Milagro Anejo Tequila

Milagro Añejo is a 40% ABV tequila from Los Altos, the highland part of Jalisco. Highland agave tends to grow larger and sweeter than lowland fruit, and spirits from the region usually lean toward soft, fruity, honeyed notes with less of the earthy, peppery bite found in valley-grown tequilas. That regional style is a reasonable expectation here. In the glass, expect the agave to sit underneath the barrel influence, not in front of it. Añejo is the third rung of the tequila ladder. Blanco is bottled unaged or rested only briefly, so it tastes of cooked agave, citrus peel and pepper. Reposado spends two months to under a year in oak and picks up a pale gold color and a light touch of wood. Añejo must spend at least one year in oak barrels no larger than 600 liters, and Extra Añejo starts at three years. The reference information for this bottle puts the aging at up to 18 months, so it sits at the younger end of the añejo category. That points to a profile where oak adds vanilla, caramel and baking-spice character without burying the agave. Styles like this usually finish with a little toasted wood and a gentle warmth. Treat these as category expectations and not a measured tasting profile for this bottle. This is a bottle to sip first. Pour it neat into a caballito, a small tequila glass, or a Glencairn-style tulip if you want to concentrate the aroma. A rocks glass with one large cube works well if you prefer it slightly cooler and softer. Serve it at room temperature or lightly chilled. Heavy chilling mutes the oak and vanilla that make an añejo worth buying. Skip the salt and lime, which suit blancos better. Orange slices dusted with cinnamon, dark chocolate, or aged cheese all go well with barrel-aged agave. In cocktails, an añejo like this is best kept for drinks where the barrel character shows. A Margarita made with it comes out rounder and a little richer than the usual bright version, so use fresh lime, a modest amount of orange liqueur and a half-salted rim. An Old Fashioned-style drink, with a spoonful of agave syrup and a dash of bitters, suits it better still. A Paloma or Ranch Water would bury the oak under grapefruit soda or lime and sparkling water, and a blanco is the better choice for those.