Review: Tequila El Mexicano Anejo

Tequila El Mexicano, part of Foley Family Wines & Spirits, has finally launched its first anejo. We’ve never covered any of the offerings from the brand, but we’re starting here, with this release that was rested for 14 to 16 months in American and French oak. Agaves are aged a minimum of 6 years and are grown in the Jalisco Highlands. The Master Tequilero behind the brand is Don Félix Bañuelos, who previously cofounded Tequila Cazadores.

Some more distillation details: “The family uses a careful two-stage ‘low and slow’ cooking method in stainless steel autoclaves for up to 24 hours. Their unique seven-day open-air fermentation – one of the longest in modern tequila production – is enhanced by classical music, stimulating the natural yeast growth. While most distilleries employ copper stills, León Sr. designed stainless steel pot stills to double distill El Mexicano, preserving the agave’s true flavor.”

Tequila El Mexicano Anejo Review

The short of it is that this is an extremely soft tequila, something I’d probably chalk up to the use of French oak in the aging process. Any peppery agave notes on the nose are immediately tempered, showing more cinnamon and nutmeg, well-doused in brown butter. A vague note of chocolate and some coffee elements ring the edges of the experience, giving the experience something of a Sunday pastry vibe.

The palate follows suit, almost to a T. Soft and infused with baking spice, the tequila feels like a caramel glaze intended to be drizzled over a flan or a gingery cake, only less overtly sweet. There’s plenty of sugar in the mix, but it’s tempered with ground coffee, bittersweet cocoa powder, and a light skin of barrel char. An element of brown banana becomes prominent as the finish builds, with a reprise of spice roaring back into the picture as the experience concludes. Curiously, the fade-out is a bit gravelly and earthy, which helps further to temper the up-front sweetness but which doesn’t entirely play to the tequila’s biggest strengths.

80 proof. NOM 1588.

B / $50 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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