Tapatio Excelencia Extra Añejo Gran Reserva
Tapatio · La Alteña Distillery
Four years in American oak have transformed highland agave into something that could be mistaken for a fine aged spirit of any category — yet the agave core never disappears. Carlos Camarena's refusal to use diffusers or additives means every bit of complexity here comes from raw material and time. A tequila that rewards those who understand what patience costs.
Nose
Rich cooked agave melds with dark chocolate and butterscotch. Vanilla and oak dominate a second wave, followed by hints of tobacco leaf and dried citrus peel.
Palate
Full-bodied and velvety, with caramel, roasted agave, and a pronounced coffee note. The oak is present but integrated, never overwhelming the agave character. A flash of cinnamon warms the mid-palate.
Finish
Exceptionally long, with lingering chocolate, tobacco, and a final whisper of cooked agave that refuses to leave.
- Agave
- 100% Blue Weber Agave (estate-grown highland)
- Production
- Brick oven cooked, roller mill extracted, natural fermentation with house yeast
- Region
- Jalisco, Mexico
- Cooking Method
- Brick oven cooked, roller mill extracted, natural fermentation with house yeast
- Distillation
- Double distilled in copper pot stills
- NOM
- NOM 1139
- Additives Free
- Yes
Food Pairing
Mole negro with slow-braised short ribs
Crafted by third-generation master distiller Carlos Camarena at the family's La Alteña distillery in the town of Arandas, this extra añejo is made from estate-grown highland agave that benefits from the cooler temperatures and higher altitude of Los Altos de Jalisco.
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