Well I finally opened one of my bottles Nose: cherries, dried fruit, apricot, barrel spices, ripe banana, cooked agave in the background, and some oak Flavor: light bourbon, citrus, cinnamon, butterscotch, vanilla, and nice rounded mouth feel Finish: long finish that is spicy and fades to some bitterness, and leaves a tingling feeling on your gums

This is ALL about the barrel, if you’re a Bourbon or Scotch fan then you are gonna be a fan! Spicy and punchy, this kicks your ass from start to finish.

This is quite wood influenced from the 5 years spent in the barrel and the higher bottling proof. Very heavy rye whiskey presence in the taste which reminds me of the aged Celestial Tequila products aged in Wild Turkey Rye barrels. I know there are fairly pristine WT Rye barrels in the NOM 1480 barrel warehouse along with another rye and some other not often seen whiskey distillery barrels as well. It has a very rich flavor of rye whiskey from the extended aging and the 50% ABV. If rye whiskey barrel aged tequila is what you seek, go for this at La Cata in Tequila, Jalisco MX. Edit to add that I have tasted this XA to the tune of a half bottle over the last month, both from a Glencairn glass and Romeo's jarrito to form this opinion.

This single barrel, high proof XA comes from Eladio Montes and does not disappoint. Viscosity coats the mouth with notes of oak, sawdust, dried fruit, vanilla and butterscotch. Let this open up for several minutes and the profile will change as the alcohol burns off. Take your time and enjoy this at La Cata.

Complex aromas of butterscotch, comote, dried fruit ( apricot), and a touch of baking spices. Natural sweetness in the mouth, balanced by a dry finish and medium mouthfeel. Layered and interesting. Although it’s 50% abv, it doesn’t feel “hot”, but it is pungent. A special occasion sipper for sure.

Because this is high proof (50% abv) I used a glass specifically designed for higher proof spirits (the Stölzle "Jarrito" Tasting Glass.) As such, alcohol fumes didn't get in the way of my tasting experience. There's definitely a lot going on here in the aroma. Just like any good natural spirit, don't rush this one. It will continue to open up in the glass and surprise you. At first, I detected white chocolate in the aroma. Then came the cinnamon, barrel spice, and fruit. A little while longer some jalapeño and citrus. The flavor follows the aroma, but this is where the oak and barrel spice become much more obvious. Has a thick and oily texture in the mouth, and the finish lasts for a long time. Thumbs up on this one. You can only get it at the La Cata tasting room in downtown Tequila, though. And it's a single barrel, so it won't last long. I recommend picking one up soon!

Nose: Elegant, complex aroma. Dried fruit: apricots, plums and raisins. Lush ripe fruit: dark berries and dark cherry. Barrel spices of cinnamon and allspice. Vanilla, cedar, and piquant mineral notes. Creamy. Flavors: Bright citrus notes of mandarinas and orange, vibrant baking spices, silky vanilla custard, and warming pepper - all in perfect balance. Roasted nuts on the retrohale. Finish: There is some whiskey/oakiness going on in the finish. The higher alcohol ABV is in no way off putting, but it will definitely numb your lips! Tasting notes from the following night: The nose and entry flavors seem to have more bourbon or rye oak and “hottish” barrel spice than previously noted.

very oak forward. butterscotch dried fruit spice pepper. a little heavy for me. tasted at la cata

La Cata previously did a single barrel limited edition extra anejo collab with Rey Sol Tequila. This time around, the limited edition collab comes courtesy of Hacienda Los Alamos Tequila. I had the opportunity to taste this at La Cata last weekend, and needles to say was very impressed (immediatelly bought a bottle). Single barrel organic extra anejo aged for 5 years and limited to only 192 bottles. ABV is at 50%. Only negative is that you will have to make the trip to Tequila to get this as it is only available at La Cata.