AT A GLANCE

• Owned by: Citryve International

• Distilled by: Tequila Cascahuin (NOM 1123), El Arenal, Jalisco, Mexico

• Agave: Tequilana Azul

• Cooking: Brick Ovens

• Crush: Roller Mill

• Fermentation: Stainless Steel Tanks

• Still Type: Stainless Steel Pot Still with Copper Coils

• Spirit Type: 100% Agave Reposado Tequila

• Strength: 40%

• Price: $39

Tequila El Rey Reposado is a 100% agave tequila from Tequila Cascahuin NOM 1123, in the lowland valleys of Jalisco. Tequila Cascahuin was founded in 1904 by Salvador Rosales Briseno and they allow at least two percent of their agaves to flower. While this is a good start, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Universidad Autónoma de Mexico have suggested that a minimum of 5% of agaves (about 200 per hecter) should be allowed to flower to maintain both a healthy bat population and enough genetic diversity in the plans.

According to the brand, 8 year old blue agaves are harvested from the lowlands surrounding Mount Cascahuín outside the town of El Arenal. The agave piñas are halved and then cooked for 72 hours in brick ovens. The cooked piñas are then shredded and pressed with a roller mill and the juice is pumped into large open top fermentors made of stainless steel. The must is allowed to ferment with the ambient yeast in the distillery before it is double distilled in stainless steel pot still that have an internal copper coil. The coil serves the dual purpose of heating the contents of the still and helps remove any sulfur from the spirit that might taint the flavor. After distillation, the reposado is allowed to mature for 6 months in both toasted and charred American oak barrels. After aging, the tequila is filtered and bottled at 40% ABV.

TASTING NOTES

Nose: The nose is very light with just a hint of orange peal, wood character and a little bit of alcohol.

Palate: On the palate the flavors, like the aromas are muted with soft flavors of orange zest, pepper, vanilla, and oak with a slight alcohol burn on the tongue.

Finish: On the finish, flavors of black pepper and roasted agave softly fade away.

Conclusion: El Ray Reposado is a nice spirit but fans of the El Rey Silver should know up front that this is very different. This repo is very soft and light and will likely please those who enjoy more orange and vanilla flavors in their tequila. At $39 per bottle, the El Rey repo is not a bad deal but it is also not likely to blow anyone away. That being said, this reposado will show well in a tequila daiquiri or even in a Paloma.