Patrón has a Cristalino expression out, and while I'm someone who doesn't believe in the cristalino hype in general, it is important to address this bottle, given the well-known nature of the brand.
It seems Patrón wanted to create a super-easy sipper for those who want the aged expression without the burn. They successfully did just that and it's not as bad as one would think while also being produced with clean ingredients.
Note that this is an añejo cristalino, aged for 12-15 months in American and French oak before charcoal filtering removes the color and certain flavor notes. Many, perhaps most, cristalinos are now made with reposado base tequila, which is less expensive to produce. So credit to Patrón for letting this tequila sit before filtering, and keeping the price reasonable (by cristalino standards).
Nose: On the nose it's light with agave, oak, cinnamon, vanilla, butter, caramel and citrus.
Palate: Easy-sipping profile of light agave, oak, cinnamon, vanilla and faint citrus.
Finish: Very easy finish that goes down nicely but doesn't last. For me, I typically get a charcoal note in cristalinos because of the method they use for filtration, however with this one I can honestly say I don't and find it good for an entry level=tequila drinker.
NOM | 1492 |
|---|---|
Agave | Jalisco (Los Altos) |
Cooking | Stone / brick ovens |
Extraction | Roller mill and tahona |
Water | Deep well water |
Fermentation | Open-air stainless steel and wooden tanks |
Still | Copper pot stills |
Age | 12-15 months in used American and French oak barrels |
ABV | 40% |
