NOM 1614
Cazcanes
50%
3 months
One of two inaugural releases in Cazcanes' Experimental Single Barrel series, this tequila is aged for three months in casks that previously held apricot brandy from an unnamed French distillery. Cazcanes says that the combination is a category first, and we have no reason to doubt them. The reposado is bottled at 50% ABV and is limited to a total of fewer than 300 bottles, so expect that $99 suggested price to spike sharply once it hits the secondary market.
Raided Score is a conversion from an external site's score, to our in house uniform scoring system. Please see the FAQ for more.
Bright, easygoing aromas of dried apricot, vanilla bean, honeydew melon, agave and whipped cream. A hint of crème brûlée leans this closer to a reposado than a blanco, but still, it's all very light on its feet.
The apricot brandy influence is immediately noticeable. A full-bodied, almost liqueur-like mouthfeel leads into a big ol' swing of dried fruit and peach ring sweetness (complimentary). Hints of cherry, orange peel, cinnamon sugar and marzipan emerge after a few minutes in the glass. The higher proof does a great job cutting through all the candy and fruit flavor, which might verge on cloying if there wasn't plenty else going on. Really unique stuff.
Some of Cazcanes' signature minerality and earthiness picks up on the backend, alongside plenty more buttercream, caramel, flowers petals and — you guessed it — apricot.
If you like great tequila and have a sweet tooth, boy, have I got a recommendation. Apricot casks turn this into a one-of-a-kind beast totally unlike the rest of the Cazcanes portfolio, marrying the brand's classic lowlands agave profile with a heaping mason jar of marmalade. I can only imagine how this would taste if it spent longer than three months in the barrel.
91
Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.
