Jose Cuervo Especial Tequila Gold

The infamous Cuervo Gold.

As a point of note - in the UK, the bottle does say "Reposado" on the small label across the neck of the bottle, not 'Premium' as the picture here shows. Thus, I may be reviewing a slightly different product here.

That said, most of the reviews here stand...


...when it's cold or room temperature.

This tequila seems to be VERY sensitive to temperature - more so than any other spirit I've tried. It is, at room temperature or colder, like drinking hydrochloric acid. Really nasty stuff.

However, if you manage to warm it up to a much higher temperature, it becomes bearable. Still bad compared to most tequilas, but bearable. Bearable enough that I would choose it over a similarly priced spirit of another variety (be it vodka, gin, rum, whatever). The problem is, to maintain that level of temperature, you need it in a disposable plastic cup (very thin plastic), that you cup with you hands as if your life depends on it. Even a snifter won't get this up to the temperature it needs to be at.

Even then, you only get a slight *hint* of tequila, with some added caramel and some earthy notes. Then the usual sharp alcohol burn and almost no finish.

Not reccomended, by any stretch of the imagination, but not quite as bad as people make out. Still, spend a few quid more and get an El Jimador 100% agave repo, and you'll never look back. Hell, even Sauza's cheap repo mixto is better, and can be consumed at any temperature without too much hassle.


I'd even be hesitant about using this as mixer - most cocktails are cold, and as we can see, this tequila does NOT like the cold!

Never put it in a lowball.

Jose Cuervo has done a superb job marketing this product. To the uninitiated, "Cuervo Especial" is synonymous with tequila. To the experienced tequila drinker, this is nothing more than sour swill with a little buttery flavor/texture thrown in for smoothness. As a mixer there are many better ones available. Don't waste your dinero here! Nada especial!!!

I'm probably one of the few that never had the terrible college experience with Mr. Cuervo, so I never had illness or regrettable stories to share because Jose paid me a visit. I come to sampling this strictly out of curiosity of what the world's best selling mixto tastes like.

Aroma: Sugar, citrus and strong alcohol nose.
Initial Taste: A really sweet medicinal taste. It's like cough syrup and simple syrup had a child.
Body: Sticky. Not at all crisp like a 100% agave spirit. It coat the mouth, but again feels like an agave/Robitussin mixto.
Finish: A sour and bitter aftertaste. No agave presence at all.

The Cuervo brand makes some good tequilas. This is not one of them. This is probably the most "candied" of all of the mixtos that I've tasted. I get why people try it...I have no idea why anyone would continue. It's too bad that people too often consider this the definition of tequila. It's pretty terrible.

After getting to experience some of the great tequilas available today I had to go back and try Cuervo Gold (a staple from m college days) to see how it compared, My bad!! What was I thinking, how can this be the most popular tequila in the world!? It is hot, bitter and downright sour to the taste. I could not get agave out of the flavor at any point. Now I know why they wanted me to use lemon and salt to kill the flavor. There are so many other tequilas out there that cost less and can be a much better experience. Don't pay the premium for Cuervo, no matter what the sampling girls look like at your local bar.

omg- - - how does anyone buy this- STOP walk away from this