Santaleza Reposado

Santaleza is an instance where a tequila is solid and well-made, yet simultaneously leaves me wanting more out of it. Here’s why.

It is one of VERY FEW brands that makes tequila the harder way across all four big production steps, so that’s good news:

It’s made at Destiladora Bonanza (NOM 1604) in Ojo de Agua de Latillas in the Jalisco Highlands. The same distillery produces KOKORO, 1953, and Libélula, among others. That’s a plus.

Launched in 2023, Santaleza is a joint effort of Chopin Imports (known for its vodka brand) and the Lopez-Villareal family of Casa San Matías, a large and successful tequila producer located adjacent to where Santaleza is crafted. Also a positive.

The brand is on our Craft Tequila List, uses no abocantes, and ages in used American oak bourbon barrels. This reposado rested for approximately four months. No issues there.

So what’s not to love?

Given its production approach, provenance, and pedigree, I expect to be WOWED by Santaleza. And it’s definitely a good tequila. But for me, the final result of all those “proper” choices falls a wee bit short of where I’d expect it to be.

Appearance: Very light straw yellow. Not a lot of color for a reposado. This gives “blanco plus” in the glass.

Aroma: Floral and citrus, with some minerality and alcohol notes. Better once it gets some air. Definitely a Highlands tequila nose, and fairly dainty overall.

Flavor: Today, I get flowers, salt water, dulce de leche, and white pepper. All very nice flavor notes, if perhaps not 100% harmoniously combined.

Finish: Somewhat odd. I get medium fullness (how “thick” the tequila tastes) on the mouthfeel, especially at first, but on the finish it fades to become a bit thinner than is optimal for me. In fairness, you’re not likely to get tremendous viscosity with many 40% ABV tequilas. It also finishes hotter than I’d expect for 40%, with more lingering pepper and burn than I anticipated. For me, the lingering note is a slightly bitter minerality.

I haven’t tried this for a while, and I’m glad I revisited this Santaleza Reposado. I like it, and I’d recommend it. But I want to LOVE it, and perhaps as they release more batches, they’ll be able to add more oomph to the overall package.

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