The Still & The VineSchool of Wine & Spirits
Herradura Añejo
TequilaIssue 18

Herradura Añejo

Brown-Forman Corporation · Casa Herradura, Hacienda San José del Refugio, Amatitán, Jalisco

$5580 (40% ABV) proof25 months in American white oak barrelsAmatitán, Jalisco — Hacienda San José del Refugio, a property that has been producing tequila since 1870. Casa Herradura pioneered the reposado category in 1974 and the extra-añejo category in 1995.
Herradura Añejo is tequila heritage in a glass. Casa Herradura has been making tequila at the Hacienda San José del Refugio since 1870, and this añejo — aged 25 months, well beyond the 12-month minimum — shows the patience that comes with long experience.

Kit Aromas

Tasting Notes

Nose

Cooked agave and caramel, joined by butterscotch, vanilla bean, and a warm oak backdrop with hints of dried fruit

Palate

Smooth and layered, with rich caramel and butterscotch leading into cooked agave sweetness. The oak influence brings vanilla and a gentle tannic structure.

Finish

Long and warm, with fading butterscotch, oak, and a lingering agave sweetness

Specifications
Agave
100% estate-grown Blue Weber agave from the Amatitán valley
Production
Traditional brick ovens for agave cooking; natural fermentation; double-distilled in stainless steel pot stills
Serve & Pair

Cocktail Suggestion

Cocktail — Herradura Oaxacan Sunset: Combine 2 oz Herradura Añejo, 0.75 oz fresh lime juice, 0.5 oz agave nectar, and 2 dashes of orange bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over ice.

Food Pairing

Slow-roasted carnitas with pickled onion and fresh cilantro, or cajeta flan.

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