We’ve been hunting this for well four months for one of our best customers who is really into good tequila. We were eventually told it wasn’t going to make it, but we (and others, likely) hounded/begged/cajoled sufficiently that MO finally got an allocation. Of the 54 bottles that made it to the state, we received three of them!
El Tesoro (and master distiller Carlos Camarena) needs to introduction to tequila nerds. They do some of the best certified additive-free, absolute top-of-the-line tequilas out there. Distilled at NOM 1139 (the same distillery as the cult-classic Tapatio), these tequilas represent an excellent value starting with the ‘regular’ Blanco which clocks in under the $50.00 mark. Sure, they’re not endorsed by a celebrity, and their packaging isn’t overly flashy, but the quality of the stuff in the bottle is undeniable.
We’ve always tried to keep El Tesoro’s limited, extra-aged varieties on hand (the 4yr Extra-Anejo and the 5yr Paradiso) but this one was even tougher to get, and will more specifically appeal to bourbon fans as well as tequila nuts. Why? This particular bottling was aged three years in Booker’s 30th Anniversary barrels.
This XA isn’t aged as long as the producer’s other extra-aged offerings and so it’s both a bit lighter in color and a bit more agave-forward than those bottlings, though reviews suggest there’s still a substantial bourbon character from the Booker’s casks. I wouldn’t know. I can’t bloody afford it. There were only 50 casks of this made! 🙂
For those of you outside the industry, prepare to see artisanal, high-end tequilas (Fortaleza, El Tesoro, Cascahuin, etc) take big price jumps in the next year. I’ve already seen two of my absolute favorites that are taking $5-10 per bottle price increases starting next month. Not only is it going to be harder to get this stuff, a lot of it’s becoming allocated (a la Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, etc) as demand grows. I mention this only to explain that while this bottle is selling for up to $599.00 online (the reviews suggest people are paying that much for some reason) we’re choosing to keep the price fair (though it’s admittedly still steep). In fact, we’re selling it for substantially less than our ‘standard’ retail markup would cost. If this is your jam, come on down and see us…you simply won’t find a better price! We received a 3-bottle allocation, with one already spoken for.
$399.99/bottle (Selling online for up to $600, with bottles typically somewhere north of $500!!)
NOTE: Two are spoken for already…only one left!!
Cheers,
Dan
Rock Bridge Wine and Spirits 