Review Detail

Bought 5/7/10, paid $55 online. Sampled from a 6 oz shot glass. Tonala NOM-1472, is sister to many excellent Tequila's by this distiller, I did not hesitate to buy. The bottle is a let down, simple, clear glass almost cheap looking and a small cork top. At least it does not hide the beautiful product inside. In the glass, Tonala looks like cognac, smells like cognac, mmm, and at first blush slides into your mouth like... cognac. It must be cognac! nope. The four years the agave spent in the sherry/bourbon barrels was time well spent. I like cognac, but I love Tequila and this tequila will not disappoint. The nose is sweet floral/fruity no alcohol and a wiff of agave. Thick and syrupy in the glass, slow heavy legs ultimately forming large tears. Fills your mouth as you might expect, heavy but settles nicely. If you let it soften, the finish has minimal heat and is very smooth, with almost no after taste. If you swallow immediately, you'll get a flurry of heat and character that is lost if played with too much in the mouth. Complex, smooth and interesting. Plenty of surprises in every oz. Tonala is an excellent tequila. It distinguishes itself because the maker went to great lengths to make something that stands out rather than being just another bottle on the shelf. A top 5 anejo, the bottle is the only let down here.