Review: El Mayor Tequila Extra Anejo – Port Cask Aged

El Mayor‘s latest special edition Extra Anejo has arrived. Like the last expression, it uses a wine cask to do the entirety of its aging process, only this one is aged in Port barrels instead of sherry. Total aging in Port casks for this release is a whopping 42 months.

Let’s dive in to another rarity from this often-stellar producer.

Like El Mayor’s sherry-aged XA expression, this tequila leads not with sweetness and fruit but with peppery agave, green and a little leathery, with some floral elements — more dried than fresh — in attendance. A bit toasty with light oak notes as it develops, with winey fruit notes emerging on the nose with a bit of time. That said, these elements never dominate. The palate does a good job of combining elements of agave-forwardness with more exotic overtones. Melting chocolate, raisin, and plenty of sultry vanilla show off a modest Port-driven character, with a pinch of red pepper and some cinnamon spicing things up. Port and well-aged tequila turn out to be solid bedfellows, though somehow I was hoping for more. After 3 1/2 years in Port casks, I was expecting a juicier, fruit-laden experience, but nonetheless this bottling doesn’t disappoint despite its more savory, reserved composition. As long as you’re not looking for a Port bomb, fans of well-aged tequila shouldn’t be disappointed.

80 proof. NOM 1603. 6000 bottles produced.

A- / $130 / elmayor.com 

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