Don Alvaro Tequila Anejo

My girlfriend and I never review a tequila unless we purchase a bottle and take it home for extensive testing. This tequila came with a separate cork in a small bag hanging from the neck of the bottle. The explanation was that the second cork was better for multiple openings and closings and the first cork was better for transporting. Cork aside, I love the bottle design which is Art Deco in style. The tequila itself was equally outstanding. For $60.00 this was the best (extra) anejo I have ever tasted. The first smell from a Riedel glass was exceedingly complex with a strong agave odor. Upon tasting, there were flavors of caramel, sweet chocolate, and agave. It almost seemed like a drop or two of agave syrup had been added. No alcohol burn in the finish and a smoothness only matched in my experience by Don Julio 1942. It is great with a home-cooked meal such as pollo mole, black beans and Mexican rice. In fact, tasting any tequila only by itself is a miscarriage of justice.

Tasted on 9-1-08 in Riedel tequila glasses, at the end of a self-constructed flight at home. The nose involves floral notes along with caramel and cocoa; the intake is smooth, with good agave flavor and more deep chocolate. Then the finish: the agave fades to a focused coffee/chocolate (mocha?) combination. Super smooth, lots of finesse. We paid $50 for this bottle in a store known for overpriced bottles; we'd pay more if we had to.

A fine Anejo and my one of my favorites. Wonderful bouquet and filled with many subtle fruity flavors with an excellent fade. A very handsome bottle and a good price for Hawaii (at least for the one bottle I've found). Only problem is the cork. Seemd to have a lot of softer filler material that came lose and got in the bottle. But I'll still get another bottle if i can find one.