Manuscrito Chapter 4 High Proof Reposado

This chapter in Manuscrito’s epic tells the tale of a revolution in flavor, where the hero wins the battle and gets the girl. Sweet cooked agave and strong barrel notes fight for supremacy. It’s like a duel between two chivalrous knights on your tongue, each vying to become your champion.

The back-and-forth between flavors is a grand experience. Somewhere in the melee of flavors there’s a raisin. What?! Not grape, but a delicate, slightly tart raisin note that is there in some sips but gone in others. However, for me, it shows up in the aroma with every sniff. It had my nose and tongue in an argument until I spoke with Jake Taylor, co-owner of Manuscrito.

The wood used for this reposado comes from ex-Chardonnay barrels sourced from California’s Russian River Valley, with no re-char. So we’re getting oak chosen for its character and some leftover Chardonnay notes at the same time.

It’s a young reposado aged only 3.5 months, which allows the agave to remain a hero in this story. Jake also confirmed they were not going for a Rosa finish. What they got was something quite unique and exceptionally flavorful, without the heavy wine notes you’d expect in a Rosa.

The finish had a touch of oaky harshness on the first taste, but by my second tasting just a couple of days later, it was mellowing out. The mouthfeel is a little thin, but the flavors keep working through the final swallow.

Nose: fruit / caramel / vanilla / floral / oak / sweet cooked agave / butter / raisin / cherry / citrus / tea / baking spices / hint of maple

Taste: sweet cooked agave / oak / cinnamon / bell pepper / black pepper / raisin / cherry / dried fruit / grapefruit / tea / spearmint / baking spice / maple / vanilla / alcohol

Finish: light viscosity lets the tastes exit the palate quickly, but what does linger is cooked agave sweetness, spearmint, pepper, and a hint of raisin / the oaky final finish comes off a little bit harsh, something that some time could mellow out / the final swallow leaves more sweet and mint than anything else, but there’s just enough spicy pepper to keep the sweetness in check

The 51.55% ABV is a great fit for this reposado, delivering huge flavor. For those who aren’t into higher proof, there’s another “chapter” of this Chardonnay-kissed reposado at a lower 42.5% ABV. But for me, I prefer this R-rated version to the toned-down PG-13 expression. This is one chapter of the story I’ll definitely read—er, I mean drink—over and over again.