Herradura Ultra Añejo Cristalino
Herradura · Casa Herradura (Brown-Forman)
Cristalinos divide opinion, but Herradura Ultra makes the strongest case for the category. The extended aging builds real complexity before filtration removes the color — what remains is an añejo's depth dressed in a blanco's transparency. Pour it blind alongside an unfiltered añejo and the conversation gets interesting fast.
Nose
Cooked agave leads, followed by vanilla and butterscotch from the extended barrel aging. A gentle floral character — almost like dried lavender — floats above notes of toasted oak. The carbon filtration strips color but leaves aroma largely intact.
Palate
Silky and medium-bodied with a sweetness that stays on the right side of elegant. Caramel and honey merge with a minerally backbone that keeps the agave identity clear. Cinnamon warmth arrives in the mid-palate, along with a touch of almond.
Finish
Smooth and lingering with vanilla and a whisper of pepper. The oak tannins have been almost entirely softened, leaving a clean, sweet close.
- Agave
- 100% Blue Weber Agave
- Production
- Tahona and roller mill extraction, natural fermentation, charcoal filtered post-aging
- Region
- Amatitán, Jalisco, Mexico
- Cooking Method
- Tahona and roller mill extraction, natural fermentation, charcoal filtered post-aging
- Distillation
- Double distilled in stainless steel pot stills
- NOM
- NOM 1119
- Additives Free
- No
Cocktail Suggestion
Crystal Paloma — 2 oz Herradura Ultra · 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice · 0.5 oz fresh lime juice · 0.5 oz agave nectar · 2 oz sparkling water · Build in a salt-rimmed Collins glass over ice, stir gently, garnish with grapefruit wedge.
Food Pairing
Grilled white fish tacos with mango salsa
Produced at the historic Hacienda San José del Refugio in Amatitán, where Herradura has distilled tequila since 1870 using estate-grown agave and natural fermentation with wild yeast.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Ron Zacapa Edición Negra
Ron Zacapa
Edición Negra takes Zacapa's high-altitude solera system and pushes it toward heavier charred casks, producing a darker, more brooding rum than its siblings. The result is a spirit that trades some of the Centenario 23's honeyed charm for genuine complexity and a savory edge. Whether you sip it neat or pair it with a robust dessert, this is rum built for contemplation.
Michter's 10 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Michter's
Michter's 10 Year exemplifies the discipline of selecting barrels that can handle a full decade without tipping into over-oaked bitterness. This is bourbon that rewards slow sipping — each minute in the glass unlocks new layers. A benchmark for what extended aging should accomplish in Kentucky whiskey.
Don Pilar Añejo Tequila
Don Pilar
Don Pilar's Añejo delivers genuine agave character that has been shaped, not masked, by eighteen months in oak. This is añejo the way it should be done — the wood serves the spirit, not the other way around. At its price point, it competes well above its weight class, offering depth and balance that many pricier añejos struggle to achieve.
Jensen's Old Tom London Gin
Jensen's
Christian Jensen spent years researching nineteenth-century recipes to reconstruct an authentic Old Tom profile. The result is not a novelty — it is a genuine revival, offering a window into what gin tasted like before London Dry became the dominant style. Essential for anyone building a historically informed Martinez or Tom Collins.
Don Pilar Añejo Tequila
Don Pilar
Don Pilar's Añejo delivers genuine agave character that has been shaped, not masked, by eighteen months in oak. This is añejo the way it should be done — the wood serves the spirit, not the other way around. At its price point, it competes well above its weight class, offering depth and balance that many pricier añejos struggle to achieve.
Arette Artesanal Suave Reposado
Arette
Arette's Artesanal Suave line represents their elevated expression, using a tahona-and-roller mill process that captures more agave complexity. This reposado finds the sweet spot between agave purity and oak influence. At its price, it outperforms bottles costing twice as much.
Fuenteseca Cosecha 2019 Blanco
Fuenteseca
Fuenteseca's vintage blancos are exercises in terroir expression, and the 2019 Cosecha is a study in mineral-fruit tension. It drinks more like a serious mezcal than a commercial tequila, rewarding patient sipping. For those who believe blanco tequila can be a contemplative spirit, this is your proof.
Terralta Blanco 80 Proof
Terralta
Terralta's standard-proof blanco is often overshadowed by its high-proof sibling, but this 80-proof expression is a study in highland elegance. Felipe Camarena's work at the family distillery in the highlands of Jalisco produces tequila with remarkable mineral clarity. At this accessible price, it's one of the best entry points into serious craft tequila.