Tequila Hacienda Vieja Reposado NOM 1412 (2009 Lote Year 38% Abv.)
This particular brand of tequila is produced by the Banuelos Family at their distillery, Destiladora de Los Altos, located in Arandas, Jalisco (Highlands). The patriarch of the family, Don Felix Banuelos Jimenez, created Cazadores Tequila sometime in the 1973s using his grandfather's recipe. Subsequently in 2002 he sold the brand to Bacardi for $100-300 Million USD. NOTE: If you ever come across a bottle of Cazadores tequila NOM 1128 or NOM 1105 - buy it - as this was pre-Bacardi. After the sale, Felix Banuelos' sons - with his approval - started another brand(s), Hacienda Vieja & Don Felix, at the original distillery again utilizing Felix's grandfather's recipe.
The blue agave is sourced from their own family estate in Los Altos de Jalisco. The agave pina halves are cooked in stainless steel autoclaves for 24+ hours. The cooked agave is shredded with a shredder machine then the agave juice is extracted with a conventional roller-mill system. Then the mosto is placed in large 25000L capacity stainless steel fermentation tanks - without bagazo. Proprietary yeast(s) is added and the mosto is allowed to ferment for 7 days supposedly aided with classical music. The fermented juice is then distilled two times with one of the distillery's 4000L capacity stainless stills and 5600L capacity condensers. The Hacienda Vieja Blanco is rested in stainless steel tanks for approximately 30 days prior to bottling (38% Abv.domestic & 40% Abv. export). The Hacienda Vieja Reposado is the result of resting in new American white oak barrels for 3 months (guessing used Beam or Jack Daniels barrels) before bottling (38% Abv.domestic & 40% Abv. export). Prior to bottling this tequila is diluted, oxygenated and charcoal filtered.
Appearance: Pale golden colour. Large-fast legs that cling to the sides of my Glencairn glass. Aroma: some sweetness, some alcohol, cooked agave, fruit, pepper/spice, vanilla/caramel and definite American whiskey/bourbon notes. Flavour: Cooked agave, earthy, slight sweetness with cherry?, pepper, hint of vanilla and caramel. Semi-oily upon entry - then roll a sip around my mouth - spicy agave and toasted oak notes intensify as it hits the mid-palate and moves to the back of the mouth. Finish: Medium duration, spicy caramel tones, lingering heat with mild peppermint? Definitely get a subtle American whiskey flavour that's well balanced with the intense agave flavours - talk about a nice barrel influence on this tequila. Don't let the price tag fool you. At about $7 USD for a 750ml bottle this Reposado has become my go to bargain tequila. *RECOMMENDED*
