Clase Azul Tequila Reposado

I won this bottle in a tequila lottery, and it does not disappoint. On the nose I get floral notes and some vanilla, maybe a whiff of charcoal and caramel cream candies. Perhaps some wet gravel. The palate is very rich. I get vanilla, honey, wild flowers, caramel, barrel wood, barrel char, citrus juice, lemon peel, caramelized agave. I also get a bit of salt. It really has an excellent mouthfeel and a long finish - I get waves of sweet melon and honey wrestling with tart citrus that seem to be fighting each other - a very slight edge of anise, charcoal, and salt. It really lingers and all the flavors seem to ebb and flow like the surf. It has just a bit of smoke, but I wouldn't consider it smokey, then again I drink very heavily peated scotch, so take my assessment of smoke with a grain of salt. There is really a lot here, and it's all very pleasant. A tequila lover's dream, but also something not to be missed by lovers of other fine spirits.

I’ll start by saying that it’s all up to the individual and I’m not here to say you’re right or you’re wrong in your drink choice. You like what you like and that’s all there is. That being said, I am fairly certain that Clase Azul uses a good amount of additives to get this flavor. They’ll never say they do, but this isn’t a very “tequila” flavored tequila. Most of the time that distillers add flavors or colors to their juice, it’s because they aren’t happy with what they are producing, so they have to add stuff to make a mediocre tequila taste good. Personally, I don’t like added flavors and such in my tequila, I prefer additive free. If you like it, go for it…I just think you should know what your drinking and paying for. It is a beautiful bottle though.

A crisp, organic Agave Spirit by Clase Azul Distillery in Mexico. Tequilana Weber Blue Agave are grown for over 9 years before slow cooking in traditional ovens. The fermentation is done using the company's secret blend of yeasts, & then distillation followed by triple filtration. It is aged in very fine oak barrels & bottled in decanters which are hand-painted & numbered by local artisans. It has an aromatic birth with notes of roasted tomato pomelo, dry earth & a slowly developing note of cedar. The palate has notes of vanilla, earthy agave, a touch of tropical fruit sweetness & honey. While finishing creamy with subtle mineral notes paired with soft oak warmth. March / May 2017 / January 2023

This is a wonderful tequila. Obviously the presentation in the bottle is next level, but sometimes this can be something that elevates the hype above what the juice inside actually delivers. Thankfully, in this case, this doesn't apply. An excellent sipper with well rounded edges and nearly no harshness at all. Tons of vanilla, I also detected a fruity sweetness, somewhat in the direction of a blueberry (those with me that sampled my pour said maybe cotton candy, and as palates can differ, I certainly can understand the cotton candy note). The fruity sweetness fades nicely into a soft agave, and into just a whisper of sweet oak. Wonderful after dinner dessert dram, well worth the money.

AFTER RINGING THE BELL! Tried neat with my friend Adam post a long 12 hours shift together. On the nares it is smooth with notes vanilla and earthy. On the palate it is deliciously smooth, easy to sip without an ice cube. Notes of vanilla on the palate and Himalayan salt. Can’t believe this is the first time I have had this! 🤤 Edit: placed a large square ice cube in my beautiful glass and it’s very floral and I get notes of flowers

I don’t know how to start with this “tequila”, you drink what you like but I’m sure I will not waste my money on this again; I didn’t taste the agave in this; and to be sincere I felt dumb to buy it. It really tasted like alcohol, piloncillo and a lot of vanilla. I don’t have more to say….