Of course it should go without saying,  I am only drinking 100% de Agave tequila here; this isn’t some pretend tequila spirit. The Azuñia is aged 12+ months in aged American oak barrels so I’m hoping it brings a lot of character to the palate.

My initial impression of the bouquet of the Azuñia Añejo is definite sweet agave and over-ripened salty pineapple skins. Diving my nose deeper into the glass brings strong caramel flavors, sea salt, vanilla bean and even a bit of mineral “soil” like impressions. The nose contains some citrus-like freshness, perhaps a dash of lemon or perhaps a bit of lime, it’s hard to define exactly which citrus flavoring but it is present and appreciated.

The taste introduces a light sweetness with a spicy mid-palate transition that drives right into the agave farm on your face. You can almost taste these agave planets baking in the rich soils of Mexico when you take a sip. The finish is clean and spicy and its flavors fade off just a bit too soon. I find myself taking multiple sips to relive the complex tasting experience with a second sip getting a bit of white pepper, a buttery charred oak and dried tropical fruit.

The finish still seems to end a bit quick, I would love the finish to extend 30-40 seconds but seems to escape a few seconds early. There is a slight bright mint, perhaps from the alcohols evaporating on your tongue without any abrasive burn to sour your face. This clean evaporation leaves a cool mint feeling in the mouth.

The Azuñia Tequla Añejo is definitely targeting a broad demographic with a strong focus on the “common man” profile. Often times people think “tequila makes me do bad things” and they have not yet grown to respect the true 100% de agave tequilas in silver, reposado and añejo. Azuñia seems to strive to find those nonbelievers and show them that tequila can be just as complex as a bourbon or scotch with less oak and more pepper.

I say broad demographic because Azuñia Añejo is very well rounded with just the right complexity without an intense single focus. This is a clean, refreshing and mature spirit and it’s exciting to sip. The only two faults I can really point out is that it is a bit light/medium bodied without a big thick viscosity I often see in an añejo and the finish is too fast. If the finish was less tasty I’d not be sad to see it go, but I’d love for it to linger longer.

Azuñia Tequila Añejo will no doubt be a huge contender for some of those “ultra-premium” big market brands. Arriving at around USD $50-55, you’re getting a worthwhile bottle of Tequila that would easily contend with a $60 Scotch. Definitely checkout this brand, they’re going places.

http://everydaydrinkers.com/2010/03/05/azunia-tequila-anejo-review/