Varo Destileria
Codigo 1530
40%
2 years
Though "King of Country" George Strait may have been bought out of his stake in Codigo 1530, he's sure kept up momentum with the limited-edition releases. Themed after the musician's 2024 album "Cowboys and Dreamers," this añejo is matured for two years in hand-charred French oak previously used to age Napa Valley cabernet wine. Suffice it to say that's a heck of a lot longer than most tequila brands are willing to dip their toes in wine casks. As usual for Codigo, the spirit is made using lowlands agaves at a dedicated additive-free distillery.
Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.
Powerfully oaky. Tons of baking spice, apple pie, stewed plums, deeply roasted agave and cocoa nibs. If I was judging this blind, I would've guessed it was an extra añejo rather than an añejo.
Aha, that's where those red wine influences were hiding. The palate starts with pangs of cherry, perfumed rose petals, vanilla and raspberry. Meatier flavors of chocolate, thickly layered cinnamon, cloves and macadamia nuts settle in after a few seconds. Lots to chew on, though the mouthfeel is a touch thin considering all the oak and caramel at play.
Settles in with a dark, earthy finish brimming with black pepper, agave and raisin sweetness.
This is a whiskey drinker's tequila through and through, stuffed with more oak and baking spice than I've tasted in pretty much any two-year age statement. The roasted agave presence is fantastic, and the red wine vibes teeter on overwhelming without making the dive. Great stuff all around. With a slightly higher alcohol content, I think this could be a genre-defining sip.
89
Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.
