I think (confirmed) this is our first Anejo tequila – and if you go buy the ‘reviews’ on the bottle giving this 94/100 points from tequila.net, and being #1 in blind tasting of 164 anejos – it’s possible we have a really good one? Honestly though while this is certainly a bold and distinctive blend of flavors – it’s not exactly a fan favorite here.
I actually grabbed this because I thought I’d heard good things about it – turns out I confused this with another Tequila called Trago. Either way this is certainly a complex beast, and by complex I mean I detect notes of cinnamon (a little too much if I’m honest.) However I suppose like a good scotch or rum or cognac – at this level it really comes down to whether this tickles your particular fancy.
What they Say: (I’ll ignore the fake points and review callouts) “The highland of western Mexico are defined by their high elevation, cool climate, and mineral-rich volcanic ‘tierra roja.’ This is a land where independence prevailed more than 200 years ago. A land where a silky smooth tequila was born from that same independent spirit. This is the land if Riazul. 100% Blue Agave. Aged in French White Oak cognac/brandy barrels. Aged longer than any tequila in it’s class. ”
Taste: 6.5 – It actually carries that smell of citrus and apple pie into the taste. There’s a lot of cinnamon taste here, but it’s delightful.
Aftertaste: 6.0 – That aftertaste is almost all cinnamon.
Burn/Smooth: 8.0 – That is as smooth as the curvy glass it comes in
Aroma: 8.0 – It smells citrus-y but also like apple pie. Either way I love it.
Honesty: 5.0 – See part of me wants to believe it’s literature, and add that into the Anejo’ness with the price tag, but things like the sticker being loose, and bottle shape just don’t make this ‘quality’ Also all the scores nonsense feels a bit masturbatory.
Mixability: 7.0
W/ Rocks: 7.0 – Just sort of opens up the flavor of the taste/aftertaste.
Value: 4.0 – While it is anejo, and a good tequila – you sort of need to want the taste this provides.
Google Shop Average: $55
Website: http://www.riazul.com/
Reviewer Scores:
BuffaloJern: 6.5
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Metric Score: 44.5/70 |+| Metric Average: 6.35 |+| Reviewer Average: 6.5
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Final Thoughts: While it’s not for me, I think I’m still prepared to get to reviewing more Anejo tequilas.
I really wanted to ” like” this anejo mainly due to the price point. I guess for me it wasn’t meant to be. Call me a purist but I would have had a difficult time convincing myself that it was an anejo or even a repo if I had done a blind tasting. I’ve tried it 3 seperate times, the last two with a blank palette and struggled to find a single redeeming quality. Most objectionable was the harshness that I found initially that barely subsided on initial sips.