Don Pilar Añejo

Don Pilar grows his agave on five private ranches in Jalisco’s Highlands, near the town of San José de Gracia. This estate-grown agave is critical to the character of the tequila.

In 2001, Don Pilar and a group of partners opened the “La Trasquila” co-op distillery (NOM 1443) at San Ignacio Cerro Gordo in the southern Highlands of Jalisco.

By sourcing their own agave and controlling all steps of tequila production, the brand tailors every drop to their own specifications.

Time is on their side.

Don Pilar uses low-pressure autoclaves to cook the agave for 24 hours, followed by another 24 hours of cool down. During the 200 hours of fermentation (over 8 1/3 days) in stainless steel tanks, they play classical music to soothe and stimulate the Champagne yeast.

They age tequila in new (virgin) American White Oak barrels for more than 20 months to deliver extra intensity and color.

Don Pilar loves aged spirits, so it is no surprise the first tequila released from the brand was an añejo in 2008. Let’s give the current version a taste.

This añejo has a very pleasant nose of sweet cooked agave and buttery caramel. I get some light honey notes, stone fruit (peaches, dark cherries, plums), and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg) from the virgin American White Oak barrels.

I taste creamy cooked agave and peppery barrel spices, then some warm honey. It has a nice mouthfeel, and the agave caramel and pepper linger into the finish, with a slight alcohol tingle.

This is a nice añejo with good depth. I get more on the nose than the palate, but it’s a nice sipping añejo. This will be a great sipper on those cool nights.

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