First off, Thanks Matt and Agave Swappers. Aroma tonight is not super oaky. Light caramel and spice. My first thought on the flavor was an immediate “tequila” in what I can only say felt… primal. Reminds me of a day old cream soda, full flavor but not a lot of bite. Nice finish that offers a tasty exhale and a throat tightening if you take too deep of a breath and are into that. I dig it. Not sure I’m going to grab a full bottle but that’s just my selective Anejo palate I have right now. This is a very approachable anejo and was quite easy and fun to sip on.

Sampled at Sabor y Cultura Chicago.

(Agave Swappers) The aroma opens with wood, red apple, light banana, and a sharp ethyl sting. On the palate, wood hits first, followed by a distracting floral soapiness that throws the balance. Whiskey notes and tangy-sweet fruit come through, joined by baking spice, orange citrus, and lime zest. The finish is slightly sweet and sticky, caramel and toffee tones flash briefly before trailing off, leaving a faint residue. A few bright moments, but the soapy note detracts from the overall experience.

Received sample from Agave Swappers. Nice oaky nose with sweet caramel and vanilla cream soda, lots of barrel spice. Tasty palate hint of sweet agave, barrel spices, caramel and vanilla. This is a decent Añejo and a good bargain considering it is in the low $70s.

Cinnamon, honey, wood spice in the air as soon as I opened the sample bottle.Very nice gold color in the glass and bottle. Nose has a small amount of ethanol and more spice from the whiskey barrels. Easy entry with a nice agave presence and a good punch from the ABV. A bit of bitter wood at the tail end, but this is well done and I say that as not much of an Añejo or XA drinker for some time now. This tastes very natural and has good mouth feel and a nice tongue spike and bite in the throat to let you know it's tequila, always a good thing. Thanks to Matt Cavanaugh of the Tequila Swappers FB group page for the sample

Vessel: Glencairn Nose: Carmel, Oak, Barrel Spice, Cream Palate: Pepper, Oak, Barrel Spices, Agave Finish: Butterscotch, Pepper, Oak, Sherry I put this one up on Agave Swappers after Chris Cardenas sent me a bottle. I wanted to wait until at least few people in my group reviewed this to share my thoughts.. Here I am! I really enjoyed this one a lot. This was a very well-rounded, solid Añejo, especially for the price! I'd love to see what else Cardenas Legacy has in store! I would love to see an XA and a HP or Still Strength!

Cardenas Anejo Sample from Matt C, Agave Swappers Nose: barrel spices, caramel, vanilla Palate: sweet agave, caramel, vanilla Finish: nice, warm Easy sipper, this will be a great tequila to bring people over from sweet additive bombs to a quality-made, naturally sweet tequila. it'd be a nice after-dinner drink on a chilly day.

Received this sample from Agave Swappers: Nose: Oak, cocoa, brandy and caramel come through up front, balanced nicely by cooked agave. There’s a faint wisp of leather that gives it a little extra character without going over the top. Palate & Mouthfeel: Watery mouthfeel, which is a letdown, but the flavor profile is quite enjoyable - agave, butterscotch, oak, and a touch of anise. It’s a good mix, just lacking texture and weight. Finish: Clean and slightly dry. Not a lot of grip, but it doesn’t fall apart either. It closes quietly but not poorly. Final Thoughts: I like the flavors here more than I expected. There’s a nice balance of sweet, earthy, and spice elements. The thin mouthfeel keeps it from landing fully for me. Still, it’s an easy sipper with plenty of likable notes if you don’t mind the light body.

On the nose: Classic añejo almost XA notes- oak from the French oak barrel, baking spices, caramel, butter, brine, minerality, grape On the pallet: Agave, oak, spices, pepper, barrel wood, Delicious añejo!!! All those good flavors with no additives! It’s balanced, easy to drink, and just reminds me of what a great añejo can be like. Yum! Thanks agave swappers for this one! Would have never found it without you!

Sampled at Sabor y Cultura

This Añejo has been aged in French Oak for 30 months! It has a nice goldenrod to dark gold color. There’s a nice dense note of baked agave along with some butter, caramel, and a hint of Mexican vanilla at the end. There’s some natural sweetness from the cooked agave and the FO barrels along with some barrel spice that I commonly get from French Oak. This is a flavorful Añejo. There are many pleasant notes. It’s not overly dense but it’s packed with flavor. I taste the sweetness that comes from the French Oak. The barrel notes and spice give it a nice mouthfeel and tingle on the palate. It has an agave backbone and the caramel makes an appearance. The flavors are cohesive with medium intensity. Overall this almost XA - Añejo is very flavorful. It’s not so dense that you can’t enjoy a few pours. It’s quite the contrary. This Añejo is very drinkable and flavorful enough to shine in an Old Fashioned or Tequila Carajillo! 70 MSRP

Sample from Agave Swappers Nose: cooked agave, cherries, pear, oak Taste: oak, cooked agave, vanilla, black pepper Finish: short to medium, fruit, oak, black pepper Overall this is quite pleasant. I'm not much of an añejo drinker, but it shares characteristics with some of the top shelf brands though I prefer añejos on the lighter range in terms of aging. This seems to come in at a very reasonable price range, so the value is there.

Such a beautiful expression from an under the radar brand. This one is a must-try.

Agave swap Nose: oak, barrel char, sweet agave, cinnamon Taste: oak, cooked agave, Finish: oak, cherry, cinnamon, vanilla Nice long and evolving finish

The brand is owned by Chris Cardenas. Chris is an Air Force Veteran, Ex-Concert Promoter, and now Tequila Brand Owner. This isn't Chris's first brand. That distinction belongs to Anger Management Tequila. Which can still be found available. Cardenas Legacy is what Anger Management became to lay the foundation for Chris's passion to leave a lasting mark. The Master Distiller behind Cardenas Legacy is Master Distiller Francisco Gonzales Jr. Francisco is a very respected maker of high quality Tequila in the Industry. Being a Gonzales, it's in the blood! The Añejo starts with the production of the Blanco. Ripe Agave from the Highlands is harvested by Jimadors. The Agave are split and have their cogollos removed before being loaded into Stone/Brick Ovens a d slow cooked for hours. Once cooled the Agave are macerated by Rollers Mills with Deep Well Water being added. The Agave Juice is then placed into Stainless Steel Tanks where wild yeasts convert the sugars to alcohol. After Fermentation, it is then Distilled Twice in Copper Pot Still. The next journey for this Tequila began in Used Bourbon Barrels where it spent 30 months aging! 6 short months of being an Extra Añejo... Aroma: Earthy Rich Cooked Agave mix with Oak, Vanilla, and Caramel. A Spicy Cinnamon and Black Pepper blend with influencing other Barrel Spices. A Candied Orange slice coated with Sugar lends itself well! Butterscotch is rich as well. A Leather and Curing Tobacco note open up to show the aging. Once you get past these strong notes, the aromas of Fruits emerge. Sweet Cherry is the driving Fruity note and is followed with Caramel Apple. Then the Dried Fruit notes of Raisin and Prunes. Tastes: The Earthy Agave carries over and is still accompanied by the Oak, Vanilla, and Caramel. Black Pepper dominates the Cinnamon flavor, but both are tasted. A Thanksgiving touch of Candied Yam and Toasted Marshmallow lends itself to the meal... The Candied Citrus is toned down. The Fruity notes of Cherry and Apricot open themselves to the mix. Coffee and Cocoa add a touch on needed bitterness along with the slightest touch of Anise. Finish: A great Sipper to sit next to a campfire! The Barrel Influence last a good long run!!! TMM--88 Salud!!!