Berrueco Tequila Reposado - NOM 1432 - 40%
A while back, I stumbled across an Agave Collectors thread that painted an intriguing picture of this tequila's history. It read, "Berrueco was a one time 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 reposado in 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 oak barrels and bourbon barrels from the 90s. And I really enjoyed the anejo. Off to a good start.
Notes: Mint. Fresh peppers. Apples. Almonds. Banana. Light oak. Very similar to the anejo, but lighter all around. It's a distinct profile that I've only found in the Berrueco expressions. Light on the palate - lean and linear, but the flavors are bold. Pear and bananas up front. Vanilla. Then the unique profile in the finish - combo of musty oak, minerality, and rooty, medicinal notes
Score: 6 (Solid) Missing some of the depth of the anejo. The less traditional notes need better grounding (banana, almond, medicinal roots, musty oak/earth). That said, not having any trouble working through the bottle.
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 - Anything Else To Drink?
2 - Nothing Nice To Say
1 - Drain Pour