Alma del Jaguar means “soul of the jaguar,” and it is a massive part of why this brand exists.
Alma del Jaguar is owned by Morningside Brands and was founded by McCauley Williams, who also co-founded Blue Note Bourbon. He knows a lot about barrels and blending. They apply that expertise to the Alma del Jaguar Añejo.
See my video review on Instagram
This añejo uses a proprietary blend of two unique tequilas distilled at the Vivanco distillery (NOM 1414): 80% produced with natural wild yeast and 20% using champagne yeast imported from France.
But that is not all, and here is where that blending experience comes into play.
65% of the blend is double-barreled in American oak for six months and French oak for 11 months. This delivers the darkest color, with notes of caramel, cooked corn, vanilla, and smoke.
18% of the blend is aged in American oak for 20 months, lending chalk, limestone, and minerality.
17% of the blend is aged in different American oak for 20 months, providing more vanilla and a hint of bitterness.
This unique and expensive process combination ends up giving you a tequila created with intent.
In addition to the thoughtful way this tequila itself is produced, the brand cares about the planet, as shown in their bottles:
Labels are made from agave fibers
Glass is 100% recycled
Bottle toppers are repurposed cork
Cartons are recycled cardboard
Let’s get into this añejo!
I get aromas of honey, butterscotch, cinnamon, other barrel spices, black pepper, dried fruit (cherry), a little coconut, and a hint of cocoa.
On the palate, I get a lot of cooked agave, caramel, dried cherry, cocoa, barrel spices, butterscotch, and honey, a hint of citrus, and cinnamon.
NOM | 1414 |
|---|---|
Agave | Jalisco (Los Altos) |
Cooking | Stone or brick ovens |
Extraction | Roller mill |
Water | Deep well water |
Fermentation | Open-air stainless steel tanks with Champagne yeast and classical music |
Still | Copper pot |
Age | 17+ months in French oak barrels and American white oak barrels |
ABV | 40% |
Tequila Report Score: 88
88 points out of 100 (4.4 out of 5 points)
Price $79.99
More from Alma del Jaguar: All of our Alma del Jaguar coverage, including reviews, lists, scores, and more.
