Tequila Excellia Reposado
Excellia · Destilería Leyros (NOM 1489)
Excellia Reposado is a tequila forged through deliberate friction: highland agave meets unconventional French oak from Sauternes casks, a pairing that shouldn't work as elegantly as it does. The result is a reposado that earns its complexity the hard way—through the tension between sweet and savory, Old World winemaking tradition and New World agave spirit. It's a bottle that rewards patience and attention, perfectly at home in this issue's theme of things made finer by resistance.
Nose
Cooked agave leads with a honeyed sweetness, followed by dried apricot, white pepper, and a faint whiff of toasted brioche from the Sauternes-seasoned French oak. There's a mineral undertone, like river stones warmed by the sun, that hints at the volcanic terroir of the lowlands.
Palate
Medium-bodied with surprising tension. The agave arrives bright and slightly herbaceous before the friction of barrel influence asserts itself—caramel, baking spice, and a savory butterscotch that refuses to be merely sweet. A persistent citrus thread—blood orange peel—cuts through the richness, keeping the palate alert. The French oak contributes a finer, more restrained tannin than American oak would, lending an almost wine-like structure.
Finish
Medium-long and gritty in the best sense. White pepper and cinnamon linger alongside a drying mineral note, while the cooked agave reasserts itself on the exhale. There's a pleasant astringency—earned, not harsh—that calls you back for another sip.
- Region
- Jalisco, Mexico
- Additives Free
- No
Cocktail Suggestion
The Grinding Stone — 2 oz Excellia Reposado · 0.75 oz fresh blood orange juice · 0.5 oz honey syrup (2:1 honey to water) · 0.25 oz Amaro Nonino · 2 dashes mole bitters · Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin with ice. Shake vigorously for 12 seconds. Double strain into a rocks glass over a single large ice cube. Garnish with the peppered blood orange wheel. · Garnish: Thin wheel of blood orange dusted with cracked black pepper · Glass: Rocks glass
Food Pairing
Slow-braised duck leg, crisped in its own rendered fat and shredded into warm corn tortillas, mirrors the reposado's balance of richness and restraint. The charred tomatillo salsa—blackened on a comal until blistered and acidic—echoes the spirit's mineral grit and citrus thread. A scattering of raw white onion and cilantro provides the bright counterpoint that lets both the food and the tequila breathe.
When Frenchman Sébastien Robicquet—better known in spirits circles for his work with cognac and Grey Goose vodka—turned his attention to tequila, he brought an outsider's conviction that French oak could transform agave spirit. The friction was immediate: traditionalists scoffed at the idea of resting tequila in barrels seasoned by sweet Bordeaux wines. But Robicquet understood that the best things are often born from collision. Excellia's French oak maturation imparts a refined tannic structure rarely found in reposados, creating a spirit that belongs to both Mexico and France yet bows to neither. The name itself—from the Latin 'excellere,' to rise above—speaks to the belief that greatness emerges only when you push against convention.
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