Don Julio Tequila Anejo

I learned to drink tequila in a Mexican border town, starting with margaritas on the rocks and eventually advancing to straight shots. I was an Herradura guy for a long while until a friend introduced me to Don Julio Anejo. Now, I'm a man of limited means. For most of the year I'm content to drink the reposados and anejos at the low end of my liquor store's price range. But once a year my friends gather, we barbecue all night, we play the best music on earth, and we drink Don Julio Anejo. I have not had the 1942 or the Real -- not yet, anyways -- but no other tequila that I HAVE tried is as smooth, as fruity, as delightful in initial taste and as downright awe-inspiring in its finish. And, since these parties happen in my back yard and I have no intention of driving, if the bottle calls to me from time to time during the evening I feel no concern about dipping into it again. For me tequila is different than any other alcohol, it doesn't make me drunk as much as it makes me reflective. No matter how reflective Don Julio and I get, I wake up the next morning with a clear head, which also counts for something.

This is the stuff that to me outshines all others.

Don Julio Anejo is the combination of rich flavors of agave matched with just the right hint of wood influences.The aromas let out from this anejo are that of a nice blend of citrus notes, lime, grapefruit, with a slight hint of caramel, leading through the mouth with hints of vanilla and butterscotch, with a heavy finish, with the essence of honey. A wondeerfully cured anejo.

What a great anejo! I tried this in a flight alongside El Jimador and Corazon, and this was the best of the bunch!

The aroma is almost like smelling a vanilla bean. The flavor is rich and complex without being harsh. Vanilla, oak, nuts. It's just great. And the lingering finish makes me want to sip more and more. I could literally sip this all night.

Don Julio is a tequila that has everything going right. It is my favorite tequila that I can get in Kansas, and that is not out side a reasonable price range. The aroma is good enough that people who don't like tequila even like it, and the taste is good all around, its perfect for sipping on a summer evening. Its smooth so if you wanted to mix it for some reason you could. The only thing that I am not crazy about is the bottle, its lacks some pizazz and looks a little like a maple syrup bottle. The price is not bad for a tequila of this level, but at $50 a bottle I wouldn't be up set to find it on sale.

Don Julio Anejo NOM 1449 Tasted 3/9/07. With a yellow golden color, Don Julio Anejo has intense aromas of floral and fruit. Moderate aromas consist of vanilla, while mild aromas are of spice and caramel. The tequila has no bitterness to it and a sweet aftertaste. Initial flavors are intense caramel. There are also moderate agave, fruit, and vanilla flavors. Numbing alcohol intensity and a long duration of flavor bring this tequila masterpiece to a close. This tequila received the rating of an A-.