The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Arette Añejo
TequilaIssue 17

Arette Añejo

Tequila Arette de Jalisco S.A. de C.V. · Destilería El Llano, Tequila, Jalisco

$4580 (40% ABV) proofAged 18 months in American oak barrelsTequila, Jalisco — the Orendain family has produced tequila since the 1900s, but Arette was born in 1986 as a deliberate reinvention, named after the horse Arete, who won two Olympic equestrian gold medals in 1948.
Arette is one of those brands that connoisseurs pass around like a secret. The Orendain family has been in the tequila business for generations, but Arette was their deliberate reinvention.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Cooked agave, butterscotch, vanilla bean, cinnamon, dried fruit

Palate

Caramel, roasted agave, oak spice, dark chocolate, hints of coffee and leather

Finish

Warm and lingering with butterscotch, gentle smoke, and agave sweetness

Specifications
Agave
100% Blue Weber Agave, highland and lowland
Production
Brick oven cooked, roller mill extraction, stainless steel fermentation
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Cocktail — The Gold Medal: 2 oz Arette Añejo · 0.75 oz Grand Marnier · 0.5 oz agave nectar · 0.5 oz fresh lime juice · Cinnamon stick garnish.

Food Pairing

Mole negro with dark chocolate — the tequila's cocoa and spice notes weave right into the sauce.

Train These Aromas
Comments

Be the first to comment.

Leave a comment

0 / 4,000

First-time comments are reviewed before appearing. Be kind, be specific, no spam.

More Tequila Reviews
Código 1530 Añejo
Tequila

Código 1530 Añejo

Código 1530

Código 1530 Añejo is a masterclass in what happens when spirit and stave become intimate. The use of Cabernet-seasoned French White Oak—rather than the more common American oak ex-bourbon barrels—creates a distinctive bridge between the agave world and the wine world, making it a perfect fit for the 'Barrel's Inner Skin' theme. The wine-stained wood imparts a refined tannic structure and fruit-forward complexity that complement rather than overwhelm the cooked agave heart. This is contemplative, after-dinner tequila that rewards patience.

80 proof
Tequila San Matías Gran Reserva Extra Añejo
Tequila

Tequila San Matías Gran Reserva Extra Añejo

San Matías

Casa San Matías has been making tequila since 1886, and this extra añejo demonstrates a mastery of time and barrel. Three years in American oak have deepened the spirit without erasing its agave identity—a furnace of patience made liquid. At under $90, it punches well above its price class, delivering the contemplative depth of bottles twice its cost. A superb after-dinner pour for those who believe great tequila rewards the same reverence as aged whisky.

80 proof
Fortaleza Reposado Winter Blend 2024
Tequila

Fortaleza Reposado Winter Blend 2024

Fortaleza

Fortaleza's Winter Blend series marries reposado lots of varying age into a seasonal expression that highlights the interplay between agave and oak. The tahona-crushed agave gives it a textural richness that roller-milled tequilas rarely achieve. This is tequila where craft and material are inseparable.

92 proof
Siembra Azul Añejo
Tequila

Siembra Azul Añejo

Siembra Azul

A quietly excellent Añejo that resists the modern impulse toward heavy oak and sweetness — David Suro's Siembra Azul remains a benchmark for honest, agave-first tequila at a fair price.

80 proof