Spirits Bottle Photography Series – PART 4: El Tesoro 85th Anniversary Extra Añejo

Released to mark the 85th anniversary of the founding of distillery La Alteña by Don Felipe Camarena, the El Tesoro 85th Anniversary special edition extra añejo is the result of an elite level collaboration between its master distiller, Carlos Camarena, and Fred Noe, Jim Beam master distiller. This extra añejo was aged for three years in 30th anniversary Booker’s American White Oak bourbon barrels. The 85th anniversary edition is one of El Tesoro‘s range of limited special edition extra añejos that also include the Paradiso and Mundial lines.

Carrying on El Tesoro’s tradition of achieving a balanced marriage between barrel aging and the cooked Weber Blue agave, the 85th anniversary edition has aromas of sweet cooked agave and baking spices, vanilla, maple & brown sugar/molasses, oak & barrel spices, and fruit.

On the palate, in addition to cooked agave sweetness and baking spices, there is dark fruit (cherries & other dark berries), vanilla, caramel, oak barrel & spice influences, tobacco, caramel, coffee, and black pepper. The finish is oily/creamy and viscous with a good finish. The 85th anniversary edition is a good starting point for whisky drinkers interested in experimenting with craft tequila, albeit a pricey one (perhaps seek out a bar pour, or a generous friend, first rather than buying a bottle outright).

_______________________

1792 Bourbon Agave Spirits American Single Malts American Whisky ArteNOM Añejo Tequila Blanco Tequila Blended Whisky Bourbon Whisky Bruichladdich Buffalo Trace Cocktails Código 1530 (Codigo 1530) Dulce Vida E.H. Taylor Elijah Craig El Tesoro Extra Añejo Tequila Four Roses Gin Glassware Glenlivet Irish Whisky Limestone Branch Distillery Liqueurs Lost Lore Maker's Mark Mezcal Mijenta Mt. Defiance Distillery Patrón Penelope Reposado Tequila Reviews Rye Whisky Scotch Whisky Siempre Single Malt Whisky Spirits Tequila Tequila Ocho Tequila Partida Virginia Virginia Distillery Company Whisky

Documenting my journey into agave spirits along with a smattering of other spirits after many, many years away – This blog is meant to take note of this journey including tasting notes, bottle photography, and other related topics.