After trying and enjoying the other two expressions, I was definitely interested in seeing what Hotel California Tequila could do with some extra time in the oak. The previous entries from NOM 1529 were very solid buys. I've done all of the intro stuff on the other reviews on this brand, so let's jump in.

Price: $40-50/bottle

Aroma: Light cooked agave with a bit of must and some buttery aromas as well. Maybe a hint of coffee as well.

Initial Taste: Light sweetness with some buttery agave flavor. Really light vanilla. Not overly sweet at all.

Body: Some agave, some oak, some spice. Decent, but nothing special. The oak is a bit overpowering and adding a bitterness.

Finish: A fairly distinct coffee flavor on the finish. It lingers for a while. The oak and the spice work together to give it that coffee bitterness, but it’s a pleasant flavor (and this is from a non-coffee drinker).

I'll preface this ending by saying that I don't drink coffee, nor do I enjoy that particular flavor. However, the coffee aspect of this tequila was reasonably well done and not overpowering. Would I buy this...probably not, but that's because I enjoyed the other two expressions more and the profile isn't the best fit for me. With that said, it's a well crafted tequila and if you like a bit of bitterness on the finish (like dark chocolate, hoppy beer or coffee) you will probably enjoy the unique aspects that Hotel California Añejo brings to the table.