(Photo: Fuenteseca)
Rarely, if ever, is tequila aged beyond five years. In sharp contrast to scotch whisky, where decades upon decades are standard practice, tequila just isn't an ultra-aged game. Much of that's to blame on Mexico's arid climate, which can evaporate gallons of liquor from barrels left in the sweltering sun. Part of the story lies in the tequila itself, which many contend works best as an unaged, unadulterated spirit that spotlights agave above all else.
Few distilleries have challenged that status quo quite like NOM 1146, otherwise known as Tequileña.
Located in the lowlands of Jalisco, the facility handles a small but focused roster of brands that fall comfortably into the expensive, additive-free side of the market. Stuff like Don Fulano does wonders with French Limousin oak, while Cierto is a shameless experiment in flashy bottlings that still manage to pack tasty juice. Tears of Llorona, aged five years in a combination of former scotch, sherry and cognac casks, might be our favorite extra añejo of all time.
If the Fonseca family are añejo wizards, then Fuenteseca is their experimental pièce de résistance. These are the bottlings that push the envelope to 10, 12, 15 years and then some, each successive release surpassing the last as the new oldest tequila ever released to market.
Though we didn't manage to get our hands on the current recorder holder (that would be the brand's 21 Year), we were lucky to snag Fuenteseca 8-year and 18-year, both treasured collector's items in their own right. Without further ado, let's see how far aged tequila can be pushed before it falls off an over-oaked cliff.
Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 8 Year ($300)
The Schtick: First on the chopping block, we've got Fuenteseca Reserva Eight Year. Seventy-five percent of the liquid in this stout 50-milliliter bottle was aged in dark French oak, while the other 25% was matured in American white oak previously used to age California red wine. It's a fascinating combination, bordering on ahead of its time. Red wine barrels have become an enormously trendy option within the tequila world over the past few years, equally popular among high-end, additive-free brands (Cazcanes, Codigo) and more budget-friendly fare (Calirosa). But rarely is the technique used on anything beyond a few-month-old reposado.
From what we gather, the technique that makes everything possible is the cellars. According to the brand, these tequilas get tossed into some sort of cool-climate, subterranean lair at an altitude of 3,800 feet, ensuring reduced wood interaction and minimal evaporation. To put it another way, this is the low and slow barbecue of the tequila world. Fingers crossed that the edges didn't get charred along the way. The expression is bottled at 43% ABV and costs around $300 on the resale market.
Tasting Notes: The aroma opens with an oozing aroma of salted caramel, super dense and lightly burnt, but far from cloyingly sweet. Digging deeper, I was surprised to find a lot of similarities with classic Irish whiskey; maple, cloves, pear, rose water and a splash of vanilla. Even at this early point in the journey, those California red wine barrels are making their presence known with a perfumed florality.
The palate is where things get truly interesting. On one end of the tightrope, there's a bucketload of classic oak flavor led by cocoa nibs, baking spice, apple and a healthy serving of roasted agave. Surprising, however, is the touch of jalapeño, bell pepper and oregano found in the background alongside prickly minerality. It's a difficult task to bring out those vegetal blanco notes in an extra añejo, and this expression pulls it off without a second thought. Eight years in the barrel be damned. The finish wraps it up with a drawn-out bow, folding in pleasant hints of black pepper, pear, cinnamon and slate.
Big fan of everything going on here. It's a roller coaster from beginning to end, carrying you through whiskey, cognac and tequila influences without veering too hard into any turn. So far as a recommendation, however, I'd lightly caution that the ride is known to change. Vintages of Fuenteseca can vary from year to year, so keep in mind that your eight-year may look and taste a little different than mine.
Click here to read the full review of Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 8 Year
Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 18 Year ($700)
The Schitck: Behind Fuenteseca 21 Year, this is widely recognized as the second-oldest tequila ever released to market. And the team put in quite a bit of work to flesh out that age statement. This batch was distilled in September 1995 before maturing for six years in Canadian white oak casks that previously held rye whisky. In 2001, the tequilas were extracted, blended and rebarreled, with 47% returning to ex-whisky oak and 53% to ex-red wine European dark oak. There they remained another twelve years before blending, bottling and arriving on my kitchen counter.
Off the bat, I have to mention the color on this is nearly identical to the eight year. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it warrants a quick discussion. The team says it transferred these casks to the cool, breezy climes of El Chapingo for the last 12 years of the aging process, theoretically slowing wood interaction even further than previously seen. Before that, they reportedly rested at an altitude of 4,600 feet in the town of Atotonilco el Alto. All of that's to say — though this may be a decade older than the eight year on paper, those additional 10 years were likely spent over a low, low burner.
The expression is bottled at 43.5% ABV and typically sells for around $700. Prices have sometimes been known to reach as high as $3,000.
Tasting Notes: One of the richest aromas I've ever whiffed on a tequila. Stuffed to the brim with caramelized pears, plums, figs, sun-soaked agave and pecan pie. All the above have a bold, defined presence on the nose, not the kind of subtle distinctions and fleeting hints I usually trade in when tasting spirits.
The palate is an entirely different beast. In place of its stewed, almost cognac-like aroma, the flavor feels a lot more like a characteristic rye whisky with spicy hints of clove, breakfast cereal, subdued maple and vanilla. A twinge of blackberry brings in some welcome sweetness. Things take another turn on the finish, which is unabashedly dry with potent flecks of licorice, dried cherry and cinnamon. The kind of dry that demands a quick sip of water. Not entirely unlike a desert.
I'm a little more divided on this than on the 8-year-old, if only because the aroma started on such a fantastically strong foot. No doubt it's unique, especially when it comes to that combo of agave and rye whisky casks. But unique enough to demand nearly $1,000? Only if I were a true completionist of agave history.
Click here to read the full review of Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 18 Year
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The Schtick: First on the chopping block, we've got Fuenteseca Reserva Eight Year. Seventy-five percent of the liquid in this stout 50-milliliter bottle was aged in dark French oak, while the other 25% was matured in American white oak previously used to age California red wine. It's a fascinating combination, bordering on ahead of its time. Red wine barrels have become an enormously trendy option within the tequila world over the past few years, equally popular among high-end, additive-free brands (Cazcanes, Codigo) and more budget-friendly fare (Calirosa). But rarely is the technique used on anything beyond a few-month-old reposado.
From what we gather, the technique that makes everything possible is the cellars. According to the brand, these tequilas get tossed into some sort of cool-climate, subterranean lair at an altitude of 3,800 feet, ensuring reduced wood interaction and minimal evaporation. To put it another way, this is the low and slow barbecue of the tequila world. Fingers crossed that the edges didn't get charred along the way. The expression is bottled at 43% ABV and costs around $300 on the resale market.
Tasting Notes: The aroma opens with an oozing aroma of salted caramel, super dense and lightly burnt, but far from cloyingly sweet. Digging deeper, I was surprised to find a lot of similarities with classic Irish whiskey; maple, cloves, pear, rose water and a splash of vanilla. Even at this early point in the journey, those California red wine barrels are making their presence known with a perfumed florality.
The palate is where things get truly interesting. On one end of the tightrope, there's a bucketload of classic oak flavor led by cocoa nibs, baking spice, apple and a healthy serving of roasted agave. Surprising, however, is the touch of jalapeño, bell pepper and oregano found in the background alongside prickly minerality. It's a difficult task to bring out those vegetal blanco notes in an extra añejo, and this expression pulls it off without a second thought. Eight years in the barrel be damned. The finish wraps it up with a drawn-out bow, folding in pleasant hints of black pepper, pear, cinnamon and slate.
Big fan of everything going on here. It's a roller coaster from beginning to end, carrying you through whiskey, cognac and tequila influences without veering too hard into any turn. So far as a recommendation, however, I'd lightly caution that the ride is known to change. Vintages of Fuenteseca can vary from year to year, so keep in mind that your eight-year may look and taste a little different than mine.
Click here to read the full review of Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 8 Year
The Schitck: Behind Fuenteseca 21 Year, this is widely recognized as the second-oldest tequila ever released to market. And the team put in quite a bit of work to flesh out that age statement. This batch was distilled in September 1995 before maturing for six years in Canadian white oak casks that previously held rye whisky. In 2001, the tequilas were extracted, blended and rebarreled, with 47% returning to ex-whisky oak and 53% to ex-red wine European dark oak. There they remained another twelve years before blending, bottling and arriving on my kitchen counter.
Off the bat, I have to mention the color on this is nearly identical to the eight year. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it warrants a quick discussion. The team says it transferred these casks to the cool, breezy climes of El Chapingo for the last 12 years of the aging process, theoretically slowing wood interaction even further than previously seen. Before that, they reportedly rested at an altitude of 4,600 feet in the town of Atotonilco el Alto. All of that's to say — though this may be a decade older than the eight year on paper, those additional 10 years were likely spent over a low, low burner.
The expression is bottled at 43.5% ABV and typically sells for around $700. Prices have sometimes been known to reach as high as $3,000.
Tasting Notes: One of the richest aromas I've ever whiffed on a tequila. Stuffed to the brim with caramelized pears, plums, figs, sun-soaked agave and pecan pie. All the above have a bold, defined presence on the nose, not the kind of subtle distinctions and fleeting hints I usually trade in when tasting spirits.
The palate is an entirely different beast. In place of its stewed, almost cognac-like aroma, the flavor feels a lot more like a characteristic rye whisky with spicy hints of clove, breakfast cereal, subdued maple and vanilla. A twinge of blackberry brings in some welcome sweetness. Things take another turn on the finish, which is unabashedly dry with potent flecks of licorice, dried cherry and cinnamon. The kind of dry that demands a quick sip of water. Not entirely unlike a desert.
I'm a little more divided on this than on the 8-year-old, if only because the aroma started on such a fantastically strong foot. No doubt it's unique, especially when it comes to that combo of agave and rye whisky casks. But unique enough to demand nearly $1,000? Only if I were a true completionist of agave history.
Click here to read the full review of Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 18 Year
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