The Last Drop Distillers has revealed its first-ever tequila, marking the 40th release in its portfolio.
Long known for unearthing rare and remarkable spirits, The Last Drop Distillers commissioned pioneering tequilera Carmen Villarreal to create a highly limited extra añejo expression, limited to 435 bottles and priced at $2,300.
Once the passion project of Tom Jago and James Espey, The Last Drop is now backed by Sazerac, giving it access to some of the most storied casks in the world, including a 27-year-old bourbon from Buffalo Trace. This time, though, the liquid comes from outside its orbit: Casa San Matías, one of Mexico’s oldest family-owned tequila houses, producing spirits since 1886.
Villarreal took over the distillery in 1997 and remains one of the few women leading a tequila house in Mexico. Under her guidance, Casa San Matías has continued to push boundaries, having created the world’s first-known extra añejo in 1991.
Extra añejo tequila must spend at least three years in a barrel. This one goes well beyond that, with liquid aged between seven and ten years. Villarreal chose three casks: two ex-bourbon barrels aged a decade and one port pipe aged seven years. Port casks are almost unheard of in tequila, adding rich fruit and subtle tannin while demanding careful balance. It is the kind of precision that is difficult for the big houses to scale, and what Casa San Matías is built for.
According to The Last Drop, the resulting tequila “retains a vibrancy that belies its age, with notes of roasted nuts, tropical fruits, dulce de leche and warming spices lifted by delicate floral elegance.”
Villarreal now joins The Last Drop Assembly, the brand’s collective of world-leading blenders and distillers, which includes Drew Mayville of Buffalo Trace and Louise McGuane of JJ Corry.
“For generations, Mexico’s most skilled tequileros have crafted spirits that capture the soul of the land,” Villarreal said. “Even in my decades at Casa San Matías, opportunities to shape an extra añejo of this rarity, exploring the nuances that come from unique casks and ageing techniques, are extraordinary. To see it selected by The Last Drop, and to contribute as a member of the Assembly, is both humbling and inspiring.”
The Last Drop Release No. 40 Extra Añejo Tequila (46.3% ABV) will be available globally from November 2025 at an SRP of $2,300, lastdropdistillers.com
