A widely available budget brand, Tequila Mi Campo is produced by distillery La Cofradía (Cofradia) (NOM 1137), which also makes Casa Noble and the new Speyside Scotch barrel-aged Storywood Tequila brand. Using 7-year-old mature Blue Weber agaves, Tequila Mi Campo is made by steam cooking them in stone ovens for 38 hours, using a screw mill to extract the sugars, open-air fermentation in stainless steel tanks located near citrus trees, double distilled in stainless steel pots with copper coils, and mixing with Volcàn de Tequila (Tequila Volcan) spring water to bottle the final blanco tequila at 80 proof (40% ABV). The brand says that it uses a screw mill to gently extract the agave sugars because it thinks that tahona volcanic stone presses are too rough and risk mixing bitterness from the agave fibers with the sweet sugars.
The blanco, from which the reposado is built on, is rested for less than two months in French oak barrels formerly used for Napa Valley Chardonnay wine. The reposado is aged in French Oak barrels formerly used for Napa Valley Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. In the glass, the reposado is a pale yellow, honey gold color.
This tasting notes review is based on four separate tastings over the past two-and-a-half months (since September). For most tastings, the reposado was allowed to rest and aerate in the glass for at least twenty minutes before tasting notes were taken. Glasses used for the tastings were the Riedel tequila flute and the Glencairn glass. The reposado had a nice viscosity, leaving tears/legs on the sides of the glass.
During the first tasting, the aroma profile, before swirling in the glass, had very prominent caramel, vanilla, some chocolate, and brûléed banana. Unlike with the blanco, swirling did little to mix or dilute the aromas and these three aromas – particularly the caramel and vanilla with a hint of chocolate (more milk than dark) – remained prominent on the nose. There was some cooked agave and baking spices, but these aromas were not particularly prominent. Additionally, there was some (minimal) pepper and a light citrus and mint note. In a Glencairn, the caramel/butterscotch notes were much stronger, resembling a caramel/butterscotch candy chew.
On the palate during the first tasting, like with the blanco, the flavors of cooked agave, cinnamon and other baking spices, and pepper were much stronger than they were on the nose. There was also an alcohol kick, though it was short-lived. The milk chocolate sensation was quite noticeable after swallowing a sip, as was the oak barrel influence. There was more creaminess/oiliness/buttery notes across the palate than there was with the blanco, with hints of butter and butterscotch. On exhaling after swallowing a sip, there was a light smokiness. There was much more pepperiness and heat than the soft, by comparison, aromas suggested. The overall flavor profile was not unpleasant, but was quite caramel, chocolate, and vanilla forward than reposados I prefer at a similar price point (Siempre reposado from NOM 1414) or for about $18-20 more (El Tequileño Reposado Gran Reserva).
I can see this being a fairly good mixer or a decent budget sipper in certain circumstances. In my area, the price for this pre-tax is $35 and I purchased my 750 ml bottle on sale, pre-tax, for $28. This is probably the most I’d pay for it and I’m not sure I’ll replace the current bottle once it’s finished.
In later tastings, the aroma profile remains much the same with the caramel/butterscotch, vanilla, and a hint of brûléed banana being dominant, though the wine notes became more noticeable in the background. I still did and do not get a lot of cooked agave/baking spices notes due to the strength of the caramel/butterscotch and vanilla aromas.
The flavor profile also remains largely unchanged. The sweetness of cooked agave and baking spices are much more pronounced on the palate than they are on the nose. There continue to be flavors of caramel/butterscotch, and vanilla with some wine notes and a pepperiness and heat in the throat as you swallow a sip. The mouthfeel is creamy/buttery/oily, coating the mouth well. There is a hint of anise-like bitterness on the backend of a sip. There is also still a noticeable sensation of milk chocolate on the palate after swallowing a sip with some oak barrel influence. The alcohol kick at the end is noticeable but short-lived.
Overall, I find the reposado a much more enjoyable sipper than the blanco.
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