Senor Artesano Extra Anejo

Extra añejo is the oldest official tequila classification. Under Mexican rules it means the spirit has spent at least three years in oak barrels, which is why bottles in this class are built for slow sipping rather than mixing. Senor Artesano Extra Anejo sits in that category. The details on file don't give a proof, cask type or tasting profile, so what follows describes what extra añejos usually do and doesn't claim to be a measured profile of this bottle. Expect the agave character to sit behind the wood. Extra añejos typically show caramel, vanilla, toasted oak, dried fruit and baking spice, often with a faint cooked-agave sweetness underneath and a long, smooth finish. Because the barrel influence is so central, this style is usually closer in feel to an aged brandy or whisky than to a blanco. Serve it neat at cool room temperature, around 16 to 18°C. Chilling dulls the oak and vanilla notes, and ice dilutes a spirit that has been aged for years for its texture. If you want to soften it, a few drops of room-temperature water or a single large cube is the most you should add. A tulip-shaped copita or a small snifter concentrates the aroma better than a tumbler or shot glass. A rocks glass is fine if you do add a large cube. For cocktails, keep the build minimal. A tequila Old Fashioned made with a spoonful of agave syrup, two dashes of aromatic or chocolate bitters and an orange peel lets the barrel character carry the drink. A Manhattan-style stir with sweet vermouth also works, but a bottle in this class is usually better kept for sipping. At the table, it pairs naturally with dark chocolate, roasted nuts, aged cheeses such as Manchego or aged Gouda, dried figs and a good cigar-store-style dessert board. A square of 70 percent cocoa chocolate is the simplest match for the oak and caramel notes.