Review: Pantera de Oro Tequila Extra Anejo Cask Strength

Pantera de Oro is a new tequila that, for now, exists only as an extra anejo. That’s always a little alarming to me — tequila should start with the basics and grow from there — but we won’t hold that against the brand as we look to experience what it has to offer.

The inaugural release—Lot #1—features 20,000 one-liter bottles of cask strength Extra Añejo tequila, distilled at NOM 1608 – Los Valores. Pantera de Oro was aged for just over three years in 50% French and 50% American oak [4th- and 5th-fill barrels -Ed.], and bottled at 53% ABV. This cask strength tequila is most enjoyable when sipped neat – a layered, luxurious tequila experience for true connoisseurs.

“We were initially planning to bottle this as an anejo, but after the first year of aging we knew it would benefit from additional time in barrel. At year two, we realized we had something truly special on our hands,” says founder Scott Baird, veteran of the US market launches for Tequila Ocho and Ancho Reyes. “Since we were using only 4th and 5th fill barrels – we felt that the added time to make this an Extra Anejo would not diminish the character of the tequila.”

Scott knew from past experience that a brand launch would require a larger team – and he turned to friend and industry colleague Craig Demko of Concurrent Imports to lead sales and production logistics on the project.

After multiple trips to Guadalajara and extensive tasting sessions, the team opted to bottle the tequila at higher proof to preserve the complexity and richness that first caught their attention. This release is not a limited edition, but rather the first expression in what is planned as a growing portfolio.

9600 bottles of the first release are available, all sold in California Costcos.

Let’s give it a whirl.

Pantera de Oro Tequila Extra Anejo Cask Strength Review

One of the darkest tequilas I’ve encountered, the tequila evokes coffee in color and in aroma, with a rich note of sweetened espresso tempered by raisins and Mexican chocolate, spiked with cinnamon. It’s definitely hotter on the nose than expected, even given its 53% abv presentation.

The palate is a barnburner, with overwhelming notes that evoke the flavor of raisiny, oxidized PX sherry — though this tequila is not aged in PX casks as far as I can tell. Intensely nutty with notes of scorched coffee, doused with brown sugar, it offers a candylike quality that soon moves into more aggressive territory, with a finish that approaches winey notes akin to Marsala.

The punch of alcohol is omnipresent in this spirit, and my suspicion that this would benefit from water was correct, as a healthy splash helped to coax out notes of fresh clementines and torched orange peels soaked in brandy. Keep a glass of cool water on hand should you find yourself sampling this.

106 proof. NOM 1608 (not printed on label). Reviewed: Lot #1.

B+ / $140 (1 liter)

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