Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 9 Year
Fuenteseca · Destilería La Tequileña (NOM 1146)
Nine years is a long time for tequila to sit in wood, and many extra añejos lose their agave identity well before this mark. Fuenteseca's achievement is preserving that cooked agave backbone while letting the oak contribute complexity rather than erasure. This is a spirit for those who believe the interval between distillation and bottling can transform without destroying.
Nose
Rich butterscotch and mature oak dominate, with cooked agave still clearly present underneath. Leather, dried tobacco leaf, and a faint note of cinnamon bark add sophistication.
Palate
Remarkably smooth entry with layered caramel, dark chocolate, and roasted agave. Vanilla and baking spice weave through a mid-palate of toasted almond and a hint of dried citrus. The oak influence is substantial but never dominates the agave core.
Finish
Long, warm, and contemplative, with tobacco, lingering caramel, and an earthy mineral fade.
- Agave
- 100% Blue Weber Agave (Highland, Jalisco)
- Production
- Tahona-crushed, naturally fermented, copper pot-distilled
- Region
- Jalisco, Mexico
- Cooking Method
- Tahona-crushed, naturally fermented, copper pot-distilled
- Distillation
- Double-distilled in copper pot stills; tahona-crushed agave
- NOM
- 1146
- Additives Free
- Yes
Food Pairing
Slow-roasted lamb barbacoa or dark chocolate mole
Produced by master distiller Enrique Fonseca at La Tequileña using traditional tahona-crushed highland agave, this tequila rested for nine years in ex-bourbon barrels before Fonseca deemed it ready.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Tapatio Reposado 110
Tapatío
This is reposado with its volume turned up. The 110-proof bottling lets the agave and barrel talk at full register without distortion. Don Carlos Camarena's La Alteña distillery produces this with traditional brick ovens and tahona-crushed agave, and the result is a reposado that hides nothing. Sip it neat or try it in a stirred cocktail where you want agave to lead.
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.
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.
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.