{"id":82093,"date":"2025-02-11T14:34:14","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T14:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/alcohol\/aging-gracefully-the-art-of-the-anejo\/"},"modified":"2025-02-11T14:34:14","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T14:34:14","slug":"aging-gracefully-the-art-of-the-anejo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=82093","title":{"rendered":"Aging Gracefully \u2013 The Art of the A\u00f1ejo"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Barrels aren\u2019t new to the tequila industry, but carefully aging products in barrels may be. Back in the early 1800s tequila was transported around Guadalajara in small wooden barrels, according to writer and tequila historian Ted Genoways<\/strong>. Later in that century mules carried similar tequila-filled barrels over the border to share the wealth with neighbors to the north. But the first marketed a\u00f1ejo didn\u2019t arrive until 1917 with Jose Cuervo\u2019s \u201cSupremo Tequila A\u00f1ejo\u201d called Cuatro Letras, promoted in its time as \u201ca fine substitute for the better Cognacs,\u201d according to Genoways. Despite this history, producers are just starting to play with a larger range of styles. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe get a very rich product out of the still, so this has not forced us to look for greater complexity or subtlety of maturation techniques,\u201d says Sergio Mendoza<\/strong>, owner of Tequila Don Fulano<\/a>, made at the distillery Tequile\u00f1a<\/a> (NOM 1146), which has one of the most extensive barrel collections in the industry. Because tequila producers have been spoiled by the complexity of their raw material \u2014agave\u2014 they didn\u2019t start taking aging seriously until the last 50 to 60 years, he notes.<\/p>\n

Today, tequileros have a lot of options when it comes to aging techniques, from the choice of barrels, to how they are treated, how long they are used, and whether they are blended, or left as single barrels. All of these are important decisions that affect the final product. In fact, Mendoza estimates that 70% to 80% of an aged tequila\u2019s qualities come from the aging.<\/p>\n

While the subtleties are seemingly endless, we thought we could at least take you for a sneak peek to see how a few brands approach their a\u00f1ejos.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll start our journey at tequila El Tequile\u00f1o<\/a>, since the brand has long had a blanco and reposado, but no permanent a\u00f1ejo in its lineup. (They did produce a very good a\u00f1ejo for the brand\u2019s 50th anniversary in 2009, aptly named \u201cEspecial 50th Aniversario<\/a>\u201c.) <\/p>\n

Now that El Tequile\u00f1o is under new ownership (it was bought by Wayne Henuset<\/strong>\/Paradise Spirits in 2017) they decided to expand their offerings, bringing both a\u00f1ejos and extra a\u00f1ejos (XAs) into the mix, as well as extra aged reposados.<\/p>\n

We joined them one morning last November in the town of Tequila as their tasting team took samples from many different barrels, and different \u201clots,\u201d or distillation runs. <\/p>\n

\u201cEach barrel adds a different nuance to the lot,\u201d says Randy Ullom<\/strong>, Winemaster at Family Jackson Wines, and a new stakeholder in the El Tequile\u00f1o brand.<\/p>\n

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Randy Ullom takes inventory of the barrel samples that will be blended together to create the new El Tequile\u00f1o A\u00f1ejo tequila release.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

They pulled 12 extra a\u00f1ejo samples and around 35 a\u00f1ejo samples from older, charred American Oak barrels, as well as newer American Oak and French Oak barrels. The samples ranged from just 1 month in age, to 7 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are looking for those minute attributes both in the aromatics, and of course in the palate\u2026 you want it to be fulfilling and have a nice finish,\u201d Ullom says.<\/p>\n

When the tasters went to work some samples were eliminated at the outset (if they tasted like they needed extra time in the barrel, for example), while others were identified as standouts.<\/p>\n

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A list of the barrels used during the blending session for the new El Tequile\u00f1o A\u00f1ejo tequila.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For instance, they set aside a sample that carried the brand\u2019s signature orange peel aroma, according to Tony Salles<\/strong>, Master Distiller at El Tequile\u00f1o. He represents the third generation of tequileros at the distillery and is working with the new owners to keep the brand\u2019s traditions alive.<\/p>\n

Once all the samples were evaluated, Ullom began blending. Instead of having an end product in mind, the blending takes advantage of what the aging is giving them, he says.<\/p>\n

Of course, the process of creating new profiles is much different than if you have an established product, and are looking to produce some level of consistency batch to batch. <\/p>\n

Over at Casa Noble<\/a> they strive for consistency through barrel blending, and tasting to make sure the aged tequila meets their profile, such as balanced agave, vanilla, spices and dried fruits, says Casa Noble Global Brand Ambassador Dave Yan<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

They age all of their regular reposado and a\u00f1ejo in French Oak barrels, but of different sizes and different toast levels. This gives them a greater variety of aromas and flavors from the same wood. When the tequila in them reaches maturity, it is sampled by their aging master, Juan Jose<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

They lean heavily on his palate to ensure that the blending of barrels is successful. He first tastes the tequila coming out of each barrel and decides whether it will go into the blend he is producing, or set aside for a single-barrel product if it is particularly unique.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a matter of integrating what you have in the right portion without losing your identity,\u201d says Yan. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the craft.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, blending a percentage of different barrels and having a team check new batches to gauge consistency is one common way that a\u00f1ejos are produced. But there is one tequila producer who takes a very different approach, by \u201cvatting.\u201d <\/p>\n

This is a process more typically used by producers of Scotch, Cognac, and Whisky in Europe, but was adopted by Enrique Fonseca<\/strong> at Distileria La Tequile\u00f1a around 30 years ago. It is a \u201cpost-aging process\u201d in which they put multiple barrels into a large wooden or stainless steel vat, and then let it \u201cmarry\u201d, so the different flavors combine and mellow, says Don Fulano\u2019s Mendoza, who is also Enrique\u2019s nephew.<\/p>\n

This is done because each individual barrel has its own profile and contributes different components to the product, which can divert from the desired profile, he says. Marrying also has the advantage of bringing the blend of batches into balance, he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how once you start blending barrels the product is literally resisting each other on a molecular level,\u201d Mendoza says. But with time, it comes together<\/p>\n

At La Tequile\u00f1a they have around 36 wooden vats of between 12,000 and 16,000 liters, plus another two dozen stainless steel ones. They empty a different mix of barrels into each vat, depending on the product they are producing, and let them marry for at least 60 days to bring the different barrels in balance.<\/p>\n

\"Vatting
Large pipones are used in the vatting process at the La Tequile\u00f1a distillery located in Tequila, Jalisco.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When an individual vat dips below 50% full they will add more barrels into it, so they are keeping consistency by this natural \u201cback-blending\u201d process.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe real advantage of this is being able to fine-tune the product to exactly what you want to achieve, Mendoza says. <\/p>\n

Otherwise, tequila has so many variables it is difficult to control, he notes. But with their process they are ensuring that if a consumer likes one of their aged products, they will be able to get something very similar in the future.<\/p>\n

Tequila Patr\u00f3n<\/a> reaches consistency in a similar vein, with their \u201csolera\u201d system. This is a method of keeping a certain amount of inventory on hand to meet demand by making many small batches, blending them to a desired profile, and then letting them marry in holding tanks.<\/p>\n

Because they have a continuous flow of volume going to holding and then to bottling, the inventory in the solera hardly moves, creating consistency, says Patr\u00f3n Production Director Antonio Rodriguez<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

By the time the tequila is bottled it has been tasted twice by their aging team\u2014once when it is removed from the barrel and blended, before it goes into the solera system, and again before bottling.<\/p>\n

In each case, these \u201cvatting\u201d-type processes are done with precise measurements of the aged products being added in. Knowing the type of barrel, the flavors it is producing, and how long the tequila has been resting, is crucial. But these systems also require aging volume\u2014a great number of barrels to rotate product in and out of. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s not the case at Fortaleza, which is dedicated to small batch production. The brand ages both its reposado and a\u00f1ejo in used American Oak whisky barrels. When the tequila reaches its desired age (around 6 months for the repo and 18 months for the a\u00f1ejo), the barrels are emptied into a holding tank, and then bottled fairly quickly to keep up with demand. There is no adjusting to match previous batches. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t try to get consistency \u2014 that\u2019s what small batch means,\u201d says Tequila Fortaleza<\/a> Owner Guillermo Erickson Sauza<\/strong>. \u201cThere will be some tiny variations that are impossible to control.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortaleza has long embraced the changeable nature of tequila, showcasing differences in agave, production runs, barrels, and seasons. Like wine, tequila has terroir and is affected by many tiny changes in the environment and in the process. By putting a \u201cLot\u201d number on each bottle, Fortaleza acknowledges that each batch is unique.<\/p>\n

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The barrel room at Tequila Fortaleza is part of their small batch process. Each lot ends up having its own unique characteristics and \u201cconsistency\u201d is not the main objective.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For instance, a Lot 47 reposado and Lot 48 reposado might have different colors or taste slightly different, Sauza says. \u201cThere\u2019s many things that can drive that, but what comes out of the barrels is what comes out. One thing I can say for sure is that we don\u2019t use additives (for consistency).\u201d<\/p>\n

He makes an important point. Letting batches speak for themselves, or carefully blending barrels and using vatting-like processes to try to find consistency is not done industry-wide. In fact, many producers rely on additives<\/a> such as caramel coloring and oak extracts to create consistency. <\/p>\n

This is allowed under industry regulations, but is not\u2014in our view\u2014the most graceful way to age. Some industry insiders, who choose not to be quoted, acknowledge that one of the biggest mistakes in the tequila industry was setting up the expectation that aged tequilas should be consistent, with the same color and flavor no matter when they were made, or which barrels were used. Until consumers realize that in order to achieve batch-to-batch parity some producers will rely on additives, we will be stuck with this consistency dilemma.<\/p>\n

Back at Tequile\u00f1o the blending continued. Ullom decided to add a little bit of extra a\u00f1ejo to their new permanent a\u00f1ejo product.<\/p>\n

\"El
Randy Ullom takes notes of all the samples before combining them together in the blending session for the new El Tequile\u00f1o A\u00f1ejo tequila.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Master Distiller Salles seemed happy with the result. \u201cI think we outdid ourselves (compared with 50th Aniversario). It has a really good flavor and aroma of sweet vanilla and honey.\u201d And importantly, it keeps with the house style. \u201cYou could easily say this is Tequile\u00f1o,\u201d Salles says.<\/p>\n

To keep consistency for future lots, they will hold onto some of the new a\u00f1ejo to \u201cback blend\u201d with future batches.<\/p>\n

After hours of tasting and blending, the team landed on a new a\u00f1ejo, now dubbed A\u00f1ejo Gran Reserva, which is a blend of 2-year a\u00f1ejo with 6-year extra a\u00f1ejo. (It should be debuting in the market as soon as this month.) They also chose an XA blend, but decided to leave it in the barrel a little longer.<\/p>\n

If you choose to visit the Casa Salles Hotel that sits on the distillery property, you can also sample a new French Oak single barrel that will be exclusive there.<\/p>\n

They have more aged products planned, including a single barrel program, and they are even releasing a cristalino soon.<\/p>\n

\"El
The blending process is a team effort at El Tequile\u00f1o.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Back in November we tasted blends for both the new a\u00f1ejo and upcoming XA, as well as some single barrel selections. All were well made, and carried the unique and real attributes of the wood. Our favorite was the XA blend (slightly high proof when we tried it). The complexity and rich dried fruit aromas made it a knockout, even though we generally preferred less aged tequilas.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the art of the blending,\u201d Ullom says. You take what the barrel gives you, and highlight the strengths, based on careful tasting and care.<\/p>\n\n

A Video View<\/h3>\n

We shot this video during our visit to the El Tequile\u00f1o A\u00f1ejo blending session, which included a tasting session at the end to collect feedback from trusted tasters.