Tag Archives: Tequila

Mezcal / Tequila Night: Beyond the Shot Glass

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Sometimes it is good to shake things up! Whilst the vast majority of our explorations are focused on whiskies – particularly single malts – it’s clear there has been a shift in the spirits world towards an interest in tequila and mezcal.

Tequila and mezcal are often misunderstood — reduced to salt, lime, smoke, or bravado — in reality, they are expressive terroir-driven spirits. Made from agave that can take seven to twenty-five years to mature, these spirits reflect place, climate, soil, and choice.

For seasoned spirits lovers, tequila and mezcal reward slow attention: the difference between roasted and steamed agave, the subtle or stronger influence of oak, the role of fermentation, and the quiet power of alcohol strength.

Our tasting explored a curated range of modern icons and traditional benchmarks — from softly smoky, approachable mezcals to single-estate tequilas that showcase agave in its purest form. Whether you’re here to dissect terroir or simply to understand why one sip tastes wildly different from the next, this is an invitation to slow down, explore thoughtfully, and taste with curiosity.

Part 1: Intro to TEQUILA

Part 2: Tour of MEZCAL

Part 3: Tapatío TEQUILA Duo

Nice to contrast and compare the light “resting” in oak with an extra-aged expression.

What separates good agave spirits from great ones is choice. The choice of agave, how it’s cooked, and whether it’s rested or aged, all leave their mark in the glass. A 38% traditional reposado can feel just as expressive as a 45% mezcal, depending on balance and structure.

For the experienced taster, these bottles reveal layers: mineral notes shaped by soil, smoke that whispers, not roars, oak that supports rather than dominates. With such an experience, there is no doubt that tequila and mezcal are not party tricks, but spirits meant to be savored.

The best way to approach them is without expectation. Try them neat. Add a few drops of water. Revisit them over time. Let your palate adjust, and your preferences evolve. Because once you start tasting agave spirits with attention, there’s no going back to the shot glass — only forward, one considered sip at a time.

PS. For convenience, we did indeed try our wee 10ml tasting pours in shot glasses

PPS. Most bottles in this tasting range from about £35 to £95 in the UK, with aged expressions and craft mezcals tending toward the higher end.

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Tequila Part 3: Tapatío Reposado and Extra Añejo

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Full disclosure – I’m not a traditional tequila fan. I’m more apt to have whiskies finished in tequila barrels rather than tequila itself! Or perhaps in a tasty paloma cocktail. However, there is no mistaking the incredible rise in interest in craft tequila – hence my excitement for our evening focused on small sips of a remarkable range of spirits!

After exploring an Introduction to Tequila with a trio from Milagro, Ocho, and Casamigos, and then a tour of Mezcal with a quintet from Ojo de Dios, Casamigos, The Lost Explorer, and two expressions from Ilegal, we closed our evening with a duo from Tapatío – the one tequila brand on my spirits radar thanks to their Tapatío Extra Añejo expression!

Tapatío is produced at La Alteña Distillery in the highlands of Jalisco. Still family-owned and overseen by master distiller Carlos Camarena, La Alteña is known for its commitment to old-world methods: slow-cooked agave in stone ovens, extraction using a traditional tahona, open fermentation, and distillation in small copper pot stills.

There are no shortcuts —no industrial efficiencies, no flavor manipulation—just mature Blue Weber agave speaking unadorned or transformed with oak and time.

Welcome to the final part of a fascinating evening with:

So… what did we think?

Tapatío Reposado Tequila 38%

Tapatío Reposado represents a more traditional, old-school tequila style. Lower in alcohol but rich in character, it emphasizes cooked agave and restrained oak.

  • Nose: A lovely, inviting aroma of fruits, toasted oak, and sweet caramel
  • Palate: Green capsium, earthy agave
  • Finish: Dry, fresh, and medium length
  • Tasting Tip: A favorite among tequila purists — sip neat at room temperature

It was described as incredibly approachable – almost “airy”. A lovely example of what just a bit of time “resting” in oak can do.

Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Extra Añejo Tequila 40%

The Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Extra Añejo is matured for around four years. A combination of casks is used, including French oak and American oak, resulting in a remarkable experience.

  • Nose: Cedar, lightly herbal, some tumeric, vanilla, nuanced
  • Palate: Stevia sweetener, dark chocolate, malty, rolls around the tongue with loads of balance and complexity
  • Finish: Light pepper, wood influence lingers

I began our evening sipping this expression in a Glencairn glass – just to check it was still worthy after being open for several years. Thankfully, it not only stood the test of time, it also closed our evening with something mature, complex, and enjoyable – particularly with a cigar!

Just like when I first sampled this tequila, there was no question that it gained tremendously from the years resting in oak. Whilst still clearly having agave as its origins, it morphed into a whisky-adjacent spirit in a rather wonderful way.

Tasting the Tapatío Reposado alongside the Extra Añejo was a great opportunity to experience how time in barrel transforms the same spirit: from agave-forward structure to layered richness and depth. Truly a treat!

Curious about what else we explored? Check out:

Part 1: Intro to TEQUILA

Part 2: Tour of MEZCAL

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Tequila Part 1: Milagro, Ocho, Casamigos

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Our new year began with a departure from our usual whiskies to delve into an entirely different spirit – and exploration of tequila and mezcal!

We began our evening with a trio of Tequilas:

  • Leyenda del Milagro Silver Tequila 40% ~£22
  • Ocho Single Estate (2014) Tequila 40% ~£55
  • Casamigos Reposado Tequila 40% ~£57

For those not familiar, tequila is a protected Mexican spirit made exclusively from Blue Weber agave, distilled primarily in Jalisco and surrounding regions. While often associated with cocktails and shots, high-quality tequila is a nuanced sipping spirit, shaped by agave maturity, regional terroir, and production choices.

Unlike mezcal, tequila agave is typically steamed in brick ovens or autoclaves, rather than roasted, resulting in a cleaner, sweeter agave profile with less smoke. From unaged Blanco expressions that showcase pure agave character, to Reposado and Añejo styles gently influenced by oak, tequila offers a spectrum of flavor driven by balance rather than intensity.

At its best, tequila reflects patience, precision, and respect for raw material — a spirit best appreciated slowly, with attention to structure, texture, and finish.

So what did we think?

Leyenda del Milagro Silver Tequila 40%

Leyenda del Milagro Silver is an unaged Blanco tequila that highlights the pure character of Blue Weber agave. Crisp, vibrant, and expressive, it serves as an excellent reference point for understanding agave-driven flavor without oak influence.

  • Nose: Fresh floral aromas greeted us, agave, grapefruit, and herbal notes
  • Palate: Lime, white pepper, clean agave, minerals too
  • Finish: Crisp, dry, refreshing

It was a terrific starting point and Ideal as a baseline tequila in our tasting flight. I could see why they suggest it makes a great Margherita, with its fresh, fun, floral, and flavourful character!

Tequila Ocho Single Estate 2014 40%

Tequila Ocho’s single-estate, vintage approach treats tequila much like fine wine, emphasizing terroir and harvest variation. The 2014 release reflects its specific estate through expressive agave, minerality, and balance.

  • Nose: Cooked agave, citrus oil, pomelo, fresh cut grass, mineral notes
  • Palate: Like sipping a fruit salad – including tinned pineapples! It had an earthy agave, subtle spice of cloves, even a bit woody
  • Finish: Long, dry, mineral-driven, perhaps a puff of wood smoke?

If the Milagro Silver was floral, the Ocho was fruity on the nose! For a few folks, this was a clear winner. For others, the contrast between the delightful fruity fresh aromas vs the fruit joined by metallic and mineral elements on the palate was a bit too contradictory. For me, this is one to sip slowly and revisit — giving the tequila time to evolve in the glass.

Casamigos Reposado Tequila 40%

Casamigos Reposado Tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave and aged for approximately seven months in oak, resulting in a smooth, approachable profile that emphasizes sweetness and balance over intensity.

  • Nose: Caramel, pistachio paste, chocolate-covered rummy raisins, baked agave, ripe dates
  • Palate: Like chocolate mocha liqueur! Lots of vanilla extract, dried fruit, mild oak spice
  • Finish: Soft, mellow, gently sweet

With a light golden colour, it was clear we had progressed to a different style of Tequila with the Reposado. I could imagine just sipping this neat – like dessert in a glass!

Not being familiar with tequila, I found the reaction to Casamingo interesting as it was considered a bit “down market”, yet I thought it more than held its own!

Ready for our next part? Tune in soon for our focus on Mezcal with:

  • Ojo de Dios Joven Mezcal 45%
  • Casamigos Mezcal 40%
  • Ilegal Mezcal Reposado 40%
  • The Lost Explorer Mezcal (Espadín) 40%
  • Ilegal Mezcal Añejo (Special Edition) 40%

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Canada’s Shelter Point Whisky Club Release #1 “Tequila” 6 year (2024) 63.2% 

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Earlier this year I decided after our last round of Shelter Point tastings to splurge on the $200 invest into joining the Shelter Point Whisky Club. Call it a burst of patriotism and nostalgia combined. I was also hoping somewhere in one of their expressions would be a dram that recaptures their earlier period where we discovered a style of “sunshine in a glass!”

Their 1st release was a bit of a surprise – Tequila?

First off, I have to admit I’m not a tequila person. Apart from an exceptional extra anejo that I snuck into a blind tasting, it isn’t something I would typically choose. However, the thirst for more diverse and unique whisky expressions means more than one distillery has opted to experiment with tequila finishes.

My first experience with a tequila finish was a peaty Kilchoman. In that case, the subtle agave influence was successful – a balance of sweet and salt, peat and sweet, spice and herb – all working together.

Would this be the case with Canada’s Shelter Point?

Shelter Point “Tequila” 6 year (2017 / Jun 2024) 63.2%

  • Nose – Very clear stamp of agave! Joined by hay, fruit, vanilla, granola bar, malty goodness
  • Palate – Hot – loads of character. Dry. Can really taste the agave, joined by a hot ginger counterpoint
  • Finish – Saline and sweet
  • Water – Mellows it out – with fruits joining the agave and ginger – particularly on the palate

It is distinctly different, and curious… I look forward to revisiting in a different context. I have a feeling it may grow on me, particularly with water, however the first experience was “on the fence”.

The bottle was neatly packed for the journey from Canada to Germany to be sampled again in some future tasting session.

And what do the folks at Shelter Point have to say?

This whisky is classic Shelter Point single malt. The mash is 100% BC malted barley and water from their aquifer. The frmentation is a long seven days, giving plenty of time for both a primary and secondary fermentation to allow the signature unique house flavours to develop. Distillation is done in the traditional fasion using wash and spirits stills supplied by Forsyths.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, there is an immediate hit of that agave bringing back memories of the day the barrel arrived with us. What follows is a riot of soft fruits and berries underpinned by a soft creamy malt base note. The palate is full of graham cracker sweetness with notes of ginger and delicate hints of agave. The finish is long and rich with creme brulee and plenty of caramel.

What more do we know?

The cask spent its first six years in the coastal maturation warehouse. Then the liquid was transferred to the tequila casks mid-2023 and matured for a further year in the warmer distillery barrel display area.

I opened this bottle in Winnipeg in November 2024 and brought it to Nurnberg for further tastings in 2025.

Shelter Point Quintet sampled by the Nurnberg’s Whisky Explorers:

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Kilchoman Tequila Finish 53.4%

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It has been a while since I sat down and properly tasted a Kilchoman… in truth, I don’t think even once since meeting Kilchoman’s charming founder Anthony Willis in the Spirited Stories tent at The Vault Biennale. I will fully admit to a certain fondness for Kilchoman – in part as this Islay distillery is part of the ‘new generation’ of distilleries who have proven with an eye to quality and artistry, you don’t need to wait more than a decade to produce a fine dram.

So what did we think of Anthony’s experiment with Tequila? Did it need salt and lime to knock back as a shot? Or favour an extra anejo? Or reveal little to no influence of the agave finish at all?

Kilchoman 8 year (11 Dec 2012 / 15 Nov 2021) Bourbon Cask No 824/2012, Tequila Finish 53.4% (50 PPM) TWE Exclusive, Bottle 147 of 267

  • Nose – Ripe mushy bananas, a fruity sour mash, leafy and a bit vegetal, saline with light hint of smoke, we even speculated if there was a touch of black salt? However the more time it spent in the glass, the more it opened up… shifting into candied red apples, marshmallows, then more tropical fruits
  • Palate – Unmistakable peat and sweet, powerful yet exceedingly well balanced, chewy with a good mouthfeel, some pepper and sweet spices, perhaps a bit of that agave element subtly peaking through
  • Finish – Sweet red cinnamon candies, followed by a nice agave finish
  • Water – Not necessary but holds well with a splash, becoming more herbal

So…. does the tequila work? Yes… as it has only a subtle influence rather than being very pronounced unbalancing the other elements. And that was the success here – everything in perfect harmony – sweet and salt, peat and sweet, spice and herb – all working together.

What more do we know? As usual, Kilchoman peats to 50 PPM and in this case used an ex-Bourbon cask for 8 years before finishing for approx 8 months in an ex-Tequila cask. It reminded me why Kilchoman has made its mark – there is no dramatic heavy peat here – instead, the peat provides a lovely interplay with the other cask elements.

I noted down the official tasting notes from the bottle:

  • Nose – Malted hay and tropical fruit sweetness
  • Palate – Herbacsious with layers of fresh fruits and burst of agave
  • Finish – Waves of agave freshness with soft sweet peat

In large part, I would agree with the notes… however, personally found the peat more pronounced on the palate with the agave much more subtle.

Talisker, Kilchoman, Stauning

So here goes an evening devoted to a curious trio of Rum, Tequila and Mezcal finishes with:

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La Maison du Whisky, Singapore

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Most trips to Singapore with a bit of time include a stop at La Maison du Whisky for an enjoyable hour spent chatting, sampling and slowly deciding which whisky will make the final ‘cut’ for the journey home to Mumbai.

This June 2015 trip was no exception.

La Maison du Whisky, Singapore (Whisky Lady)

La Maison du Whisky, Singapore (Whisky Lady)

Over the years, the gents there have gained a sense of what we enjoy, what will peak our interest and also what we’ve managed to acquire by other means.

  • Last trip, I showed a spreadsheet tracking our tasting sessions
  • This trip, I could happily show this blog record of our sampling adventures

I’ve shared before how much I appreciate a chance to discover, discuss, sniff and sip before making a final purchasing choice. I prefer to take my time, so deliberately pop by late afternoon when there is more ‘trade traffic’ than ‘customer traffic.’ After all, it isn’t such a bad place to hang around and invariably those that do wander in will lead to an interesting conversational turn or two about a shared passion – whisky and fine spirits.

Our goal this time was:

  • Something that cannot be so easily obtained in London far cheaper… given that I would shortly be traveling there
  • No repeats of previous whiskies
  • At least one in the more mature and complex range
  • As always, an unpredictable ‘twist’ is appreciated

I shared how we enjoyed the Ledaig from an earlier trip and confessed we hadn’t yet opened the one selected late 2014 as it was trumped by my Japanese quartet from Tokyo.

Diego started with a rum, just because he recalled that the Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Extra Anejo tequila was such a hit!

Clarin Vaval 52.5% – Small batch Haiti clear rum from Cavallon village, double distilled from ‘Madame Meuze’ cane sugar in 2013. It was a delightful discovery with overripe fruit, hot, tropical and distinctly different. It was like sunshine in a bottle.

Clarin Vaval (Whisky Lady)

Clarin Vaval (Whisky Lady)

We then moved on to two Compass Box whiskies:

Glasgow Blend (Whisky Lady)

Glasgow Blend (Whisky Lady)

We discussed several other whiskies – including suggestions for my London ‘wish list’. I was sorely tempted by this Hazelburn 8 year 1st bottling…

Hazelburn 8 year (Whisky Lady)

Hazelburn 8 yr (Whisky Lady)

In addition to the whiskies sampled, I’ll admit to sniffing more before finalising my selection for this trip…

What did I pick?

It was the Bunnahabhain 26 years.. part of a special Signatory Session held in February 2016:

Previous reviews sourced via La Maison du Whisky Singapore:

La Maison du Whisky is located at 80 Mohamed Sultan Road, #01-10 The Pier, Singapore
 Tel: 6733 0059

Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Extra Anejo Tequila 40%

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While Whisky Lady was created to celebrate sampling whiskies, every once and a while I come across something that is just too exceptional – it deserves sharing even if it isn’t whisky!

I should start by confessing, I’m generally not a tequila drinker. Shots aren’t my thing. Neither are margaritas, daiquiri, etc… To top it off, nights where tequila is involved have a tendency to end strangely.

However on a trip through Singapore last year, I challenged the great guys at La Maison du Whisky to suggest something entirely different for our Mumbai whisky sampling gang.

Out came this remarkable tequila… I had a few sips and could not resist!

Tapatio Excelencia Gran Reserva Extra Anejo 40%

  • Colour – Burnished copper
  • Nose – Herbs, clean, turmeric, sweet… as it opened up with air even more sweet notes joined the choir – vanilla, stewed fruits, salty almonds
  • Taste – Bitter medicinal, briny sea salt, wet forest, undertone of dark chocolate
  • Finish – Peppery, buttery, spicy yet smooth

It was without a doubt, the real ‘googly’ of the evening for my whisky quaffing companions.

All expected another whisky, so when I brought out for blind tasting an ‘extra anejo’ – tequila matured in bourbon barrels – palates were pre-calibrated to anticipate whisky. The colour could almost pass as whisky… naturally our resident expert caught on however I gave him ‘the look’ to not spill the beans and instead let others discover without influence.

An exceptional tequila in a class of its own – 100% agave anejo from Carlos Camarena of the La Altena distillery using traditional production methods with brick ovens, wooden vats and copper stills. This extra anejo is aged for around four years – making it one of the oldest tequilas on the market.

I pulled out a premium blue agave to compare – clearly proving just how different it is from its brethren!

Tequilla

It really is something else and exactly the kind of tequila which appeals to whisky aficionados!

I first shared this special find with our whisky tasting team on 14 June 2014 together with Tyrconnell, Ledaig 1997 and Talisker Dark Storm.

It occasionally gets pulled out again for the appreciation of a few extra special true tequila lovers… As I do not expect to source another bottle of this rare find… will continue to be stingy about sharing for as long as it lasts!

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