In 1942 a young man at the extraordinary age of 17-years-old opened up his own tequila distillery in La Primavera (The Springtime), in Jalisco. That young entrepreneur was Don Julio Gonzalez. This amazing man would go on to be one of the most prestigious tequila-makers in the entire world. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of Don Julio Tequila, the luxury spirit company released this meticulously crafted small-batch añejo. This marvelous spirit gets it’s awe-inspiring taste by only using mature, handpicked blue agave that is slow-roasted for 70 hours in traditional brick ovens and then aged for a minimum of two-and-a-half years in American white oak barrels.
The aroma on the nose is complex, sweet and mesmerizing. There is a rich bouquet of candied caramel, vanilla and cherries, but there is also a strong scent of coffee that awakens the senses. The taste of Don Julio 1942 is one of warm oak and spiced undertones with a long agave finish highlighted by notes of pepper. Don’t think of this as a tequila because it’s like nothing you’ve had before. It’s not for mixing and definitely not for shots. This is a sophisticated spirit that should be chilled, sipped and treasured like a luxury single malt scotch or cognac.
It is extremely rare that I can say that a $100 bottle of alcohol is justifiably priced, but Don Julio 1942 is that.
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*A sample was provided, however no compensation was received for this article and the thoughts and opinions are of my own
About Paul Sacca