Acosta Tequila, Reposado

This richly amber-colored tequila gives nutty notes of hazelnut praline, honeycomb toffee, cherry cola, light licorice, and a hint of agave. The palate gives a huge amount of orange oil, spirit notes, dried apricots, and leather, with a little herbal agave note in the background. A mouth-coating finish has a lot of sweetness but little else. Some black tea and bitter amaro notes, with a hint of coffee. Herbal notes at the death.

This reposado is sweet and really bursting with caramel on the nose. Some baked orchard fruits come through, along with white chocolate fudge, subtle spicing, and boxed raisins. On the palate, there is some leathery age and hot spice — it is a tad too hot for its ABV — and the finish has a slight edge of wood character. Overall, this feels a bit deconstructed as a tequila when it comes to showing age or the character of the agave.

On the nose: buttery, with tarte Tatin notes, dark caramel, and stewed red fruit, with a sprinkling of fresh vanilla pod. Fresh mint, almost a hint of malty smoke, butterscotch, then into a delicate touch of pepper and slight green vegetal notes (gooseberries). On the palate it's surprisingly dry, given the sweetness of the nose. Some oily fattiness coats the palate, along with ripe rhubarb and a very dry, almost dark, bitter licorice note. There's a tannic, dry backbone that hints at French oak, leading into the finish: a bold, dry pepperiness that dominates. Not unpleasant, but a big distinction between the aroma and the flavor.