Review: Maestro Dobel 50 Anniversary Series Tequilas – 1971, 1972, and 1973

Last year, Maestro Dobel dropped three special edition extra anejo tequilas — dupped 1968, 1969, and 1970 — all follow-ups to its original anniversary bottling, Dobel 50 1967. Now it’s back with three more expressions, as those 50th anniversaries apparently can’t stop coming.

These are all made from single estate agave, and all three are at least 8 years old. Each features a different type of finishing wood, which we’ll elaborate on in the individual writeups below. Let’s dive in.

Each is 80 proof. NOM 1122.

Maestro Dobel 50 1971 Tequila Review

Aged in French and European oak for at least 8 years, then finished in Japanese shochu casks — the second time we’ve seen a shochu finish this month. Very fruity and lively on the nose, not at all the sugar and oak bomb that ultra anejos like this often come across as. Distinctly plummy with layers of florals, it doesn’t entirely come across like a tequila at all, with layers of honey and white flowers tempering any more blunt agave character. On the palate the tequila is sweet but forgiving, notes of pecan pralines tempered by more of that plummy fruit, cinnamon-focused baking spice, and some maraschino cherry notes. The shochu character feels absolutely obvious throughout, with gentle honeydew flavors peeking in and out of the experience. Flavorful without being blown-out, it all works better than I had expected. A- [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Maestro Dobel 50 1972 Tequila Review

Aged in American bourbon, charred new oak, and Bushmills single malt Irish whiskey barrels for at least 8 years, but there’s no clarity on how these three barrel types were used. Irish whiskey is one of the most subtle styles there is, so I expected this expression to be rather restrained. Sure enough, it is, drinking like a rather typical extra anejo tequila, though again it is mercifully light on overt sugariness. The pepper and greenery of fresh agave manages to find a presence here, on both nose and palate, though it certainly has to work to maintain its status. Peering through classic vanilla and honey flavors emerge fruit-forward elements of pineapple and some some peach, sliding gently toward more dried fruit elements of golden raisins and dates. Gentle milk chocolate notes on the finish amplify a resurgence of vanilla, though this remains a tempered expression that doesn’t feel out of bounds for a standard anejo, let alone an extra anejo. No complaints at all with what they ended up with, but at this price… A- [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

Maestro Dobel 50 1973 Tequila Review

Aged in toasted American oak barrels and finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks; 8 years old. The influence of PX sherry all but takes over this tequila, giving the nose unmistakable aromas of fruit in syrup, well-oxidized wine, and glazed nuts. Maple syrup is particularly heavy on the nose, effectively excluding any traditional agave character. There are no surprises on the palate, which leans so hard into that PX it leaves little room for anything else. Again, it’s dominated by maple but dotted with raisin and prune notes, sweet on top of sweet. The finish layers in vanilla and some milk chocolate, but nothing overwhelming. This is the most straightforward of the trio, a blown-out sherry bomb that doesn’t taste much like tequila at all. I love PX as much as anyone, but as tequilas go, this is the least interesting bottle in the bunch. B [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

each $820

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