Herradura Seleccion Suprema Tequila Extra Anejo

Tasted out of a double ball glass. At the time of this writing, this is the best anejo I have tasted. Im not going to break this review down as I always do, Ill just describe the experience. What I liked best about this anejo was the fact that it maintained an agave taste throughout the experience (some tequilas lose the agave flavor to the wood). The aroma was almost like a cream soda with some black cherry added for good measure. The first taste was fruit and berry, no bitterness whatsoever. The body was a great agave body complimented perfectly by an array of flavors including caramel, cream soda, black cherry, even slight smoke and fruit. Id say the presentation is a little too much, Id be just as happy with less of a presentation if it brought the cost down. Yet presentation or not, this is one great anejo. Highly recommended.

Herradura Seleccion Suprema is the standard by which I measure all anejo tequilas. It is, hands-down, one of the best anejo tequilas I have ever tasted. It is very rich, full-bodied, and complex. Tequila Joe absolutely nailed it with his description of a dense, heavy - almost syrupy feel.

For an anejo, I would say it has only moderate agave flavor on the back end; but what struck me was the exceptionally long duration of flavor, even when compared to other high-end tequilas like Gran Centenario Extra Anejo.

The presentation is classy to say the least. Simple, elegant, classic. Yes, it's $300 a bottle. It's not for everyday. But if you want to have one super high-end tequila in your collection, you can't go wrong with this one.

TEQUILA HERRADURA Seleccion Suprema Edicion Limitada Anejo NOM 1119. This tasting is from LOT # 020429064 from December 2005. This anejo is so good I was disinclined to do a review fearful that I would not be able to do it justice. I decided to go ahead to encourage others who may be uncertain about rather this tequila is worth the price. Without any hesitation I say it definitely is. I bought this bottle at a great price of $189.00. There is considerable debate about the differences between the older batches (2005 and lower) and the newer bottles labeled "Extra Anejo". I cannot comment on this as I only have tasted this older batch. I would list HSS as a top contender in the extra aged category. Appearance is a complementing dark reddish brown amber color. Nose is a well developed and perfectly intense blend of roasted agave, caramel, cream soda, wood, coffee, and tobacco. I also pick up components of raisins, a mixture of fruity sweetness, and delicate citrus. The taste follows suit and is outstanding with pure sweet aged agave. A medium and refreshing mouth feel, yet it still conveys the fullest of extra aged flavors and it is scary smooth. There is a moderate bourbon aspect here but it is certainly complementary and not overpowering. I could find no bitterness anywhere and this anejo introduced new meaning to the term "duration of aftertaste". I have never experienced such an enjoyable aftertaste that goes on forever. It simply has everything I look for in a dark anejo period. The awesome presentation could be judged a bit over the top and I'm sure brings up the price, but it is functional and believe me once you taste it you will want to protect this bottle.

Like all Tequilas, Seleccion Suprema is made from blue agave tequilana weber (agave). The agave is harvested after at least 7 years and then cooked in stone ovens for several hours. Then the juices are extracted, fermented and double distilled into 110 proof. Finally it is set in oak barrels for three years diluted with water to 80 proof and now we have Selleccion Suprema. The first thing that strikes you about Seleccion Suprema is the seductive aroma of the agave and the rich oak presence. It is the scent of caramel and strong vanilla, of the coffee beans with a touch of chocolate that lingers in the palate. In short, part of heaven in a bottle... Now that the aroma part of the exercise has ended, a little about the actual flavor of the tequila. This is simply heaven for me, being an avid lover of tequila in all its many forms (blanco, joven, reposado and anejo). The rich sweetness of the agave contrasts well with the tannins that dry your mouth. Strong without having the bite of mixtos, this tequila confirms the aromas which we identified before, this is an extremely complex alcohol. While I know that some of the more traditional tequila drinkers out there will be disturbed by so much aging and will say that a blanco or a light reposado is the real thing, taste of true tequila. I find that Seleccion Suprema gives a good balance between the agave and the wood, fabulously aromatic and long lasting. Perfect for the end to a long day just at room temperature served in a cognac snifter to be swirled and sipped. For those margarita lovers this is not the tequila you want to use, it will be a waste of a beautiful spirit to combine it with anything. Only to drink by itself? The presentation surpassed only by a few cognacs and maybe one or two tequilas, the bottle is crystal with a wonderful design, perfect for a collector of fine spirits. One of the classiest tequilas must-have for anyone who enjoys high-end spirits, not for every day but for special occasions since price is very steep ($250 to $300 a bottle of 750ml).

I hesitate to give this tequila all 100s only because of my limited experience with super-premium tequilas! I have tried Cabo Uno reserva (up until now my favorite) and Corralejo Extra Anejo, Deleon Reposado, and Asom Broso 11 month Reposado. Otherwise, my two favorite drink-all-the-time tequilas are Cabo Wabo and Partida Reposados.

I picked up a botlle of this for $199 (which is a good deal considering the next-cheapest price I'd seen it for was $300!- which is what I based my price rating on.) It arrived in a box with a printed cardboard sheath, the box seemingly made of a cork-like substance, with two swing-type latches. The gorgeous bottle rests in a red-velvet foam cutout at an angle. There was a gold thread wrapped scroll inside (written in Spanish, of course) and the only sentence I translated was "The Best tequila in the World!" I can't disagree with that at this point! The nose was not overpowering, hinting at the sweetness to come. Initial taste was very smooth. I'm not experience enought to use terms like "agave" "wood" "spice" and the like, but suffice to say the whole experience from start to finish was sublime. No alcohol burn, with a caramel-like aftertaste. I proclaimed to my friends that I may like it better than Uno (and almost didn't make it out of the room) but I haven't tasted Uno for a few months. I have a bottled coming soon, and will do a side by side taste test and see. Oh- and the foam liner can be removed from the box and you have a felt-lined keepsake box! Very nice.

I will definately pick up another one of these if I find it in the same price range again!