The aroma is not especially complex, opening with whiskey tones, caramel, and sarsaparilla, underpinned by flickers of stinging ethyl, soft wood, and a mineral edge. On the palate, the character broadens into a balanced interplay of whiskey, cooked agave, dried fruit, vanilla, and a faint floral lift. Subtle bitterness from cinnamon, sarsaparilla, and winter spices such as clove rounds out the profile, adding depth without overpowering. The finish is refined, with fading vanilla, a whisper of leather, mineral undertones, and a lingering spice that resonates in the throat.

Aroma is very sweet with fruit (pineapple?) and butterscotch. Flavor opens with a distinct sweetness but quickly moves to a spicy heat. A tannic dryness shows up at the end. Finish is medium length. 2023-12-24 2023 Annual Christmas Eve XA Tasting

Spiced up XA (cafe de olla without the coffee)

Sweet aroma. Very smooth, good sweetness and a mild spicy finish.

LOT: 1 View: bronze yellow, golden, very oily tears that cling to the glass. Freshly served; Aroma: deeply woody, maybe oak? I smell the astringency of the wood, vanilla, sweetness, piloncillo, minerality, lemon peel and other citrus fruits. Flavor: The first thing that hits the palate is the sweetness, piloncillo, wood, astringency, bitter/citrus aftertaste like the white part between the segments of an orange. Natural vanilla. I let it rest for 15 minutes. Aroma: it seems to me that it hasn't changed too much, if anything the wood is more present and almost doesn't allow you to smell anything else. In a blind tasting it could easily be confused with a whiskey or bourbon. Flavor: It seems to me that there are not many changes in the flavor either. If anything, the astringency and bitterness subsided in the aftertaste, highlighting the sweet profile more. I detect a slight clove profile.

A pleasant sipper but the flavors are very recessed. It takes some time to suss them out.

One nice extra añejo with notes of cooked agave, caramel, cinnamon, jalapeños, mexican hot chocolate, brown sugar, peaches, and toasted vanilla.

Nice XA A bit more of a bourbon profile than I like. Still a very good sipper.

Nose: Cooked agave, oak, vanilla, caramel Palate: Muted cooked agave, oak, nice overall balance. I get a nice fresh pepper that morphs into a hint of caramel sweetness. I'm glad I picked this up, and I'll definitely keep a bottle on the shelf. Price was $120 which is very fair considering the current state of prices. This is a very underrated brand.