I normally try to write an intro that is based on some past experience with the brand or knowledge of the distillery, but with El Agave I really don't have a large history with either. It's from a big distillery (NOM 1420), but the brands are small and without large distribution. Since I don't have much to say, let's jump right in and learn something.

Price: $30-35/bottle

Aroma: Cooked agave, spice, caramel and oak.

Initial Taste: A nice fruity agave entry with a baking spice compliment.

Body: The body has a nice feel on the palate and is rich and almost chewy. There's light caramel and the oak adds a dark chocolate compliment. The baking spices round it all out.

Finish: A medium length finish with fruit, oak and spice flavors. Nice balance.

In all honesty, I really dig this añejo. It's got a really good balance and barrel flavors. The oak and spice are predominant, but the agave is there to balance it out. This is a really well priced añejo and I'm definitely interested in checking out the rest of the brand. Good value, good tequila...what's not to like?

Tasted out of a snifter. With a golden amber color, this is a decent anejo. I agree with tv jefe's review. it's nothing special, but that's not a bad thing. Im usually not a fan of triple distilled tequila anyway. But it's not bad, and a decent bargain at $38 bux a bottle. Aroma: Strong nose of caramel and vanilla. Initial Taste: A semi oily mouth feel, with no bitterness and an initial taste of spicy fruit. Body: A decent body of agave, caramel, and lighter hints of fruit. Finish: A sweet semi heated finish of short duration, with a caramel fruity lingering.

El Agave Anejo NOM 1420 Tasted on 8/26/07 at 9:00pm. I tried this tequila at Zocalo and tasted it in a Riedel glass. With an amber brown color, this tequila has intense aromas of caramel and vanilla. Other aromas include moderate floral with mild fruit. The tequila has a medium mouth feel and on the first sip is sweet with no bitterness. El Agave Anejo’s intense flavors of caramel are followed by moderate to intense notes of floral and agave. With a long duration of flavor, tastes of mild fruit, vanilla, and wood bring this tequila to a numbing finish. El Agave Anejo has received the rating of 94 points out of 100.

When my wife asked me "how is it?" the other night after tasting El Agave Artesanal for the first time, I responded "a decent effort". The truth is, this tequila has "mediocre" written all over it. It's not bad by any stretch of the imagination. But it's nothing special.

El Agave Artesanal is medium bodied. It has a medium duration of its moderate agave flavor. It lacks a certain depth of flavor that I am accustomed to in an anejo. At $13 for the shot, it was not worth it.

Again, this is not bad. It's just not great. And with the large selection of better, deeper, more complex anejos out there for a comparable price, I cannot recommend El Agave Artesanal.

A very fine sipper.Save for the special friends