Arrogante Tequila Reposado

T January 01, 2012
 
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91 (1)
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Arrogante Tequila Reposado

Tequila Review

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Arrogante
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Arrogante Tequila Reposado

Arrogante Reposado Tequila - Arrogante means "Arrogant", the name says it all. 100% Blue Agave, aged for 6 months in previously used Bourbon barrels.

Blue Agaves, used in production of Arrogante Tequila, are grown in the Highlands of Jalisco, known as "Los Altos". Due to the higher altitudes above sea level, these Agave plants take more time to mature than plants grown in the plains, and since it takes more time, the plants consolidate more Agave flavors and then impart these flavors into the final Tequila. In addition, Agave plants that are grown in the Highlands often yield a sweeter citrus flavor, and boast more vegan notes. Agave plants take 7 to 9 years to grow before they are perfect for harvest.

Planting, tending and harvesting the Agave plants remain a manual effort, unchanged by modern technologies, and stretching back hundreds of years. The men who harvest the ripe Agave, the "jimadores", possess generations of knowledge about the plants. The jimadores cut the stems off the plants with the "coa" (knife similar to a machete, but with the rounded blade), and harvest the "heart" of the Agave, which looks like a pineapple (that is why we call it "piña", which means pineapple). An Agave "piña" can weigh up to 80 kilos (normally, it weights around 45-60 kilos). These hearts of the Agave are used to produce Tequila.

We slow-bake our Blue Agaves via traditional methods, in stone ovens called “hornos”. This method ensures that the sugars are properly cooked and not caramelized. Only the juice from the first pressing of the baked Agaves is used, and is then slowly fermented ("mosto"), a process that requires approximately 72-96 hours. In an effort to reduce costs and speed up production, many other producers use stainless steel autoclaves to pressure cook the Agaves and jump-start fermentation with chemically treated commercial yeast. No such short cuts are practiced in the production of Arrogante Tequila. As with other spirits, that are aged in casks, Tequila takes on the flavors of the wood, while the harshness of the alcohol mellows. We age our Tequila in white oak barrels, previously used for bourbon production.

The closer a distillery follows traditional artisanal methods of Tequila production, the better the final result - taste and flavor of the spirit. The master distillers carefully preserve the secrets of production, which are passed from generation to generation. The careful adherence to the artisanal methods of production and strict quality control on each step of the way are the secrets behind the luscious smoothness and richness of flavors which characterize Arrogante Tequila.

Photos by TEQUILA.net



User reviews

1 review
Overall rating
 
91
Aroma-Nose
 
90(1)
Initial Taste
 
91(1)
Body
 
91(1)
Finish
 
90(1)
Enjoyability
 
90(1)
Price
 
90(1)
Presentation
 
92(1)
Overall rating
 
91
Aroma-Nose
 
90
Initial Taste
 
91
Body
 
91
Finish
 
90
Enjoyability
 
90
Price
 
90
Presentation
 
92
After tasting the añejo version of Arrogante, I knew that I immediately wanted to have the rest of the line. So I have the reposado in a glass in front of me and the blanco bottle waiting in the wings. Life is good.

Price: $35-45/bottle

Aroma: A great reposado nose of agave, fruit, spice, light vanilla and oak.

Initial Taste: A lightly vegetal agave with a nice fruit mix of banana and ripe apples/pears.

Body: A complex mixture of fruity agave, light vanilla and a hint of bitterness from the oak. The mouth feel is medium. It's well balanced and tasty. The sweetness is not from a vanilla flavor, it's a nice combo of agave sugars and fruit which give it a nice green/fruity combo.

Finish: A medium linger with some agave, spice and just a light sweetness. It tastes like a good reposado should.

While I don't think I like it quite as much as the anejo, this is definitely another winner from Arrogante. It mixes the agave essence with the notes from the bourbon barrel. At under $40, it's a pretty good value. And I really like the short and stout bottle...it's interesting and unique, but still captures the essence of a Mexican spirit.
TT
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