ingenuity is the mother of invention, then double-barreled Paradiso is a stroke of genius.
THE SUREST WAY to assess the attributes of a tequila brand is to sample the distiller’s blanco, or silver version. Years resting in oak casks have profound affects on aging tequila. Over time, the wood imbues the spirit with increasing amounts of color and oak-induced flavors. However, blanco tequilas rarely see the inside of a barrel and are bottled unadulterated shortly after exiting the still. They’re vibrant, peppery and well illustrate why tequila continues to be an international phenomenon. Fitting the description to a tee is ultra-premium JOSE CUERVO RESERVA DE LA FAMILIA PLATINO TEQUILA.
The handcrafted blanco is made according to a proprietary process called “Esencia de Agave,” in which only that part of the estate-grown agave richest in fermentable sugars is used in distillation. Clearly the process has merit and produces a spirit endowed with personality and tremendous depth of character.
A member of the Reserva de la Familia Collection, Jose Cuervo Platino has a curvaceous body, crystal clear appearance and a wafting bouquet of citrus, fruit and lightly peppered aromas. Its palate is a lavish offering of ripe plums, figs, toasted oak, black pepper and spice. The warm, lingering finish serves to seal the deal.
Its predecessor is vintage-dated Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia, a celebrated añejo matured for a minimum of 3 years in both new charred French and American oak barrels. Before its arrival few in this country had ever tasted a tequila of this magnitude and intensity. Underscoring its artisan nature, Reserva de la Familia is bottled, numbered and sealed in wax by hand.
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