NOSE: cooked agave, citrus, caramel, cocoa, butterscotch, orange peel PALATE: caramelized agave, banana, toffee, orange peel, citrus & cocoa

I feel like a little extra proof would have helped this bottle be more enjoyable.

It’s thin. Doesn’t wow

Tasted this a while ago, see it’s been added to the satay see here so will try to conjure up my memories of tequilas past. This, like every other siembra Alteño expression I’ve tried, was pretty exceptional all things considered. First let me wager my sole criticism that keeps this tequila from reaching truly elite status like the other two Alteño offerings, and it’s only sort of a half criticism at that; this drinks a little more like an extra añejo than a regular añejo. The barrel notes a very present and the agave can take a little bit of a backseat at times but the barrel notes a simply phenomenal so it’s ok. A lot of butter and honey, maybe a tiny bit of leather. At times I wished it had a little more kick or spice, maybe if it was bottled at cask strength it’d be truly divine… but nevertheless, as someone who’s leaned a lot towards añejos specifically lately, I wished for a tad bit more. But if you’re an XA lover looking for añejo that drinks like one but a lot cheaper than a quality XA I feel like you will feel that you hit the jackpot on this one.

Siembra Alteño Añejo — NOM 1139 Score: 95/100 Nose: Bourbon oak and minerality with an almost stone-like quality. Cooked-agave sweetness comes through nicely along with rich caramel notes. The barrel is noticeable on the nose but doesn’t bury the agave. Taste & Texture: Sweetness leads into cinnamon warmth and pepper. There is a definite barrel presence along with a woody note, but neither becomes overpowering. The agave remains present throughout, giving the pour a really nice balance between the spirit and the barrel. Finish: Very well put together. The barrel tannins provide some drying structure, but they’re subtle and controlled rather than overly drying. A lingering herbal and vegetal character comes through toward the end and helps bring the tequila character back after the sweeter barrel notes. Overall: This one really impressed me. It’s an aged tequila that allows the barrel to contribute bourbon oak, caramel and wood without letting those flavors take over the tequila. There’s still plenty of agave, minerality, pepper, cinnamon and vegetal character underneath it all. The balance is what really did it for me. I’m usually cautious when the bourbon/barrel influence becomes obvious in an aged tequila, but here it complements the agave instead of covering it up. I would absolutely drink this again and recommend it. 95/100 — excellent Añejo and an outstanding first pour from a fresh crack.

Oak, Agave, Vanilla, Black pepper, cinnamon Aroma: 22 Taste:27 Finish 22 Value : 7 $79 Max Bottle Shop Overall: 88 Very Balanced Anejo but not complex.

nice light Anejo. agave forward. honey, cinnamon.m, minerals. almost drank like a repo. no heat whatsoever. quite tasty

Aroma: the agave is quite distinct, but the barrel notes are quite subtle and pleasant. I picked up light cinnamon, butterscotch, and maybe some dried cherry notes. Taste: still very agave forward, but the barrel notes mellow them out nicely. Definite notes of dried cherry and butterscotch, plus a nice peppery kick at the end. Finish: short to medium. Overall: damn it’s good!

Vanilla, Carmel and spice. Slightly sweet but smooth.