WHICH ANEJO TEQUILA IS BEST FOR SIPPING?

[sel]

I saw Don Julio and Cazadores at Costco, are they good? Something else I should try? Thanks!

[liquorlover71]

It's really tought to beat El Tesoro anejo. The "experts" rate it really highly and it won't break the bank.

Andy
proof66.com / Liquor Hub (iPhone app)

[zin1953]

As long as you like El Tesoro . . . yes! OTOH, if you don't, then it doesn't really matter what the "experts" say, does it?

[TMWeddlle]

What do folks think of Dona Engracia? I have some anejo - yet to open it. I liked it at the tasting.

[PurePuro]

This is a completely new interest for me..... Has anyone tried Casa Dragones sipping tequila? http://casadragones.com/#en.unique_ta...

[scubadoo97]

I have a bottle of Gran Centenario Anejo Tequila that is quite smooth and tasty. Picked it up in duty free the last time I was in Mex DF.

[streetgourmetla]

This is a good one, and a brilliant buy at Duty Free, one of the few good options at most Duty Frees in Mexico.

[drinxnfood]

First off, Patron is not all it is cracked up to be. Notice how often bars don't care their Anejo. 75% of Patrons sales are their Blanco. If you are looking for an amazing sipping Anejo check out Sol de Mexico Tequila. I tried it at a culinary event in Arizona and it was amazing. My fiance who doesn't even like tequila fell in love with it. It is smooth, spicy, smokey, with hints of caramel. I picked up a bottle for $50. It was worth every dollar! Try some of the smaller distilleries. What they can't afford in marketing they can make up in quality!

[BeefeaterGin]

Huge fan of the Don Julio for sipping. Im not sure if anyone can help me with this but here in London the Don Julio seems to be a bit smoother. I was recently out in the US (NYC) and i could definitely taste a more harshness to the taste over there..

[streetgourmetla]

Interesting, I've always found the Don Julio reposado and anejo harsh and plain. The 1942 is fantastic. The Don Julio anejo in Mexico is just as harsh, too.

[ncyankee101]

I just opened a bottle of the DJ Repo last night and I found it extremely smooth, though not to the point of being bland like patron. I see from the tasting notes and reviews that most poeple get chocolate in this one, I really get coffee or espresso which is in the tasting notes for the Real. \

I just tasted the DJ side by side with my favorite repo (El Conquistador) and though I find the DJ very pleasant and easy to drink, the Conquistador has much more agave flavor and much less of an "aged" taste. The DJ also has almost no nose in comparison to the Conquistador.

[craigasaurus]

http://www.chow.com/stories/11023

[jvmedi03]

Cabo Wabo is my favorite!! I only drink tequila, i have tried so many tequilas and i fell in love with Cabo Wabo it is great for sipping and for mixed drinks, you will not be disappointed, trust me. other recommendations are Herradura being second and Don Julio being third!!!

[chowcito]

Born in the great state of Jalisco (where tequila comes from) I prefer reposado to anejo but it is certainly a personal choice. Reposado in my opinion is a little more "raw" and gives you something to chew on while today's anejo has gone the route similar to that of a smooth scotch. As far as specific types, Heradura is my favorite but I wouldn't turn down a Don Julio either.

The NYTimes article below has been archived but for those of you with login access take a look:

http://select.nytimes.com/search/rest...

[anejospirit]

I was born in Tequila, Jalisco... hi paisano.

[chowcito]

salud!

[chase808]

While most of you have made many good suggestions I have to add my 2 cents.

Clase Azul - One of the best blancos there is.
Gran Patron - While it's siblings are over marketed in the states, Gran is the best sipping blanco I've tasted. And believe me I have tried many.
AsomBroso - while fairly new to the market the LaRosa 11 month reposado is absolutly outstanding.
Anejo? - Hurredura Seleccion Suprema or Rey Sol - both pricey but...........but then again most of the finer things in life are.

[ergozum]

Is it Estampa?

[hungrylawyer]

I would say that Milagro's consistency is better than many, but that your experience is not surprizing. I often enjoy Milagro, but I am also deeply suspicious of it, and no longer buy it for myself. Whoever makes and markets this stuff certainly knows their business. First, I woulkd guess that it is a US export label, unknown in Mexico, except in high traffic tourist areas and duty free shops. I don't think that it is associated with any particular tequileria. I admit that I could be wrong. Second, tequila is not like Scotch so I would not waste money on the single barrel marketing gimmick. The anejo barrels are sealed by the government. Third, I keep my open tequila in the freezer. In the past, part of the Milagro has frozen, indicating the presence of a significant amout of water as tequila has too much alcohol to freeze. No other tequila has ever done that. Finally, their bottles are too cool.

[cristina]

Greetings from Guadalajara, tequila fans.

My personal sipping favorite is Don Eduardo añejo, delicious and smooth as silk.

Note: the nickname for a person from Guadalajara is *tapatío*, not Chivas. The Chivas, god bless'em, is our wonderful futbol (soccer) team.

[anejospirit]

I am also from Guadalajara but now live in SF, arriva las chivas!

[cristina]

Y las chavas y las chelas!

[vittus]

I was unaware of this variation in tequila form bottle to bottle. I recently had a great bottle of the milagro single barrel anejo which a friend brought back from mexico. I bought an identical bottle at my local liquor store and it was no better than cuervo. Totally different taste and finish.
Is Milagro also known for inconsistency?

[hungrylawyer]

Alot of folks do like Chinaco, I am just not one of them. IMO they use too much wood, sometimes too much "perfume" and are another label that suffers from extreme variability. Th amount of money that I am wiling to spend on tequila, both per bottle and in the agrregate, makes me shy away from labels that have extreme variability unless, like Gran Centenario anejo, one variation is a knock-out. I have never had a bottle of Chinaco that I have raved about so I don't buy it very often. (But I would rate it MUCH higher than Heradura). In Chainaco's defense, one of the oweners lives in the area and she is very nice. Also, they are not a concocted label, they have a real tequileria, but I don't know if they buy juice or not (I suspect that they do, as the juice buying issue was the product of enhanced world wide demand and a weavil problem)

[dylafleur]

also chinaco

[hungrylawyer]

Of the anejos mentioned already, I second the Casa Noble and Don Julio. You should know that there are only about 65 tequilarias and about 5000 labels. (For example, I am told that Lapis is an American concoction, a label without a tequilaria, put together to take advantage of the fact that hard currency paying Gringos and Germans associate good tequila with good bottle design) There is also a shortage of juice. So, like wine, many labels buy their juice on the market. This means that fine tequilas, especially the anejos, vary in quality and flavor from batch to batch. What you liked 2 months ago you may not like today and vice versa. Gran Centenario anejo is an extreme example of this phenomenon, going from unbelievable to undrinkable from batch to batch. As it has expanded its production, Don Julio has also improved its consistency.

1921 is also very good and a new entrant, Abuelo, is also excellent.

But if you really like tequila, do as the Chivas (Guadalajarans)do in the capital of Jalisco state where the town of Tequila is located-- drink blanco or plata. Again, Don Julio, 1921, Abuelo are all good choices as are Trancas, Regional and Coralejo.

[ZinGal]

Hungrylawyer - THANK YOU SO MUCH for the education on Tequila. I will try those that you name here. Your comments on the shortage of juice resulting in the variability on the quality explain my lack of ability to find THE one good tequila.

[Chinon00]

I think that too much oak can obscure the tequila flavor. I really prefer the unoaked versions. Having said that I have enjoyed some Reposado. The Añejo for me however are completely too woody.

[zin1953]

I know . . . old post, but --

In general, I agree with you, and prefer sipping Resposados . . . HOWEVER, there is one "Extra Anejo" -- Suavemente -- that reminds me (almost) more of Cognac than Tequila . . . in terms of style, complexity, and oak, but it's definitely tequila.

[invinotheresverde]

I'll have to check that out, since I'm also a Repo girl. All that oak destroys the beautiful agave, IMO.

Thanks for the tip.

[ncyankee101]

I agree with you there - when I feel like tasting tequila I am finding I prefer blancos to get all the agave flavor I can, good ones I have had were Corazon and for the price espolon (though it is not all that flavorful it is very smooth.) Casa Noble and Cuervo Platino are on my to do list.

I do enjoy anejos but I find them so reminiscent of Scotch I might as well just drink that - not that it's a problem because I love Scotch.

[kenito799]

I agree, I generally prefer reposados to anejos, which are great but the vegetal agave taste can be hidden. Some brands not mentioned here that I brought back from Mexico and love:
Baluartes -- super smooth, subtle, a bit more oak than most reposados
Morales 1921 -- dreamy and complex, this is probably my favorite
Clase Azul -- in the beautiful blue and white bottles -- way too smooth, sweet, and cognac-like -- Very nice but I prefer a bit more of the agave edge.
Milagro -- this is excellent quality for the price. You don't need to buy the fancy glass agave bottle to get the good stuff.

[ZinGal]

Tres Generaciones or Lapis! They both rock. Or Don Eduardo. Patron is over priced and if you ask about it in Mexico.. no one there drinks it. Apparently it is for us gringos. LOL. Enjoy. You all made me thirsty for some Lapis.

[therealbigtasty]

Patron is an American-owned company from what I've heard.

[jakew8]

I'll go ahead and throw Corazon into the mix here. (I actually prefer the reposado for sipping.)

[chow_gal]

I love Sammy Hagar's Cabo Wabo. it is really a great tequila. if you are into a splurge: Herradura Seleccion Suprema is the best premium aed tequila I have ever had.

[ted]

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Cuervo Riserva La Familia yet. It's my favorite. There used to be a few bars in ATL where you could get a generous pour for $8. Probably not the case any more. One of these days, I'll pony up the $80 to get a bottle of my own.

[bogie]

IMHO, the Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia is absolutely the best Anejo for sipping. It far surpasses the Herradura Selection Suprema.

The best value Anejo is Gran Centennario, unbelievable for the price.

The Cabo Wabo Reposado, while not having the extent of oak aging, is an amazingly clean and fruity tequila.

[vinosnob]

+3 for the Cuervo Reserva de la Familia.

[liverfail]

I third Herradura. Delicious!

[Maya]

General roundup of tequilas:
http://www.sfbg.com/37/36/x_bottle_ro...

[Pei]

Between Casadores and Patron, go with Patron.

But if you're willing to splurge, CASA NOBLE. It smells like buttercream frosting (no joke!) and goes down smooth like the best brandy. I could sit with a glass and just enjoy the smell. It shocks everyone who says "Ick, how can you sip tequila?"

I've tried Herradura, Corralejo, El Tesoro, Patron, and any number of the cheaper brands, and Casa Noble is the runaway winner. Lapis is good as well.

Casa Noble loos like this, in a handblown bottle: http://randalls.stores.yahoo.net/rws20574.html

Lapis is in a triangular bottle: http://randalls.stores.yahoo.net/mh46...

A little more rare than the others, but I've been able to find them at Bevmo from time to time, and at smaller liquor stores that sell a lot of tequila.

[gina]

Corralejo is dreamy--very smooth and sweet-spicy. I don't see it around very often, unfortunately.

[vanillagrrl]

El Tesoro is nice, too.

[sku]

My favorite is Herradura. Both the reposado and anejo are great sipping tequilas. Milagro is also good and very smooth.

[Papa Kip Chee]

I second the Herradura!

[JugglerDave]

Don Julio is good, as is Patrón for the easy-to-find ones. As is usually the case, my favorite (Lapis Añejo) is extremely hard to find and expensive.

[schoenick]

There are several choices when it comes to Don Julio but for sipping purposes, I would select the Anejo or the 1942 Anejo.