Embajador Añejo Tequila Review | Steve Coomes

Embajador, Tequila, Supreme, Anejo, Review, Steve CoomesCompared to its siblings, Embajador Supreme Añejo is a big, big brother. 

Rested for 18 months—a full 10 months longer than its Premium Reposado—Supreme is a veritable post-grad student compared to its primary school brothers.

Yet, for all that age its color is surprisingly pale gold.  Not that color determines everything, but 18 months is a loooong sleep, a rest I assumed would yield a deeper amber cast.  (As I noted in my review of the Premium Reposado, used cooperage likely is the reason for its light color.) 

But don’t despair or stop reading now, patience has its rewards. Proceed apace.

The nose produces aromas of roasted agave, cherry and even a pleasantly sour orange curacao, which I dug.  Like Thanksgiving turkey, it’s fun just to sniff before inevitably giving into tasting.

Though not overly assertive like some añejos, the flavor is delicious, offering up abundant wood notes tempered by cocoa, ash, toasted oak, caramel, floral tones and honey. 

[Tweet “Compared to its siblings, Embajador Supreme Añejo is a big, big brother”]

Simultaneously sweet and vegetal upon entry, its texture becomes weighty at mid-palate and especially when moved around the mouth.  There’s briefly nougat-like density at midpalate that fades quickly to honey before skulking off to a slow and delicate finish. 

The exhale practically ignites notes of rose and lavender, providing insight into the wild yeast influencing its ferment.Embajador, Tequila, Supreme, Anejo, Review, Steve Coomes

Having now tasted its full line, it’s clear that Embajador wants its tequilas to finish fast.  Perhaps that bids drinkers back to the glass for more or leaves them searching for lingering, pleasant flavors?  I don’t know.  But none of the three offerings give much of a goodbye.

Such a rapid departure isn’t an insult, however, it’s just different. And to be fair, I’m also a bourbon drinker who loves a high-proof palate punch, which isn’t for everyone. 

As proven by the success of Avion tequilas, there’s an abundance of drinkers who enjoy light-bodied sippers, and this would certainly fit that profile.

Distiller’s note: Supreme is best enjoyed neat at 68 F.

Embajador Tequila Online

 

Tstephen coomes, steve coomes, Embajador, Tequila, Supreme, Anejo, Review, Steve Coomesequila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer.  His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients.  You can visit Steve online atwww.stevecoomes.com.

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Embajador Reposado Tequila Review | Steve Coomes


Embajador Tequila, premium, reposado, review, coomesPremium, the second of three
Embajador Tequila offerings can be described as the good middle child of the bunch–

Eager to please, never offending, yet losing a tad of its uniqueness sandwiched between its siblings.

According to the distiller, it’s rested for eight months in American and French Oak barrels, meaning the final product is a blend of juice from both types of cooperage.  It’s pale, straw color suggests that all its cooperage is used since precious little color is given back to the tequila.

 Its aromas aren’t dominant, but pleasant nonetheless.  Banana, toffee and agua miel are evident, and the grassy note that sneaked into the Platinum comes out in the Premium as well.  A bit more time and swirling reveal a bit of citrus and a touch of ash.

[Tweet “Embajador Tequila Premium is fairly light bodied and modestly leggy”]

Not surprisingly, Premium is fairly light bodied and modestly leggy. Vigorous swirling sets off wide-set and narrow trails down the glass’s sides, hinting correctly that it won’t dominate the palate.  But that doesn’t mean it won’t please the tongue either.

Embajador Tequila, premium, reposado, review, coomesA sip reveals strong notes of cocoa, vanilla less so; and toasted marshmallow even less.  You have to work for it, but it’s there and worth waiting for.  Just close your eyes and summon it.

Finish is fast, hinting of but not slamming home, white pepper.  It’s slightly drying and a tad mineral, but pleasant all around.

Premium is not complex, but that’s not a criticism.  A young reposado blended from its rest in American and French oak doesn’t get the chance to assume a distinct personality of one barrel or the other, it just emerges balanced.

Which is likely where Embajador wanted it.

Distiller’s note:  Premium is best enjoyed served at 64 F.

Embajador Tequila Online

 

Tstephen coomes, steve coomes,equila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer.  His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients.  You can visit Steve online atwww.stevecoomes.com.

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Embajador Blanco Tequila Review | Steve Coomes

platinum_box_03_lampleft_b, embajador, platinum, blanco, silver, tequilaNote to all tequila distillers…

I love it when, along with your generous review bottles, you supply a story of how your tequila is made.

The makers of Embajador tequila did this by sending a simple folder with a few laser-printed pages that told a brief but helpful story about its goods.

And they are good.

(Some time after I typed my original tasting notes, I found it had a new and informative website.  Click here to enjoy that story.)

logo w border, embajador, platinum, blanco, silver, tequilaTranslated, Embajador, simply means ambassador, and it serves well in that role in welcoming the drinker into a solid sipping experience.

According to the distiller, half its agaves are baked the historic way, in a stone horno; the other half in a steam-heated autoclave.  According to the company, blending those techniques creates an array of aromas rather than just a few notes.

Once fermented, it’s twice distilled to preserve agave flavor and aroma.  After that, Platinum rests 40 days in stainless steel before bottling.  According to Embajador, laying low for that stretch develops balance and character, though it doesn’t specify how.

To be honest, I didn’t get an array of aromas when I poured some platinum, but the bloom butterscotch and cooked agave was substantial.  Both aromas lingered before giving way to a barely noticeable and appealing grassy note.

[Tweet “Embajador Tequila Blanco: substantial bloom butterscotch & cooked agave”]

The first sip of the blanco was slightly bracing, but refreshing, a delightful zip for an 80-proof spirit.  Its mayahuel, embajador, platinum, blanco, silver, tequilapeppery finish was an open invitation to sip again, so I did.

Subtly but pleasantly sweet, the mid-palate picked up some cotton candy interlaced with a bit of cinnamon.  The finish on that go-round left some traces of lemon and vegetal notes.

Exhaling produced some pleasant menthol notes followed by orange blossom.  Once emptied and dried, the glass gave off delicious aromas of roasted agave.

Platinum stood up nicely when mixed in different cocktails, but given my druthers, I prefer this one straight.

Its fresh, light flavor profile loses a bit of personality even when properly mixed, which is my wife’s preference.  The good news is we both enjoyed Platinum to our liking.

One last bit of info from Embajador…

Platinum is best consumed at 60 F, so put it in the fridge for an hour or so before drinking to cool it off.

 

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Casa Noble Joven Review

Casa Noble Joven

 

CasaNoble_JovenFew spirits I’ve tasted—tequila or otherwise—grabbed my attention the way Casa Noble Joven did when I tasted it at the distillery two years ago. Traveling with a press group led by the distillery’s CEO, Pepe Hermosillo, we’d consumed multiple expressions of Casa Noble while there. But this one, packing a 104 proof punch, was simply electrifying.

Not because it was hot or a peppery-boozy tongue lasher, but because at nearly still strength and without any aging, the tequila told the story of the agave from which it came better than any I’d had at that point in my life.

A couple of my peers didn’t agree. They weren’t comfortable with the proof and said Joven overpowered their palates. I thought privately, “You’re missing out! Try it again and get used to it!”

Drinking this way is part of life where I come from in Louisville, Ky. That’s Bourbon Country, where high-proof spirits are preferred by many because that’s where the flavors are. Sure, it takes practice to nose and sip such rocket fuel correctly, but it’s worth it when you taste George T. Stagg 141 proof or a barrel-strength Four Roses.

But Casa Noble Joven didn’t demand such patience. It was—to my palate—immediately drinkable after a few swirls in the glass. Instead of a burn, it felt as if slightly carbonated, a delightful buzzing sensation.

The nose was abundantly fragrant: floral, tropical-fruity and loaded with heaps of roasted agave. It may still be the most inviting tequila I’ve ever nosed. The flavor was lush, laden with sweet agua miel, spicy white pepper and highlands agave minerality. Unlike some of my colleagues, I wanted more and received it in a generous pour from Hermosillo, who smiled in approval.

Two days later, at a tequila dinner in Louisville attended by Hermosillo, I met a liquor store owner who’d bought an entire barrel for his store and was having it bottled. I had to have one. Once acquired, I rationed it out slowly and carefully, treasuring it.

Don’t miss this part: That turned out unnecessary when I made a cocktail with it. Here’s why. Even though I love Joven straight, my standard 2-ounce pour of tequila (any spirit) took over the drink, not the desired effect. Next time I used 1.5 ounces and it was perfect. I’d never had a better margarita.

But wasn’t it too costly at $50 a bottle to use in a cocktail?

Not at 1.5 ounces per pour. When I did the math, I figured out that using Joven to make the ultimate margarita (scratch sour mix only) was actually less expensive than pouring 2 ouncees of Casa Noble’s 80 proof Crystal. Crystal is an exceedingly fine blanco, but its younger brother is even better.

Cannot recommend this one highly enough—if you can find it.

 

stephen coomes, steve coomes,About Steve Coomes

Tequila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer.  His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients.  You can visit Steve online at www.stevecoomes.com.

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Tequila Penasco Anejo by Steve Coomes

 logo2white2, tequila, penasco anejo, penasco, tequila aficionado, bourbonThe Ohio Valley’s schizophrenic spring weather has had an unexpectedly positive effect on my home liquor cabinet. Since it’s been too warm for the furnace and too cool for the air conditioner, the house temp has averaged about 75 degrees for two months. And one of the most notable beneficiaries is Tequila Penasco Anejo (the bourbon has benefitted, too!).

 

Sipped somewhere in the mid-70s one evening, the blooming butterscotch and cooked agave nose was brilliant. A good bit more swishing elevated vegetal notes, hints of mint, lemongrass, and aguamiel. Since temperature raises alcohol volatility, I remained wary of vapor burn. Still, walking that fine line between elegant fragrance and fire was worth it.

[Tweet “Blooming butterscotch and cooked agave nose was brilliant on @tequilapenasco”]

 

The flavor of this spirit, rested 14 to 16 months in oak, was bright and brilliant, launching with all the predictable barrel notes of vanilla and light caramel, even touches of chocolate. Held in the mouth, the añejo delivered lush floral notes backed by cinnamon and some straw. After swallowing, that rumor of chocolate reappeared and then dissolved into bruléed sugar, butterscotch and toffee. Given a brief nap in the glass—and trust me, it’s hard to put down—this expression offered up orange peel, wood and again butterscotch, joined by coriander.

[Tweet “Lush floral notes backed by cinnamon and some straw in @tequilapenasco”]

logo2white2, tequila, penasco anejo, penasco, tequila aficionado, bourbon

 

Some spirits lose their body when warm, but not this one. It was full and coated both glass and mouth evenly, always generous and soft to every surface. Vigorous swirling of the golden expression yielded numerous narrow legs lined up and evenly spaced as the Rockettes in action. Think that’s a bit much? Have a look for yourself. (Maybe it was the glass?)

[Tweet “Tequila Penasco Anejo, like a glass full of Rockettes! @tequilapenasco”]

 

Sadly, Tequila Peñasco did not supply any press information, such as what its products cost. A quick web search revealed only the brand’s notoriously wonky website and expired liquor store discount offers for the añejo, but no details. That’s unfortunate given that I’d like to know how it stacks up (at the cash register) against its peers.

 

Suffice it to say, though, if you find it, get it if it fits your budget. It’s a straight-up fine sipper.

 

Follow Penasco online: FacebookTwitter.

 

 
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Tequila Penasco Reposado by Steve Coomes

penasco, reposado, tequila, Tequila Penasco Reposado

The quality of tequila pushing into the U.S. market is so high these days that it’s hard to write a really bad review.  It’s easy to be wowed by some more than others, and some, though good, make me question the price point, but I have yet to find one I’d swear off drinking again.

Tequila Peñasco Reposado has extended that winning streak for all the correct reasons:  flavor, aroma and color are all what a reposado is supposed to represent–that perfect balance between a blanco’s vibrancy and that kiss of maturity born of brief barrel rest.

That I liked it this much was particularly surprising given my not-so-favorable reaction to its sibling Tequila Peñasco Plata, an expression I thought fine, but unexciting.  The reposado, however, delivers a 180 as a super-enjoyable sipper.  Every time I’ve drunk it, I’ve always wanted more because it’s so flavorful and easygoing.

[Tweet “What a reposado is supposed to represent. @wordchew @tequilapenasco”]

In just four to six months barrel time, it makes quick friends with the wood, but no inappropriately deep relationships.  Like a new college graduate who shows some maturity gained in his matriculation, this expression displays complexity while maintaining its youthfulness.  Sip it neat or use it in a cocktail–it’s flexible!  Given my druthers, though, I’d choose this neat.

[Tweet “Sip it neat or use it in a cocktail–it’s flexible! @wordchew @tequilapenasco”]

Its light gold tint is alluring and hints accurately of a light body with a clean finish.  On the front of the palate come good wood accents, touches of cinnamon and just a whisper of pepper.  After a few sips I pick up some fruit, wood flavors and even some crème brulée on the exhale.  This is a spirit any novice tequila sipper could enjoy straight.

Aerating and swirling bring out some butterscotch and brown sugar notes, followed by a good dose of vapor, so don’t nose it too closely like I did (and do too often).  Let it rest and the brown sugar returns alongside a scant bit of toasted bread.

[Tweet “A super-enjoyable sipper. @wordchew @tequilapenasco”]

What tingles the tongue up front softens quickly at mid-palate and disappears before reaching the back.   No, it’s not much for finishing, but hey, after less than a half year in the barrel, what do you expect?  Maybe that quick disappearing act is what leaves me so eager for more when I’m finished.

Find Penasco online here.

Follow Penasco on Twitter here.

Follow Penasco on Facebook here.

stephen coomes, steve coomes,Tequila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer.  His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients.  You can visit Steve online at www.stevecoomes.com.

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Demetrio Añejo Tequila Review by Steve Coomes

demetrio_anejo__86765.1383765280.1280.1280I like small barrels, and I cannot lie … and Demetrio’s choice of a 200 liter vessel for its añejo is just fine by me.

Some reviewers I’ve read (and respect) object to tequila aged in small barrels because they say that adds too much oak flavor too soon. But as a fan of big-bodied, buttery, oaky chardonnays and woody, luxurious old bourbons, I’m so fond of this technique that I’d say I prefer most añejos aged this way. If not, why spend so much time in a larger barrel with less wood contact and, ultimately, giving so much away to the angels?

The results of this tequila’s 15 to 18-month cooped-up rest are hard to criticize. The añejo delivers a suitable medium body and soft finish, plus a nice tingle up front. It’s highly flavor forward but doesn’t exit hastily. The nose brings forth a bouquet of citrus, mocha, wood and even a hint of bubblegum. In the mouth, its wood notes are accompanied by delicious back notes of cola and cooked agave.ham

I sip tequila when I’m working late, which means oft-interrupted tasting. Those long breaks between sips allow new flavors to emerge, even in the empty glass. Long after it was gone, the traces of this añejo still gave off aromas of pepper and honey.

I also tend to have fun foods at home that pair well with spirits: in this case, some chocolate truffles and slices of high-quality country ham. (If you’re not familiar with this southern U.S. delicacy, it’s salt-cured and dry-aged like prosciutto, lightly smoked and aged about a year.) Chocolate-Truffle-Row_largeBoth not only paired well with the spirit but played well together. The saltiness of the ham brought out mineral notes in the Demetrio, while the luscious chocolate amplified the aforementioned mocha. Impressively, its peppery notes cut through the chocolate at mid-palate: a nice surprise and a great effect. demetrio

Prices for Demetrio añejo I found on the web ranged from $31 to $41 per bottle, and on the low end, that’s a fair deal. But closer to and beyond $40, much as I liked it, I’d keep looking.

Find Demetrio online on their website and Facebook.

 

 

 

stephen coomes, steve coomes,Tequila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer.  His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients.  You can visit Steve online at www.stevecoomes.com.

 

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Demetrio Reposado Review by Steve Coomes

If fiery, edgy blancos had their own song, it might go something like this:

 

If I could spend time in a barrel

The first thing that I’d like to do

Is to soften every day

Till all harshness goes away

To ensure I’d be sipped slow by you

 

 

 

 

OK, sorry. That was corny, and all apologies to the late Jim Croce and his treasured song, “Time In a Bottle.” But you get my point that some young tequilas benefit from listlessness in a barrel, where they trade harshness and aggressive spiciness for refined notes of wood, vanilla and cinnamon.

demetrioSome, however, are better off not barreled. With spunky character and an in-your-face-flavor profile that screams, “I AM PEPPER, FEEL ME BURN!” some blancos are more fun if allowed to mouth off—at least until they’re captured and confined to a barrel long enough to become a well-mannered añejo.

And that’s basically what I wished for in this year’s release of Demetrio Reposado: a little more time in the barrel. I wrote about its younger sibling, the blanco, packing loads of fruit, a dash of fire and spice that cuts through a cocktail with ease. I liked it. Like musicians who describe their instruments as having “a voice,” Demitrio’s blanco does, too, and I dig that voice.

But to my palate, the reposado’s voice goes sotto voce during the seven to nine months Demetrio barrels it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice tequila, smooth and fragrant, full of honey and citrus and a sly kiss of yeast. Only a smoker with acute rhinitis would find nothing to like about this expression.

But is it terribly exciting?

Not compared to the blanco or the añejo (I’ve tasted that old dandy already and will write about it later.) To me, it lacks crucial individuality that makes it cravable. Sipping it makes me feel like a father who says to his middle child, “Can’t you be more like your brothers?” The youngest is playful; the eldest, sophisticated. Mr. Middle can’t seem to decide whether he wants to be cool or classy.

But I’ll drink him anyway.

[Tweet “Only a smoker with acute rhinitis would find nothing to like about this expression.”]

Find Demetrio online on their website and Facebook.

Read more by Steve Coomes here at tequila Aficionado or at www.SteveCoomes.com

 

 

 

stephen coomes, steve coomes,Tequila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer.  His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients.  You can visit Steve online at www.stevecoomes.com.

 

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Demetrio Blanco Review by Steve Coomes

demetrio blanco Growing up in Bourbon Country (I live in Louisville, Ky.), you get used to seeing squat bottles of brown Kentucky Nectar on bars and retailers’ shelves. Even the rare long-neck containers aren’t usually tall, especially compared to some tequila bottles. That marks the first reason I like the trio of Demetrio tequila expressions I acquired this year.

From foot to stopper top, each package is 14 inches tall, a height that keeps them in the front row on my liquor closet shelves. (Sure, it’s a stretch to say this, but its long neck and slender, tight shouldered figure reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” but I’m a visual guy.)

The fact is, they’re too tall to go in the back. Like attention seeking children, they stick out among the class of other spirits in the two-tiered closet, forever out of their seat, eager to be seen first.

demetrio blanco, audrey hepburnNot that I consider that a problem for the blanco. Whether sipped neat or coursing through a cocktail, it’s an expression you notice: intensely fruity up front with a nice mid-palate tingle followed by a super-clean finish. Sour mix is a bit heavy for this expression, but it plays nicely with tropical fruit juices.

It boasts a spicy nose, but it’s not assertive with pepper. I got lots of agua miel, agave and honey, even an interesting touch of acetone with several long draws. Long after my glass was empty, it still gave off a back note of yeast, mint and even a hint of strawberry. Very cool!

It’s an easy sipper: lean and light bodied, but leaving no question that it’s been in your mouth many minutes after swallowing. (Get the most out of the aftertaste by closing your mouth and exhaling through your nose. You’ll get some really rich agave and vegetal flavors.)

Back to the bottle: I really like the smooth wooden stopper, which fits so snugly I have thump it to reinsert its rubber cork back into the bottle. That’s handy not only for preservation of the spirit, but in the event such a tall, small-footed bottle tips over (it can happen during extended tasting), there’s no fear of spillage.

My lone quibble: The bottle tag carries good descriptive information about Demetrio, but as a 49-year-old wearer of bifocals, it’s a challenge to read.

Especially after a few tastes.

Read more by Steve Coomes at SteveCoomes.com

Find Demetrio online on their website and Facebook.

 

 

 

stephen coomes, steve coomes,Tequila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer.  His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients.  You can visit Steve online at www.stevecoomes.com.

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Number Juan Reposado Review by Steve Coomes

number juan tequila, tequila aficionadoNumber juan reposado, tequila, tequila aficionadoThe first two times I tasted Number Juan Reposado, it reminded me of my 15-year-old son in the morning: something that awakens very slowly. For $49, I expected more than clean, mildly spicy tequila that was decidedly low on complexity. But time and future tastings would reveal that Number Juan was only being shy at the start.

Number Juan Needed Time

I abandoned it for two weeks before tasting again, and it was clearly better. But I was suspicious. Maybe my palate wasn’t truly clean or the early arrival of winter was playing tricks with my nose. With each taste, I used the Vinturi Spirit aerator to jump start it, but the fun flavors still didn’t emerge for at least 20 minutes. Some floral notes and cinnamon floated from the glass, but not much more. Two weeks’ time made me like it more, but not overly so, and I shoved it to the back of my liquor cabinet to reach for something else.

Two Weeks Later

Two weeks later I grabbed it for another try, pouring a generous ounce, aerating and sipping it. My immediate reaction was, “This is a whole new tequila.”

I looked back at my notes at two weeks and read, “Tons of bright peppermint, some wood, but barely floral and vegetal. Some honey, but overall narrow flavor profile. Clean, straightforward, inoffensive.”

Three Times a Charm

This third go-round was something special. The peppermint took on some holiday spice and “barely floral” turned into hints of roses. “Some honey” turned into pronounced honey, and “vegetal” gave way good minerality on the palate chased by some dried fruit in the background.

I looked back at my old notes again: “a wisp of smoke, even some cocoa … becoming more delicious with time.” Boy was it! New flavors of cooked agave emerged, trailed by some pronounced wood notes.

In all three tastings, its finish was clean, barely lingering, but on the third it left pleasant heat; not harsh, just confirmation I was sipping it straight.

What began as a good, but not remarkable sipper, Number Juan had become a full-flavored reposado with just a little time and room in the bottle for some air to work.

Lesson learned: Good things come to those who wait.

 
 

 

stephen coomes, steve coomes,Tequila Aficionado is proud to welcome rising star in tequila and travel journalism, Stephen Coomes, as a Contributing Writer and Reviewer.  His steady gigs include roles as contributing editor for Nation’s Restaurant News (the U.S. restaurant industry’s largest publication), restaurant critic and feature writer for Louisville magazine, feature writer for Edible Louisville and Seafood Business magazines, Kentucky travel and dining contributor for Southern Living, and dining blogger for Insider Louisville. He also writes marketing, PR, web copy and ghostwrites for numerous private clients.  You can visit Steve online at www.stevecoomes.com.

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