Herradura Ultra A�Ejo

Herradura Ultra Añejo is a 40% ABV tequila from Jalisco, and the name tells you where it sits. Añejo is the barrel-aged tier, and an "ultra" bottling in this line is positioned as the most refined, longest-rested expression. The details supplied here don't include the exact aging length, cask type or tasting notes, so what follows describes what this style typically delivers. It isn't a measured profile of this bottle. Blanco tequila is bottled unaged or after only a short rest, and it tastes of cooked agave, citrus peel, black pepper and mineral notes. Reposado spends a few months to under a year in oak and picks up a light golden color and some vanilla. Añejo is aged at least a year, and Extra Añejo at least three. In both, the oak starts to take over from the agave. Expect a deep amber color and a rounder, softer texture. The flavors usually lean toward vanilla, caramel, toasted oak, baking spice, dried fruit and cocoa. The agave stays underneath as a faint sweetness. A tequila at this level is made to be sipped. Most of its value is in the oak-and-agave balance, and lime, soda and sugar would cover that balance up. Pour it neat at room temperature into a snifter, a tulip-shaped copita or a caballito, the small tall shot glass used in Jalisco. Warmth in the hand helps release the aromas, and a small splash of water can open the nose further. If you prefer it cooler, one large cube in a rocks glass slows dilution and takes some of the edge off the alcohol without muting the flavor. Skip the salt and lime wedge here, since they're meant for young, sharp tequilas. If you want something on the side, dark chocolate, roasted nuts, aged cheese or a dessert with caramel or orange will suit the oak-driven profile. Cocktails are a poor use of a bottle like this, but the style does work in a few places. An Old Fashioned built with añejo, a dash of bitters and a small amount of agave syrup is the best fit, because it keeps the oak and spice in front. A Margarita, Paloma or Ranch Water would bury the aged character under citrus and carbonation. If you're making those drinks, a blanco or a reposado does the job better and costs less. Treat this bottle as a sipping tequila and use it that way.