Well, sometimes if you buy tequila on a regular basis you lose track of some of the bottles. That's what happened with my bottle of Zircon Azul. It got stuck in the back of my tequila cabinet and forgotten - for 5 years. A few months ago (July, 2013), I was cataloguing my collection and it showed up again - still unopened. So, it was time to taste it.
I love the hand-blown blue glass bottle with many air bubble inclusions. It is shaped like a thin pyramid with a nice sturdy base. Somehow, the glass-maker managed to put a cursive "Z A" in glass - layered on top of the glass bottle itself. The top is wooden with a rubber stopper. As I remember, I bought the bottle in Florida for around $35.00.
When you first smell this tequila in a tasting glass, it has a pleasant bouquet of agave, vanilla and alcohol. The legs are thin with slight pearling. There is a medium viscosity and on the initial taste it coats the tongue, teeth and palate. The flavor is strong with caramel, citrus and plenty of alcohol. There is only a whisper of color to this tequila probably because is is aged in white oak barrels. From my experience, it is a rare tequila - at least here on the East Coast. Since it is a Los Altos brand, one might expect something a bit richer - more complex. While the body is nice, it, unfortunately, does not really improve after multiple tastings. So - there is no progression of flavor - just a constant level of the base flavors. It's not a bad tequila at all, but I would not add it to my "sipping" list. It is best used in a mixed drink like a Paloma or Margarita.