Lost Lore High Proof Reposado

There is a lot of history inside—and behind—this bottle.

Lost Lore tequila was founded by Sarah and Arturo Lamas. Arturo is a fourth-generation member of an agave-spirits distilling family, though his own path did not begin in distilling.

His great-grandfather began distilling agave spirits in Mexico in the 1920s, passing the craft down to Arturo’s grandfather and then to his father. Knowing how difficult that life could be, Arturo’s father moved the family to the United States and took a job making furniture in a Chicago warehouse.

Still, the spirits industry was in Arturo’s blood. While working at—and eventually managing—that warehouse, he started Soundgrowler Brewing to bring in extra income, which eventually sparked a deeper hunger to reconnect with his family’s legacy.

What began as curiosity about agave spirits and his family’s century-long history became a passion. The lore may have been lost for a time, but Arturo found it again—and Lost Lore tequila was born.

Lost Lore is distilled and bottled at the legendary NOM 1414 by the Vivanco family, with master distiller Sergio Cruz.

The team is no stranger to experimentation, and Arturo’s background in beer—an industry built on constant trial and creativity—made him unafraid to try something new.

This distinctive high-proof reposado is released annually for Día de los Muertos, which is why the bottle features La Catrina artwork. The design reflects a love of agave and serves as a tribute to the daughters of the entire Lost Lore tequila team.

This special tequila is one of several experimental releases from Lost Lore, and it can only be described as a home run.

I first fell in love with the high-proof reposado when Lote 1 was released a couple of years ago—a tequila that really started me on this journey.

Today, we are looking at Lote 2, released in 2025.

The tequila is aged in American white oak for about six months. The barrels used for Lote 2 were younger than those used for Lote 1, meaning they had seen less prior tequila aging and were likely to let the barrel play a stronger role.

That difference created subtle shifts in aroma and flavor. Lote 2 comes across as more barrel-forward, though it shows fewer of the softer barrel nuances I found in Lote 1.

If I had one critique, it would be that the barrels may have been a bit too young for this release. I personally preferred Lote 1, but Lote 2 is still a delicious tequila.

Now, let’s talk about aromas and flavors.

Like any high-proof tequila, Lost Lore High Proof Reposado benefits from resting in the glass for a bit after pouring. Much like wine, that short resting time helps open up the aromas and flavors. In fact, tequila and wine have more in common than many people realize.

On the nose, this tequila is complex, with cooked agave, floral notes, orange peel, caramel, cinnamon and a touch of alcohol—expected at this proof.

On the palate, I found sweet cooked agave, barrel spice, cocoa, more floral notes, pepper, clove, cinnamon, and caramel.

The finish is long and enjoyable, with plenty of pepper on the back end.

This is a truly enjoyable release and another standout from Lost Lore.

This annual release was made in sufficient quantity, so you can likely still secure a bottle of Lote 2 while keeping an eye out for Lote 3, expected in late October.

More from Lost Lore: All of our Lost Lore coverage, including reviews, lists, scores, and more.