Maestro Dobel Unveils Trio of $950 Tequilas Finished in Rare Armagnac, Sauternes and Amarone Barrels

(Photo: Maestro Dobel)

Within the world of aged tequila, you’ll find a small handful of “usual suspects” that do most of the heavy lifting; American white oak, French oak and sherry being the most common by a longshot.

Commemorating its eponymous founder, Maestro Dobel is shaking up the formula with a trio of unconventionally cask-finished extra añejos. After aging for at least seven years, each expression in the Maestro Dobel 50 series — named 1968, 1969 and 1970 respectively — spends time mingling with a unique European influence.

Let’s get into the details:

Dobel 50 1968 kicks off the collection with an Armagnac barrel finish. Well-regarded for its rich, chocolatey flavor, Armagnac is a brandy native to the Gascony province in southwest France. On the palate, 1968 is said to balance darkened flavors of dried fruit, tobacco and figs.

1969 pays homage to the Bordeaux region with Sauternes barrels, a French dessert wine heavy on honeyed sweetness and acidity. The tequila is said to contrast aromas of white flowers, hazelnuts and coffee beans with flavors of strudel and apple pie.

(Photo: Maestro Dobel)

Last but not least, 1970 finds its influences in Italian Amarone barrels, a labor-intensive dry red wine chock full of fruit flavor and bitter tannins. Expect aromas of almond, cinnamon, ripe peach and apricot.

Each bottle in the Dobel 50 series is priced at a collectible-worthy $950.

Founded by Juan Dobel in 2003, Maestro Dobel is owned and operated by the Beckmann family, the tequila titans behind Jose Cuervo, 1800, Gran Centenario and more. Over the years, Dobel has made a name for itself through unique twists on agave spirits like its turkey breast-infused Pavito and mesquite-smoked Humito expressions.

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