The Last Drop, Extra Añejo Tequila, Release No. 40
Sometimes a spirit comes along that alters the image of the category as a whole. This tequila arguably does just that. Long known for unearthing rare and remarkable spirits, The Last Drop Distillers commissioned pioneering tequilera Carmen Villarreal of Casa San Matías to create this highly limited extra añejo expression, limited to 435 bottles and priced at $2,300. 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.
Nose
Heather, aniseed, orange peel
Palate
Toasted agave, orange blossom, earthiness
Finish
Toasted oak, dried fruits
The first thing you notice is the viscosity. The liquid clings to the glass with admirable aplomb. There's real complexity on the nose, with fragrant notes of heather, aniseed and orange peel — and plenty of age in there, too. Vanilla and toasted oak arrive from the ex-bourbon barrels, and even some dried fruits from the port pipes, alongside a pleasant menthol spice. On the palate, the orange hits first, more fragrant here than on the nose and mixed with dried flowers. The texture is lovely, coating the mouth without being thick. There's lots of cooked agave, more menthol spice, and an earthiness that ties it to Jalisco. The finish is long – inviting in the maturity with some oak spice and dried fruits. This is a different experience to the Blanco entirely, almost a different category.
Style
Details
The Last Drop, Extra Añejo Tequila, Release No. 40
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