Chinaco Tequila Anejo

Definitely the softy of the Chinaco family while still retaining that classic Chinaco essence. Dark and smoky nose, with a touch of alcohol in the background. Very crisp on the tongue. Barrel-heavy. Flavours of light earthy agave, caramel, big wood, and a touch of alcohol. A good long finish, nice smoky pepper on the tongue as well as heated oak down the throat and into the chest. After-finish of sweet earthiness with a touch of alcohol. This is the anejo that keeps on giving. There are some delightfully sharp edges here and this is a very good anejo - quite possibly the Bourbon of all tequilas - but there are other full-bodied more well-rounded anejos I'd reach for first. Looks great on the shelf, though.

Chinaco is one of my favorite lines. I liked this tequila plenty, but it isn't as good as the reposado.

Aroma: Plenty of wood and alcohol. Not as strong an agave scent as the less aged lines.
Initial taste: Very nice. Agave flavor comes through and the wood is very evident.
Body: Becomes more sweet and the is very smooth from the aging.
Finish: A nice warm finish. A pleasant end to the drink.

I love the Chinaco bottles as they look classy and work well for the brand. Having a higher price than the other two makes this less of a buy for me than the blanco and the reposado. While this is very good, I'd tell someone to buy the repo first.

I was disappointed in this bottle. I brought it back from a vacation in Mexico, but even there I paid almost $50 USD for a bottle. (Not at the airport either!)

The initial flavor is nice enough, but it has a very harsh bite for an Anejo. I had a bottle of Gran Centenario at the same time, and tasting them side-by-side there was no comparison. Centenario is much smoother, richer, and more flavorful. Plus, it runs $30 - $35 at the Total Beverage near where I live.

Don't get me wrong, I finished the bottle, but not until after the Centenario was gone!

Interestingly enough, I think this is the weak point in the Chinaco line, but it is still very good.

Aroma: Oak and earth. The agave isn't gone, it's just not very pronounced in the nose.
Initial taste: Dry with no bitterness. Dark fruit and spice introduce themselves.
Body: Semi-oily with flavors of oak, agave, prunes, and cinnamon.
Finish: Semi-heated with spice, and long lingering flavors of fruit and cinnamon.

This one is a bit difficult for some people to take because it exudes many whiskey-like characteristics, and it's probably the driest anejo I've ever had. But, being a whiskey drinker, I like it quite a lot, it just doesn't speak to me the way I think an anejo tequila should. Something is missing, but it is a very minor something. All in all, it's quite good and I'd have no problem being served this on a regular basis.

I bought this a month ago, paid $45 online sampled 3/24/10, nice bottle, corked. Sipped from a 6 oz shot glass, amber in color, leaves slow tears, not too oily, nice mild sweet agave and oak with a wiff of caramel nose. First sip was an eye opener... almost forces the swallow, and for good reason, all the "texture" is on the way down, it comes in a rush that leaves a burnt almond/alcohol numbing, a great finish. Not as complex on the tongue as some but more than makes up for it with a fabulous finish. A good addition to any collection.