Straight out of NOM 1449 (the distillery La Primavera), this is the only tequila currently being produced at this distillery.
Don Julio is a brand that’s been around since 1942, with a consistent core lineup along with a few yearly and special releases. If you’ve ever heard of tequila, you definitely already know this brand. From songs to chicken sandwich meals, it’s name-checked everywhere.
For what it’s worth, this specific bottle - the Reposado - has helped give tequila, as a category, more spotlight and recognition as a fun, social, good-time spirit.
This reposado uses deep well water and is rested for 8 months in American white oak barrels, giving it a clear golden color.
Aroma: An even mix of sweetness and ethanol: sweet cinnamon, raw agave, wet wood, with a light burn on the nose. Notes of light butter and vanilla come through as well.
Palate: Not as sweet as expected from the aroma. You get cacao, wood, caramel, toasted notes, and a bitter artificial taste ending, that really hurts the overall impression.
Finish: The lingering taste is noticeably sweeter than the initial sip. With sweet residue remaining as the lingering impression.
When shopping, this isn’t my go-to, but whenever I’m in a setting where this is the bottle picked for the table, it will end up finished nevertheless.
I see this bottle continuing to be popular for the next few years. Trends sometimes die fast but this one seems to never fade.
NOM | 1449 |
|---|---|
Agave | Jalisco (Los Altos) |
Cooking | Stone / brick ovens |
Extraction | Roller mill |
Water | Deep well water |
Fermentation | Stainless steel tanks |
Still | Stainless pot with copper coil |
Age | 8 months in used American oak bourbon barrels |
ABV | 40% |
