Berrueco Single Barrel Anejo - NOM 1432 - 40%
Context: A while back, I stumbled across an Agave Collectors thread that painted an intriguing picture of this tequila's history. "Berrueco was a onetime production back in 1998 and the distillery dismantled. This production/lot was a terrible mistake gone right. The anejo is a pure 100% single barrel. The reposado is just a blend with about 20% single barrel on it. This brand can’t be imitated with today’s agave utilization standards and the bourbon like notes probably impossible to reproduce."
One time production. Dead distillery. New American oak barrels from the 90s. Off to a good start.
Nose: Floral vanilla. Old bourbon oak - 15+ years. Caramel. Butterscotch. Tons of fruit. Baked apples. Pears. Orange blossom. Baker’s chocolate. Lots going on. Very expressive. The agave is getting lost which would be a big strike for many enthusiasts. But this profile is completely compelling to me. Very different than most over-oaked tequila or bourbon.
Flavor: Sugar glaze, orchard fruits - grapes, orange marmalade, dry-vegetal notes (here's the quality agave) and oak. The oak drives all of it, but there’s plenty of layers and complexity including some fresh floral notes.
Palate Structure: Great weight on the palate. Fruit and oak provides plenty of depth and breadth on the palate. Finish is long and low heat with dry oak and medicinal cherry.
Alcohol Integration: Dialed in.
You’d Dig This If You Like:
Dusty Bourbon
Spanish Brandy (dry leaning, barrel driven)
Score: 8 (Stash One) The oak is heavy, but this doesn’t confuse itself with whiskey or brandy. Never leans too sweet. It’s dry and deep in all the right places. Integrating the fruits and vegetal notes takes it to the next level. Floral notes can be polarizing for me. Here they were soft, subtle, and well integrated.
Rating System
10 - Reevaluate The Budget
9 - Stash Two (If Able)
8 - Stash One (At The Right Price)
7 - Highly Recommend It To Strangers
6 - Solid - Above Average
5 - Acceptable For The Situation
4 - Not Vocally Complaining
3 - Wish I Was Drinking Something Else
2 - Nothing Nice To Say
1 - Drain Pour