Centinela Tequila Anejo

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T March 19, 2007
 
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Centinela Tequila Anejo

Tequila Review

Brand
Centinela
NOM
Oven Type
Extraction Method
Distillation
Barrel - Cask
Alcohol Volume
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Tasting Awards
2012 TEQUILA.net Awards - "Best of the Best" Best Highland Añejo Tequila
2012 TEQUILA.net Awards - Best of the Best

Tequila Centinela Añejo

Tequila Centinela Añejo is bottled only after being aged for close to 30 months in previously used bourbon barrels which produce the natural gold color and rich flavor.

Tequila Centinela was established in 1904 and was the first distillery located in Arandas, Jalisco. Centinela means "the one to watch and keep".

The process has not changed; we combine tradition with top technology to ensure the consistency in our products. Our Agaves take approximately 8 years to mature, and are hand-picked at their peak from our own Agave fields. We also buy 20% from local producers to help the region's economy. Our Jimador's are hired as full time workers and are paid a salary. The Jimador's are trained to cut the pencas extremely close to the pina to prevent any bitter flavors during cooking.

We take our time cooking the Agave as this is crucial in our tasting profile. We use a clay oven (compared to others that use stainless steel ovens) that gives our cooked Agaves a smoky flavor, and a sweet after taste. Tequila Centinela slow cooks with steam and this process takes approximately 24 hours. In the first 4 hours we get, by gravity, some liquids from the cooked agave that we discard, to eliminate impurities and "the amargo" (the bitter). The cooked Agave is then allowed to settle and cool for an additional 24 hours.

For the extraction or the grinding process, we have 2 mills with 5 press each, they crush and wash the fibers in a gentle way. The reason is not to tear the fibers so they don't release bad flavors in the juices (other distilleries use more industrial machinery for this process, like the "diffusor" that cooks and rinses the Agave in one process, it saves time, but it compromises the flavor). The extracted juice is called "Aguamiel" (honey water), and is very sweet with high sugar content, which is what is needed to create alcohol in the fermentation process. The "Aguamiel" goes to the fermentation; Our yeast is natural and it comes from the environment, and is controlled. This process takes from 3 to 5 days, as the yeast starts converting the sugars into alcohol.

The first distillation is called "destrozamiento" (5 hours), we get rid of the "heads and tails" (colas y cabezas) and the heart in this process is called "ordinario". The second distillation is called "rectificacion" (10 hours), again we cut the "heads and tails", and now the heart of the second distillation is called Tequila.

Once we have our Tequila ready it goes to the aging room, and each of our products is differentiated in this process according to its tasting profile. We age our Tequilas in previously used 200 liter American White oak bourbon barrels.

 



User reviews

3 reviews
Overall rating
 
90
Aroma-Nose
 
90(3)
Initial Taste
 
90(3)
Body
 
91(3)
Finish
 
91(3)
Enjoyability
 
91(3)
Price
 
91(3)
Presentation
 
88(3)
Old Bottle is real treasure
Overall rating
 
94
Aroma-Nose
 
92
Initial Taste
 
93
Body
 
95
Finish
 
94
Enjoyability
 
94
Price
 
94
Presentation
 
88
Centinela has been around for over 100 years, so they've got to be doing something right. This old style añejo bottle is light in color, but is coveted in the tequila world because of it's trademark flavor. I'm already on record in Review #65 that I very much enjoyed the aging of the reposado. Centinela is aged in 200 liter used white oak bourbon barrels. They're not all that different in color, which would generally mean not that much of a difference in aging in the old style bottles, but the current bottles are aged 30 months.

Price: $40/bottle

Aroma: Light cooked agave nose with larger notes of honey and fruit. Light notes of baking spice as well.

Initial Taste: It's a flavor unlike most other tequilas. There's a nice agave flavor and spice, but the fruit and floral notes are very strong.

Body: It's a lighter body. The complexity rages on. Tons of flavors...each one trying to make its way to the forefront. There's the fruit & floral notes, bitter oaky notes, agave flavors with pepper and spice and even a hint of smoke. Really challenging and very tasty.

Finish: Fruit and baking spice start and the latter finish is oak and smoke. It lasts a nice length of time and has you wanting to take your next sip.

Centinela Añejo is your consummate "thinker" tequila. There's a ton happening on the palate, but it's really enjoyable every step of the way. It's got some of the nice notes that I loved about the repo, but it adds in some extra flavors from the extra time in the barrel. It's one that you sit and ponder, but it's worth it every step of the way. This one is a winner. Add in that it's $40 (if you can still find it) and it's a definite buy. Salud, Centinela!
TT
#1 Reviewer 414 reviews
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Overall rating
 
92
Aroma-Nose
 
91
Initial Taste
 
92
Body
 
92
Finish
 
92
Enjoyability
 
92
Price
 
93
Presentation
 
90
Tasted out of a snifter. Purchased a bottle for $36 bux. With a pale yellow color (a much lighter color than most anejos), this anejo is a real treat. Again, just like their blanco, the theme here is subtlety. It leans on the 'tamer' side of anejos. Not too bold or aggressive, but just right. I'm liking Centinela very much.

Aroma: A soft nose of floral and vanilla. Lighter notes of fruit.
Initial Taste: With a semi oily mouth feel, a semi sweet entry with no bitterness. Initial taste is vanilla.
Body: A robust body of agave, fruit, vanilla, and lighter cinnamon, and spice.
FInish: A slightly heated finish of medium duration with a fruity vanilla lingering.
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Overall rating
 
86
Aroma-Nose
 
86
Initial Taste
 
86
Body
 
86
Finish
 
86
Enjoyability
 
86
Price
 
86
Presentation
 
86
Centinela Anejo (New Bottle) NOM 1140 Tasted on 3/7/08 at 10:00pm. I tasted this tequila at the Grad Tequila Bar in Davis, CA and tasted it out of a snifter. With a pale yellow color, this tequila has intense aromas of floral and earth with moderate to intense fruit. Other aromas include mild vanilla and spice followed by hints of smoke. The tequila has a medium mouth feel and the first sip has a low level of sweetness with minimal bitterness. Centinela Anejo has numerous arrays of flavors. Intense floral with moderate to intense flavors of agave are followed by mild notes of earth, wood, chemical bite, and fruit. With a medium to long duration of flavor, hints of vanilla and spice bring this tequila to a numbing finish. Centinela Anejo has received the rating of 86 points out of 100.
TJ
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