El Espolon Tequila Reposado

El Espolon NOM-1440, 80 proof (ref to the review below) purchased 4/15/10 from local store $40, sampled from a 6 oz. shot glass neat. The bottle looks old school but is not. Consists of cheap clear glass with stickers doing the rest. The cork top is good for closure. This is a darker repo, med straw in color, leaves some legs down the glass and minimal gathering. Sweet floral/agave nose with alcohol coming through. The body is medium thick with a medicinal taste. This tequila is all about the finish, nice flurry of heat and spice that lingers for a bit, then leaves an oak after taste. Overall, not too bad, but for $40 I would balk at a repurchase.

I have not been a great fancier of reposados, but this one, coupled with its price point makes me rethink things.

Packaging with its metal export label is simple but elegant. Nose is rich and full of agave, earth and spice. Sweet attack caresses the tongue as it rolls to a pleasantly bitter body which offers more agave and spice. Aroma deepens with more bright agave and wood notes. Finishes moderately with a very agreeable tingle.

This is a well crafted and well priced reposado.

Tasted 07/23/08 out of double ball glass. Espolon reposado, for what it is, is a good reposado. Just not the kind of reposado I prefer.

Aroma: Mild agave nose, with a bolder nose of smoke and caramel.
Initial Taste: A thin mouth feel. On the tip of the tongue, with heated intensity, its fairly sweet with slight bitterness.
Body: Mellows out to agave, floral, oak and intense spice.
Finish: Of medium duration with a slight alcohol burn.

Espolon Reposado NOM 1440 Tasted 12/31/06. Espolon Reposado is a yellow golden color. Aromas consist of intense fruit, floral, and spice followed by moderate earth and smoke scents. The first sip of the tequila has a low bitterness and is sweet. The types of flavors Espolon Reposado has include intense agave, earth, floral, and spice. On the mild side, there are fruity and smokey flavors. The tequila finished with a medium-to-long duration of flavor and numbing alcohol intensity. I awarded Espolon Reposado the rating of B/B+ overall.