My go-to for tequila is usually a bright and biting, agave-forward, unaged tequila. ~Maybe~ I’ll reach for a reposado if I’m feeling a bit mellow or want to add complexity and nuance to a cocktail. But mostly, I’m a blanco bro.
But during these cold autumn and winter months? There is something really nice about slow sipping a smooth, aged anejo.
Finding a tequila with a pronounced barrel influence, shifting dessert-like flavors, and a smooth finish that still has the brightness and vegetal flavors of agave and hasn’t been perfumed to the point it doesn’t taste like tequila anymore is admittedly tough. Luckily, there are a lot of great bottles out there right now that do just that. So which is the best?
To help guide you to the bottles that are worth their high price tags, we put 8 smooth and sip-worthy bottles of añejo tequila to the blind taste test. Let’s dive in!
Methodology
For this blind taste test, I pulled together eight of my favorite bottles I’ve been sipping on this year. All of the tequilas are aged, most to the añejo state, some to the extra añejo — I eliminated all cristalinos as the color of the liquid is a dead giveaway and I wanted this test to be as blind as possible.
Here is today’s tasting class:
- Cantera Negra — Extra Añejo
- Casa Azul — Anejo
- Cazcanes — Añejo No. 7
- Don Fulano — Añejo
- El Tequileño — Añejo
- Riazul — Añejo
- Tequila Ocho — Extra Añejo
- Tres Agave — Añejo
After each bottle was selected, I received a pour at random under cover of a blindfold and made note of my initial tasting notes. Let’s drink!
Part 1: The Blind Añejo Tequila Taste Test
Taste 1:
Nose: Cherry, oak, and vanilla waft from the glass, a direct sniff will bring in some notes of cinnamon, toffee, and rich roasted agave.
Palate: I’m getting a rush of maple syrup, baking spices, and vanilla, offset by cracked pepper, chili pepper, and agave.
Finish: A great finish, I’m getting some dry oak qualities and a pronounced tip-of-the-tongue sizzle.
Taste 2:
Nose: A rush of vanilla on the nose. That’s about all I’m getting — this one is heavily perfumed.
Palate: There is an almost candy-like quality to this tequila, I’m tasting notes of bubblegum and white sugar.
Finish: More vanilla on the finish, with some maple syrup sweetness and just a touch of barrel. I’m not tasting any agave.
Taste 3:
Nose: Caramelized agave, wet tobacco leaf, butterscotch, and orange rind on the nose.
Palate: Rich, sweet, and complex. I’m tasting chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon, as well as black pepper, plum skins, and a toasted quality.
Finish: Rich oak, coffee, and maple syrup. There is a real woody finish to this one.
Taste 4:
Nose: Warm chocolate, toasty browned butter, and oak barrel.
Palate: Chocolate and butter dominate the palate, with a bit of honey and mint.
Finish: Oddly, those sweet dessert-like flavors fall flat on the finish, which is very dry, blunt, and oakey. All that life from the nose and palate is completely gone on the finish.
Taste 5:
Nose: A lot of minerality with some lactic qualities. I’m also getting roasted agave and some sweet honey.
Palate: Zesty and black pepper forward with light hints of tangerine and vanilla.
Finish: Cinnamon and citrus on the bright finish, with some wet oak flavor lingering on the tongue.
Taste 6:
Nose: Gentle notes of agave hovering over a base of spicy cinnamon, baked cherries, and orange zest.
Palate: Dry with a mix of vanilla, chocolate, and honey tones, and a bit of oak.
Finish: Sweet dessert tones balanced out with some leather, agave brightness, and a lingering spice on the finish that lightly burns the tongue.
Taste 7:
Nose: A heavy dose of roasted agave with a wet leather tone.
Palate: Surprisingly grassy, despite the rugged nose. I’m getting a heavy vegetal character with some charred pineapple and a bit of cinnamon.
Finish: Lots of barrel notes on the dry short finish.
Taste 8:
Nose: Vanilla bean with a hint of maple syrup, and a fruity craisin vibe.
Palate: Caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla balanced out with some tart fruitiness and some dry pepper.
Finish: Molasses and oak with a dry finish.
Part 2: The Blind Añejo Tequila Ranking
8. Riazul — Añejo (Taste 2)
ABV: 40%
Price: $89.99
The Tequila:
Riazul is an interesting brand because while I wouldn’t pull out this bottle for die-hard tequila snobs, it has been my go-to for tequila-drinking beginners who want something that goes down smooth and is easy to drink.
My biggest issue with this tequila is it’s incredibly perfumed and sweet. That’s not what I like about tequila, but I can see how that is a draw for a certain type of drinker. The tequila is produced at NOM 1460, Compañia Tequilera de Arandas using agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, roller mill extracted, and aged for two years in French Cognac barrels.
The Bottom Line:
If you like easily drinkable, sweet, super smooth tequila, you’re going to love Riazul. But if that doesn’t sound like what you want out of your tequila, look elsewhere.
7. Cantera Negra – Extra Añejo (Taste 4)
ABV: 40%
Price: $112.49
The Tequila:
Cantera Negra’s Extra Añejo has a lot of things going for it. The flavor is nuanced and complex, but its finish didn’t quite wow us like the brands we ranked higher.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1554 utilizing autoclave cooking and roller mill extraction, and mixed with well water which helps add a palpable minerality to the flavor. For the añejo state, the tequila is aged in French oak, American white oak, and cognac casks.
The Bottom Line:
Cantera Negra offers sweet dessert tones and a barrel-heavy finish, while still offering natural agave-forward brightness.
6. Casa Azul – Añejo (Taste 7)
ABV: 40%
Price: $99.99
The Tequila:
Of all the bottles we blind taste tested today, Casa Azul was the only aged tequila that had a noticeable grassy vibe. That’s common in blancos and reposados, and way less common in añejos, so we welcome how much this was able to retain the pure flavor of tequila, despite the 12-13 month aging.
The tequila is produced at NOM 1480, Tequila Las Americas, home to 37 different brands, with a low and slow brick oven cook and mixed with well water.
The Bottom Line:
A surprisingly bright and grassy aged tequila.
5. Tres Agaves Añejo (Taste 5)
ABV: 40%
Price: $37.99
The Tequila:
For the price, it’s harder to find a finer bottle of añejo tequila. No, it’s not the sort of liquid that is going to blow you away or impress your tequila-snob friends, but it’s a great bottle that gives you that slow sip quality and flavor without totally breaking the bank.
The tequila is produced at the famed NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, from agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave, rolled mill extracted, and rested for 18 months in ex Kentucky bourbon and Tennesse whiskey barrels.
The Bottom Line:
For the price, it’s hard to find a better bottle. This one is also additive-free, which is always appreciated.
4. El Tequileño — Añejo (Taste 8)
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $88.99
The Tequila:
Don’t let its understated label and bottle design fool you, this is one of the best bottles of añejo tequila in the market and it’s no surprise to us that it performed incredibly well for this blind taste test.
El Tequileño’s añejo is a multi-award-winning tequila produced at NOM 1108, where it is the only brand in production. It is made from estate-grown blue agave cooked in a high-pressure autoclave and aged for 18 months in American and French Oak barrels.
The Bottom Line:
Additive-free, wonderfully complex, and tasty. You can’t go wrong with this bottle.
3. Don Fulano — Añejo (Taste 6)
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $89.99
The Tequila:
There is something grand about opening up a bottle of Don Fulano. Maybe it’s that giant glass-topped cork, but this is the sort of tequila that feels luxurious, which isn’t everything but is certainly important to some people.
This additive-free tequila is produced at NOM 1146, Tequileña, from agave sourced from the Atontonilco highlands. To reach its añejo state, it was rested in French limousine and Nevers ex-wine oak casks for 30 months.
The Bottom Line:
Don Fulano offers a sip-worthy luxurious experience that combines mellow, complex tones and that characteristic bite that we all love when it comes to tequila.
2. Cazcanes Añejo No. 7 (Taste 1)
ABV: 40%
Price: $134.99
The Tequila:
Cazcanes rose above the rest due to its complex bouquet of flavors, wonderful nose, and supreme finish. This is the sort of tequila that shifts and changes with each sip, making it a true joy to drink.
Cazcanes is produced at NOM 1614, Tequilera Tap, from agave that is autoclave cooked, rolled mill extracted, and made with spring water. To reach the añejo state, the tequila is aged in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels.
The Bottom Line:
Cazcanes is the sort of tequila that surprises you with every drink, giving you something new to latch onto and fall in love with.
1. Tequila Ocho — Extra Añejo (Taste 3)
ABV: 40%
Average Price: $214.99
The Tequila:
Here it is, our winner of the blind añejo tequila taste test! If someone told me this was their favorite tequila brand, I wouldn’t even bat an eye. I’m not sure there is a single brand more consistently great across expressions as Tequila Ocho, and that applies to its most aged liquid, the extra añejo.
The flavor is full-bodied, rich, and complex. The tequila is produced at NOM 1474, Cía. Tequila Los Alambiques, with single estate agave that is cooked low and slow in stone ovens, roller mill extracted, and aged in American oak ex-whiskey barrels for three years in American oak barrels. Released this year, it’s easily the best añejo we’ve tried in what is proving to be a very good year for tequila.
The Bottom Line:
Intense and a true delight for all the senses, from nose to palate to finish. Tequila Ocho’s Extra Añejo is one of the finest bottles of tequila, period.
