
Calle 23 Añejo Tequila
Calle 23 · Destilería Calle 23
French biochemist Sophie Decobecq brings a scientist's precision to her tequila, and this añejo reflects that discipline. Two years in ex-bourbon casks add complexity without masking the agave, which remains the driving force from nose to finish. The threshold here is between sweetness and earth — the moment when caramel darkens into soil.
Nose
Cooked agave and caramel lead confidently, with butterscotch and a whisper of cinnamon. A second wave reveals dried tropical fruit and an earthy, mineral-like quality that grounds the sweetness.
Palate
Rich and layered, with vanilla and dark chocolate unfolding against a backdrop of roasted agave. Oak influence is present but disciplined, contributing structure rather than domination. A peppery spark mid-palate keeps things moving.
Finish
Lingering and warm, with cocoa, baking spice, and a persistent agave sweetness that never cloys.
- Agave
- 100% Blue Weber Agave (Jalisco Highlands)
- Production
- Stone oven cooked, natural fermentation, double distillation
- Region
- Jalisco, Mexico
- Cooking Method
- Stone oven cooked, natural fermentation, double distillation
- Distillation
- Double distilled in stainless steel pot stills
- NOM
- NOM 1545
- Additives Free
- Yes
Cocktail Suggestion
Añejo Manhattan — 2 oz Calle 23 Añejo · 1 oz sweet vermouth · 2 dashes mole bitters · Stir with ice, strain into a coupe, garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
Food Pairing
The tequila's chocolate and spice notes mirror the mole's complexity, while the agave sweetness bridges the sauce's smoky chiles and the tender, savory chicken.
Founded by French biochemist Sophie Decobecq in the Jalisco highlands, Calle 23 uses only highland-grown blue Weber agave cooked in stone ovens and fermented with a proprietary yeast strain she cultivated herself.
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