Añejo Tequila Is a Hoax

Published on Friday, March 21, 2008, by Jordan Mackay / Edit Post

Paul Blow

Añejo is the most expensive and supposedly most refined form of tequila (besides extra añejo, which became an official category in 2006). But there are very few añejos that I would drink over a decent whiskey or brandy. Why drink an agave liquor if you can’t taste the agave?

While judging the San Francisco World Spirits Competition last week, I was on a panel tasting añejo. One of the other judges, Diageo Master of Whisky Steve Beal, said, “When you’re talking about añejo tequila, you’re really talking about fake whiskey.” Beale is an affirmed whiskey man, but he knows a lot about tequila and often gives presentations on Don Julio, a Diageo brand.

I tasted a dozen añejos that couldn’t have been more different. All of them were 100 percent agave, though many showed no agave character at all, tasting more like weak whiskey because the oak cloaked the flavor. Colors ranged from light amber to mahogany.

The exotic tropical and vegetal flavors of well-distilled agave are not particularly compatible with the vanilla sweetness and spice of oak barrels. White oak (Quercus alba), the kind used for these barrels, is not indigenous to Mexico; rather it was adopted at some time in the (relatively short) 150-year history of tequila, probably for storage purposes. Today, flavor, not storage, is the primary reason for the use of European and American oak barrels, in an attempt to emulate the characteristics of fine, oak-aged rums, whiskeys, and brandies.

My favorite añejos at the tasting were the ones that had the most agave character. These were 7 Leguas, which won the competition, and El Tesoro. But, given the choice, I’d take a good highlands blanco over a wood-aged tequila any day. The clear, unaged versions of El Tesoro, Don Julio, 7 Leguas, or Espolón express the essence of agave well. Or better yet, go for an excellent mezcal such as Del Maguey, which, thanks to its primitive fermenting and distillation methods, is the purest form of agave spirit there is.

Jordan Mackay is a San Francisco–based wine and spirits specialist whose work has appeared in publications such as Gourmet, the Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, and Decanter. His Juice column appears most Thursdays. Fan him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

ALLThe Juice
POST A COMMENT |7 Comments

COMMENT

  • Many Anejos are aged in used whiskey and bourbon barrels, and will obviously pick up those same flavors. But there are many out there that don't fall into that same flavor profile, and still have agave flavor. Whether used or virgin barrels, each distillery is trying to differentiate their products, and now you have French Oak, Cognac, and Sherry / Wine barrels (just to name a few) entered into...+READ

    Many Anejos are aged in used whiskey and bourbon barrels, and will obviously pick up those same flavors. But there are many out there that don't fall into that same flavor profile, and still have agave flavor. Whether used or virgin barrels, each distillery is trying to differentiate their products, and now you have French Oak, Cognac, and Sherry / Wine barrels (just to name a few) entered into the aging process.

    To me that is what makes Tequila so wonderful, between the Blancos, Reposados, Anejos, and Extra Anejos, you can typically please all palates. Those with more experienced palates appreciate the stronger flavors found in blancos, mezcals, and higher proof spirits. Anejos are perfect for reintroducing people back into Tequila.-COLLAPSE

  • Aaron.... why drink something if you can't taste the barley, corn mash, sugarcane or potatoes?

    I do agree that one of the things that makes Tequila special is the ability to have a very smooth & refined beverage that does retain the character if its ingredients... that is why I drink Blancos and Reposados. However, the criticisms of Anejos are bogus, as I have pointed out earlier.

  • Thank you for such a wonderful read! I don't care what others might say, I absolutely love anejos and try to taste as many I possibly can. But doing so I tend to agree with you, why would you drink an agave liquor if you can’t taste the agave? This is such a "subjective" issue I guess.

  • If I drink tequila it is only blanco. The fruit taste is masked by too much oak and all that I end up tasting is wood. Doesn't mean that anejo is bad, it's just that I really enjoy the fruit character of tequila.

  • Jordan -

    Can you please expand on the "fake whiskey" thought?

    Is tequila a catagory that fits into your "in defense of cheap liquor" thoughts?

    My fav is tequila catagory is "blanco". I am really enjoying the Tezon product now. Would love to hear other thoughts about blancos that people enjoy.

  • I agree, Eat Nopal. Just because anejo doesn't conform to some abstract ideal, doesn't mean it can't be very good.
    Also, just because a lot of the big name brands like Don Julio do a terrible job of making anejo, doesn't mean it can't be good. It just means that it's very difficult to make a good, or even decent, anejo.
    The comparison to Scotch is apt, however, but not for the reasons given in...+READ

    I agree, Eat Nopal. Just because anejo doesn't conform to some abstract ideal, doesn't mean it can't be very good.
    Also, just because a lot of the big name brands like Don Julio do a terrible job of making anejo, doesn't mean it can't be good. It just means that it's very difficult to make a good, or even decent, anejo.
    The comparison to Scotch is apt, however, but not for the reasons given in this article. To say that anejos are no good because they lose their agave character would be like saying that Scotch is no good because it loses its barley character. Sure, in tasting just about any Scotch you can taste that it is made from barley, but no more so than any anejo tastes (and smells) of agave. Drink a good single malt Scotch next to an Irish pure pot still and you'll realize how much the barley flavor is masked (by the malting just as much as the aging). You can make a lot of those sort of comparisons, like rhum agricole to rum from the Spanish and English Caribbean, or even wine to brandy.
    The point is, it's not the form that's the problem; it's the way most distillers approach it. That's true of any liquor.-COLLAPSE

  • Jordan I think you are on the wrong side of a new paradigm.

    I myself prefer Blanco & Reposado over Anejo... and I do like Scotch myself (although I am limited to pretty run of the mill products like Glenlivet, Macallan, Oban etc.,)... and usually like to drink it Neat (unless its really warm) so that I can really taste all the flavor nuances.

    But I have to tell you... I know alot of people...+READ

    Jordan I think you are on the wrong side of a new paradigm.

    I myself prefer Blanco & Reposado over Anejo... and I do like Scotch myself (although I am limited to pretty run of the mill products like Glenlivet, Macallan, Oban etc.,)... and usually like to drink it Neat (unless its really warm) so that I can really taste all the flavor nuances.

    But I have to tell you... I know alot of people that don't like Scotch and think it taste like medicine... wheras they do like Anejos...

    I detached myself as much as possible and did a tasting and I can see why some people are drawn to Anejos... they are very smooth, complex & pleasant tasting.

    My guess if you take a bunch of 20 year olds that haven't tasted either, and you didn't inform them that one drink has greater pedigree than another... the majority would prefer the Anejos and become lifelong Anejo drinkers.

    I think the Paradigm is shifting, and your perception of Scotch vs. Tequila is more rooted in culture & customs than in actual sensoral experiences.-COLLAPSE