Corralejo Añejo Tequila

Introduction: I was excited to try Corralejo’s Añejo. Most Añejos lean more toward the style I prefer—sweet, aged, and rounded with those familiar barrel notes I usually love in bourbon. With Corralejo’s Reposado already proving to be spectacular, my expectations for the Añejo were high. Typically, time in oak brings richer sweetness and soft wood character, so I wanted to see if this one delivered. Nose: The first impression is sweet with vanilla and caramel from the barrel aging, layered over muted agave. A bit of alcohol heat sits underneath, and deeper nosing brings faint orange rind, light spice between black pepper and jalapeño, and a touch of charred oak. A creamier note, like butterscotch, smooths everything together. It’s layered and interesting, though not easy to separate. Taste: Agave runs the length of the palate, mellow and cooked rather than raw. Up front, soft vanilla and caramel signal the barrel’s influence. Mid-palate, a little alcohol heat rises before the flavor dries and turns spicier. The spice feels more like Szechuan peppercorn than black pepper—tingly and slightly numbing. As it lingers, a touch of bitter orange pith adds brightness and balance. Finish: The finish keeps the agave and spice alive while the peppercorn heat fades into dryness. A faint trace of tannic, charred oak shows barrel character, and the orange pith lingers with mild bitterness. It lasts longer than the Blanco’s finish but doesn’t evolve much, holding steady until it fades. Conclusion: Across Corralejo’s lineup, the Reposado remains the standout—beautifully balanced and full of character. The Añejo is fine, but not exceptional. It leans dry and spicy rather than rich or sweet, making it less suited for sipping neat. For the price, it’s serviceable and could work well in cocktails calling for an Añejo. Fans of agave-forward profiles may enjoy its purity, but for me, when I’m reaching for a sipping tequila, San Matías Gran Reserva Extra Añejo still wins easily.

Rounding out my reviews of the core trio of tequila offerings from Corralejo is this review for Correlejo Añejo Tequila. I previously reviewed both their Blanco and Reposado offerings so feel free to refer back to those for comparison and contrast. Corralejo Añejo is aged for 12 months in charred oak. I think it’s currently aged in American oak, but it may have been previously produced by resting in French oak. Nose: Deep, rich, and more mellow in a refined way. The chalky minerality present in the Blanco and Reposado takes the backseat here and more smoke and sweet fruits come through. Toasted marshmallows, amber agave, vanilla bean, orange cream, and ghee. This is another dram you should give time to fully reveal itself. Palate: Medium-bodied, oily, and creamy. Smoky vanilla and amber agave sweetness with the charred oak more prominent and the earthy minerality more subdued. Strong flavors reminiscent of orange dreamsicle popsicles and pink pepper spice. A very tasty combo. Finish: Moderately long, with soft, rounded oak tannins, lightly smoked oranges, mild spice, and vanilla bean fading away. Delicious, smooth, and elegant. At $31.99, this is another excellent VFM bottle. I would rank this in the middle of the Corralejo pack, with the Reposado being a step above and an excellent balance of complexity and value, and the Blanco (although still very good) just being a step below the Añejo. The nose on the Blanco is phenomenal, but the slight under-delivery on the palate leaves you wanting more. All in all, a solid trio of tequilas from Corralejo, particularly if you enjoy those with a more prominent mineral profile. 3.75 ~ 86 ~ Good

It smells rich - lots of umami and a little sweetness. The palate is really good. There is a fair bit more mineral than I would like but there is some decadent brown sugar vanilla sweetness that balances nicely with some nutmeg and other Christmas spices. Some vegetal flavors from the agave come through too, giving it a bit of an earthy note. There is some complexity but not a ton. This would be a great mixer in a Cadillac margarita. It tastes quite aged and is a surprisingly good sipper. It's hedonistic rather than complex, but sometimes that is really good. There's some spice in here and some milk chocolate too. It has a smooth finish with a nice taste. To the extent there is some fruit, it is candied orange, which goes well with the overall theme. This is a decadent drink at a low price. It's astoundingly delightful to drink. The mineral might be a bit much, but there is a fair amount going on here and there are a couple of stand-out flavors. It could use some more complexity but it is very good. It tastes way older than it is. Is this even tequila? You could almost pass this off as scotch.

Neat. Brassy color, Thin, long legs. Aroma is caramel, oak, smoke, agave, black pepper, slight vanilla, cherry, and citrus. Flavor is sweet caramel balanced with lots of dusty charred oak, spicy cinnamon and black pepper, some vanilla and agave. Finish has lots of oak tannins, some sweetness and pepper. Overall, I enjoyed this, but the flavor is a bit closer to a well aged bourbon than tequila.. That said, would make a great crossover tequila for bourbon lovers.

Nose: its fruity, and tart with a bit of ethanol. Also has a “fresh” aroma to it. Reminds me of unscented lotion. Overall: an uninteresting nose. Body: started with a slight sweetness, followed bg a leathery, tannic profile soon after. Again, unintersting. Finish: the tannins stick around thru the finish. Leaving a dry, disappointing flavor in my mouth. I need water. Overall: Uninteresting. This is an anejo that people whould “shoot” instead of “sip”.

I am giving this a very generous 3.0 because 2.0 is a tad too low. I found this to be a bottle of very' alcoholy' tequila. I bought this while on vacation because my go-to tequila is not retailed in the State of Florida. Perhaps the Reposado is better but this was a disappointment.