Tequila Casa Noble Reposado NOM 1137 Lote Year: 2009
Casa Noble Tequila began as a tequila producer in the late 1700s somewhere around the Tequila, Jalisco region (Lowlands or Heartland). Today, Casa Noble is produced at the La Cofradia (The Brotherhood) distillery located just outside the town Tequila. At a quick glance of a current Consejo Regulador del Tequila NOM list one could say that many tequilas/maquilas are produced at La Cofradia NOM 1137. But in this case, Casa Noble is produced by La Cofradia to the exact specific requirements of the Casa Noble partners. It helps when one of these partners just so happens to be a Casa Noble co-founder and CEO of La Cofradia, S.A. DE C.V.. The driving force behind Casa Noble Tequila appears to be another partner and co-founder, Jose "Pepe" Hermosillo Brooks. It`s unclear whether Carlos Santana bought into La Cofradia, S.A. DE C.V. and/or Casa Noble Tequila.*
Casa Noble 100% Agave Tequila is USDA certified organic, meaning "the product has 95% or more certified organic content", and KMD & CK Kosher certified. It`s not entirely clear if Casa Noble uses blue agave from its lands in Nayarit and/or estate grown agave from La Cofradia. The agaves are cooked in one of five traditional stone-walled hornos at La Cofradia for over 36 hours. After the agave piñas are cooled they are put through a two-step process that requires a wood chipper and an extractor-like press device to efficiently gather the desired mosto. The mosto is placed in large stainless vats to allow natural open-air fermentation (not certain if Casa Noble adds a yeast). After fermentation the juice is triple distilled with La Cofradia`s Alembic stainless steel pot stills. Casa Noble roughly distills to 55% Abv. (110 Proof). After distillations the tequila meant for the Blanco is filtered and diluted to a desired proof in this case 40% Abv. (80 Proof). Tequila destined to become an aged product is placed in new Frenck white oak barrels made by Taransaud Tonnellerie and placed in Casa Noble`s barrel room on site at La Cofradia distillery (noted: tequila enters barrels at 55% Abv.).
Casa Noble reposado tequila is aged for 364 days. According to a reliable inside source, the reposado is in fact a blend of two different size French white oak Taransaud Tonnellerie barrels with a light char. As noted, the tequila entered the casks at 55% Abv. and upon being dumped would be filtered, blended and diluted to desired proof in this case 40% Abv. (80 Proof). Apperance: light amber with mahogany hues and its body coats the side of my Glencairn glass. Aroma: recognize that fresh earthy roasted agave coming through from the blanco, citrus?, creamy chocolate, vanilla, salted candied burnt caramel, baking spice, and burning alcohol. Flavour: upon entry there is that earthy agave accompanied with medium sweetness with lingering spice and oak. Roll the oily juice around. Notice the numbing attack in your mouth? Trust me this is a good thing. Then some where before mid-palate I notice a smokey peppery spice with hints of citrus. Mid-palate rears intense burnt caramel, vanilla coffee bean?, more spice, hints of raw chocolate and candied nuts (almond?). This is when the back of my mouth tells me I taste a berry-like flavour. Finish: long, toasty, buttery finish, with lingering spicy pepper and chocolate notes. This particular tequila is very complex with so many flavours yet it is well-balanced. A must try for that burgeoning tequila aficionado. **RECOMMENDED** *IN MY TOP 10 REPOSADO LIST*
* Update: According to trademark records in Mexico, it appears this particular brand of tequila began sometime around 1997. No clue if the claims of producing tequila in the 1700s are particularly true or not. In August 2014, Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B) bought the Casa Noble tequila brand. Jose "Pepe" Hermosillo would remain on as the brand's most senior ambassador while overseeing the brand's operations in Mexico.
