There is a common misconception that we here at Talking Bourbon only like to drink Bourbon, nothing could be farther from the truth. No, we love good red wine, Irish Whisky, gin, rum, and of course tequila. We also like beer, with Matt being more of a craft brew guy while Todd, more of a Miller Lite guy. Hell, we even drink vodka. Seeing as how warm weather is coming and that always puts us in the mood for margaritas or just a good tequila on the rocks, today Talking Bourbon is Talking Tequila.
Don Julio Reposado is made from 100% Blue Webber agave, is aged 8 months in American white oak barrels, is 80 proof, sells for around $55-$60, can be found just about anywhere that sells decent liquor and comes in a short, squat, square looking corked bottle. The bottle states “It is the world’s first luxury Tequila.” That seems like a pretty big claim and one we have no idea how to verify. But if it is good, who cares if it was first or not?
As stated above, we like tequila. We really like tequila, and are big fans of Reposados. Having said that, we have never done a review of one. By that, we mean actually trying to concentrate on the smells and tastes. Hopefully, our review matches our enthusiasm for the drink.
NOSE
Todd: A good nose of agave, lime, and other citrus notes upfront. Lingering behind those are nice aromas of wood, almonds, and a slight sourness, and I do not mean that in a bad way.
Matt: Yeah, definitely agave up front with pear, damp wood, and salt all as secondary aromas. Also get a very slight smell of varnish. Like Todd’s sourness, it is not a negative.
TASTE
Todd: Very good! I still get the lime/citrus and agave as the main players. But there are some good secondary flavors here including oak, pepper, sweet/sour, and a fruit I cannot identify. Also, get a taste that I can only describe as tropical.
Matt: Lime and that same sweet and sour that Todd got. Also, a little vanilla. And, Pear Pie? Is that a thing?
FINISH
Todd: Long with more of the sweet and sour plus a little spice.
Matt: Medium long with an almost buttery finish that coats the tongue.
OVERALL
Todd: I like it a lot. Makes me want to drink more. So…
Matt: A great drink for the first days of summer. If I wasn’t already wearing shorts, this would make me want to.
Nose 4.5 out of 5
Taste 8.5 out of 10
Finish 4 out of 5
Total score 17 out of 20 barrels.
Well, this was fun drinking and reviewing. We think Talking Tequila needs to make a return sometime in the near future.
First luxury tequila or not, we don’t care, we are a fan of Don Julio and this Reposado. Had a great nose, was smooth and not too hot neat, was great with a little ice, and would make for a great cocktail even though a little on the high side to mix. Regarding the price, we have found $40 is pretty much the floor for tequilas, if you know of one that is great below that let us know. So having said that $55 or $60 is not over the top.
We both liked Don Julio Reposado and if you are a tequila person, we think you will as well. We both will make it a point to always have a bottle on hand because you never know when you need to be reminded that it is summer!
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