Agave Fights - Reposados - Pick your top two

[MrAgave]

For the Reposado Agave Fights, you can pick 2 out of the 6 to move on to month 4 finals. Feel free to share your tasting experience and how you picked your top two.

[bn087]

I enjoy all of the above. Although, the El Tesoro Repo is the least desirable IMHO of the ET lineup. I find the HDC Sotol Repo to be the best of the HDC lineup. And I love the whole Casa Noble lineup...I have not tried the new bottles but I'm sure I'll be happy!

[totallytequila]

I found this to be a very tough decision to make but I narrowed it down to the CN #1 and ET #2 as my two picks. I prefer the strong floral nose and deeper oak flavor of the CN. I do however love the smoothness and richness of the ET. How can you go wrong with either?

[Snapper]

This was my first time to taste any of these reposados.

I found the El Tesoro to be very smooth with a good range of flavors so it is my #1 pick. The #2 spot was a little bit harder for me to decide on. It came down to the 1921 and the HDC Sotol. The HDC surprised me in that it had a taste that was outside the "normal" tequila flavor and was much better than I was expecting. I would like to try it again to better understand it. The 1921 was also very good. In fact I'm giving it my #2 spot. It had a taste that was a little bit heavier than the El Tesoro, but not as heavy as the Herradura.

From what I have gathered about the Casa Noble lineup to this point and after last month's wonderful Casa Noble Crystal, I was dissapointed that the Casa Noble Reposado did not meet my expectations. Maybe it was because of the spicy sangrita that I had right before it. I don't think that I'll do that again. Hopefully I'll get to try the Casa Noble again later.

[PaleRider]

I was only able to try two, so I won't vote. I had the CN and the Herradura. The place had blancos by Tesoro and Jimador, and I did have a Tesoro blanco 'rita -- very nice. I tried the Herradura Repo a few years back and I remember not loving it, but now that I think back it may have been the anejo I didn't like because it didn't taste enough like tequila -- too woody and winey - like brandy or something like that. I like a big punch of agave which is why I actually tend to prefer blancos or very young first-pressing repos.

Anyhoo, the Herradura was a lot better than I remember -- very smooth and buttery with a caramel or butterscotch flavor. It wasn't too spicy or fruity, but it had a nice core-taste of agave and a really fine finish. There was a bit of alcohol burn, but far less than I expected. I would drink that again. Not super complex, but very palletable.

The Casa Noble was very sublime. I'm not enough of a connoisseur (yet) to properly describe it like an expert taster, but it was layered and complex and had a very apertif type of vibe to it. Would be great after a good meal with a cigar. It seemed more anejo-like than most repos I've had. Very woody but with some pepper. Agave flavor more subtle and refined tasting. So good I may not be worthy, and so expensive I'll be happy with the Herradura!

(And I agree with Snapper -- I actually liked the CN Blanco better than the repo. Maybe the best blanco I've tasted so far)

PS -- the best tequila I've had yet was a numbered bottle of Penca Azul Anejo Reserva.

[bn087]

I like how you allow us to pick a top 2 Mr. A.

For me...the atmosphere, my mood and other aspects depict the way I taste my tequilas. One day one of my favorites may be Fina Estampa but the following day its Don Valente. Some have obvious differences and one blanco tastes nothing like another brands but its always hard for me to pinpoint a "favorite".

[MrAgave]

Interesting numbers, at the tastings here in Denver I am always asking people what their favorites are, and I get a lot of Herradura and ET, and on the Repos I was hearing HDC and CN.

I guess those people aren't voting...

I might have to create voting ballots and have them turn them in to me so their votes actually get counted.

[PaleRider]

Did my own repo tasting last night. Here they are in order of first to last:

1) 1921 Reposado Special Reserva
2) Casa Noble Reposado
3) Corralejo Reposado
4) Corralejo Reposado Triple Distillado

*Keep in-mind I'm trying to train my pallette to taste and review, but I'm a total rookie at it (veteran drinker, rookie reviewer). I know what I like and I have good taste, I think. I can tell bad from good, but this "notes of cooked sweet potato" thing is completely new to me.

Long story short, the 1921 was the smoothest and fullest of the lot. The aroma is really sweet, the notes I scrawled say: nutmeg, amaretto, almond, vanilla, lilies etc. Then the taste: Honey, agave, red chili peppers, posole, and earth. Best finish, least burn. Niiicceee!

The Corralejo 3D I didn't like much. The nose was earthy, mossy - almost peetey and strong on alcohol. I scribbled, "cactus". The initial taste on the tongue is nice, silky and buttery. Then comes agave. Then the tang starts, first like kiwi then it goes to metal and burns out to ash. Overall a strong alcohol presence with a very sour aftertaste. This bottle might actually be off. Maybe sat on a shelf too long. I'll use it in margaritas.

The Corralejo Reposado I already like. It's light and fruity and floral. Smells like lime, pear, almonds and lilacs. It hits the tongue a bit hot, but is strong on agave. I also tasted wood and pepper. It's a nice blend of agave, fruit and spice. Aftertaste a tad sour. A good, well-balanced every day tequila. Sip it or make 'ritas.

The Casa Noble Reposado has been reviewed a lot here, so I won't go too far. I liked it almost as much as the 1921, but for different reasons. Like the 1921 there is smoothness and sweetness, but the CN has a distinct agave blast, I call it the agave punch, which is surrounded by many other flavors of fruits nuts, spices and wood. In general it's more "pungent". My notes: Aroma -- wood, rose, vanilla, pine nuts, raisins. Mouth-feel/taste -- silky, a bit oily, big agave punch, wood, earth, charcoal, minimal alcohol burn. The CN is complex and layered. I'm not a pro taster, so read the other review on Tequila.net. I still like the CN "Crystal" blanco better.

[PaleRider]

So, I mentioned in my discourse that I did not particularly like the Corralejo Triple Distilado, so I thought I'd try it in a margarita. Well, it makes a very nice 'rita, let me tell you. I'm drinking it now. What I like about it stands up; what I don't like gets buried in the other juices (lime and orange). There's a little triple sec in there too, along with a floater of 1921 repo.

Mmmmmm

[Rastaman]

Once again, from this list:

El Tesoro repo is one of my all-time favorites. Over time it seems to have surfaced as my preference for thei b/r/a.

I really enjoy 1921 reposado too. And I have mixed feelings on CNR. I think it depends on the year you get. And I almost want to say I prefer the CNC over the repo. My favorite is now the 2 year anejo from that line though.

And I always enjoy Corralejo reposado and have never heard enough good things about the triple distilled to even try it. I've also never tried their blanco or anejo but that's probably going to change very soon.