Don Julio 1942 Tequila Anejo

Tasted in a caballito on Christmas Eve, 2013. I bought it at Bev Mo for $100. They finally got the message and matched Costco on the price. This is my second premium anejo this month. That's a big change for me since I've been specializing in cheap ($20 or less) tequila for the last couple of years. So I'm not an expert in more expensive tequila and I've heard about the "holy" nature of this tequila for years. I tasted it once before, but was half drunk, so I certainly didn't remember it well. This time I did it right. It was smooth in the mouth and tasted heavy with vanilla and caramel with hints of wood. The after taste is very pleasant and doesn't burn of course. My ratings are a little lower than some here because I didn't think it was far and away better than the Casa Noble Anejo I reviewed last week, which is half the price. The Don Julio bottle is simple and elegant, but not outstanding. Overall, this was another very good experience and if the money doesn't bother you, I'd recommend it any time.

Sampled out of the newer, sleek tapered brown bottle.

First of all, I normally don't enjoy anejos. I think woodiness and caramel and butterscotch should be only minutely present in my tequila.

Aroma: butterscotchy-vanilla-creamy-caramel, oak, hint of agave and pepper. Nicely wrapped together.

Initial: sweetness, oak, fresh yellow pepper, hint of agave. Also nicely wrapped together.

Body: The mouthfeel is really nice, but I personally don't mind a silky thin liquor anyway. This one's a tad heavier than medium, with no alcoholic burn! just enough to remind you it's alcoholic... in fact, I've had some heavy mixed drinks that had the same amount of burn. Very pleasant body overall.

Finish: much nicer than initial and body; oak and sweetness take a backseat with oak and agave coming forth. I like this finish a lot, but it's a bit faint for what I would prefer.

Enjoyability and price: Even though I wasn't overjoyed, I was happy I got to try this. I probably wouldn't buy it for myself at $100.

I was honestly disappointed with this sample. Perhaps it was an old bottle? Until the aftertaste reminded me, it didn't taste like tequila. In fact, it was initially like a sweet single malt scotch. The aroma and taste didn't impress me, but I liked the finishing notes and aftertaste duration. It's a fantastic transition for someone who normally doesn't drink tequila, or someone who drinks bourbons and whiskeys. And apparently a lot of tequila fans and tequila.net reviewers love the stuff. The more I tasted it, the more I kept hoping to find more citrus or familiar agave spiciness. I found that the flavors I tasted during and after each sip were very consistent. I like something that keeps me guessing, but doesn't go overboard. Don't get me wrong: you get plenty of pleasant flavors with such small sips, it's just lacking the flavor profile I prefer.

A classic that's great in all categories, just on the expensive side.

Ayyit, I am a Don Julio Anejo lover, so I had to bust this for some special occasion. I found a bottle available online for $75 plus another $15 for shipping. At 90 Smakers, I had major expectations.
The nose is exceptional. Brilliant honey, vanilla, agave and oak are present. When pouring, I noticed its moderately syrupy body. When sipping, the experience was subtle and smooth, very well balanced. Nothing really stood out...just a light flavor of agave and very light complex notes of oak and vanilla. VERY light. I was surprised at how light the flavor Don Julio went with this special Anejo. It reminded me very much of the regular anjeo by Don Julio, so I went out and got a bottle of Don Julio Anejo at $46 to compare...
(This was interesting...they are VERY similar...the nose on the 1942 was obviously more complex, although they both tasted very similarly...three of us agreed in a blind taste test that the nose is all that separates the two anejos....)
it also reminded me of the award winning Milagro Reposado Reserva...

The finish is beautiful...leaving you with a sweet tone...kinda nice.
Overall, I agree that this is a delightful anjeo, but at 90 bucks a bottle, I'd much rather have the Casa Noble Anejo.
Much love to the tequila drinkers worldwide!