Advent Spirits Day 6: Camarena Reposado Tequila

As every schoolchild knows, tequila is made from the blue agave plant. It’s kind of a brutal process: the agave plant’s “heart” is cut from it, boiled, and then stomped on to release the juice. (I went through a similar process when my girlfriend Susie broke up with me in high school.) It’s then fermented and (sometimes) aged in oak barrels. But the “aging” is more of a brief pause on the way to the store, rather than the mellowing-for-years-in-a-dark-warehouse that we associate with whiskey. Indeed, over half of all tequila produced is not aged at all, instead going directly into a bottle and being deemed “Blanco.” In (slight) contrast, “Reposado” tequila is aged for 2-11 months, and the “old” stuff (“Añejo”) has been aged for at year or more.

Here’s the blurb from their website:

“Aged 60 days in Tennessee Whiskey barrels, Camarena Reposado balances natural agave sweetness with soft vanilla and caramel notes. Reach for Reposado the next time you’re in the mood for a bold and smooth cocktail.”

OK, that’s not much to go on. Let’s pour some and see if it’s any good.

Appearance: Even though this has been aged for (barely) two months, this tequila hasn’t developed much color. I would describe it as dishwater, before you even wash any dishes in it.

Aroma: This tequila appears to have no nose at all. It is the snake of tequilas. (Ask a herpetologist to explain that witticism.) Seriously, I can’t smell much of anything from this tequila, except an almost-imperceptible whisper of honeysuckle–and not the flower, but the stem.

Taste: Here’s where Gallo lives up to its reputation. This stuff tastes like lighter fluid. It’s bitter and harsh, though I do notice a little bit of cantaloupe trying to break through. There’s also a hint white pepper and maybe a little Oxalis. Overall, though, this will probably bring back bad memories from your first bender in college.

Finish: The finish is essentially a sensation that your tongue has been run through a meat tenderizer and then dipped in pool acid. Clearly this stuff would benefit from longer aging. Sort of like me.

Bottom Line: A quick Google search tells me you can get a bottle of this stuff for around twenty bucks. If you are drawn to this for the price, you’ll want to only use it in mixed drinks. Which probably means margaritas.