Terralta Extra Añejo - 5 Años Nose: Rich and rounded classic XA notes lead with butter, caramel and soft vanilla, but there’s still that unmistakable cooked agave holding its ground. Oak comes through with some restraint, giving way to baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It smells warm and inviting. Palate & Mouthfeel: Medium viscosity with just enough grip from the oak tannin to keep things structured. Along with the oak, you get caramel and vanilla upfront, but it quickly pivots to more complex notes; agave, mineral, orange zest, a flash of cherry, and those baking spices again. Clove peeks through mid palate. Finish: Long and spice driven. Baking spices linger with clove and anise especially standing out, while the cherry note persists alongside a soft glow of alcohol. A subtle minerality carries through to the end. Final Thoughts: Now this is how you do a value XA. I’ve been through a few in this category recently, and this is the only one that, even with five full years in oak, still feels like an agave spirit first and a barrel aged one second. It doesn’t try to be a bourbon or a dessert pour - it knows what it is and delivers with restraint, clarity, and purpose.

Compared lot 2: LT0002XA40 bottled on 02/10/2020 with lot 3: LT0003XA40 bottled on 16/07/2021, lot 3 has a round seal on the label that states: Limited Release 5 años! Lot 3, points given are for this lot; which is higher than lot 2: Color: yellow to dark yellow. Aroma: almost intense sweet cooked agave! Minty, stone fruit sweetness, very fresh for a 5 y.o. XA, very light wood notes. Palate: sweet cooked agave, minty & fresh, maybe even slightly too minty, anise, red cherries, slightly creamy, wood doesn’t get in the way! Pleasant to drink. Finish is medium to long, agave notes become sweeter in the end and persists! Lot 2 (84 points): Color: dark yellow. Aroma: more pronounced wood notes than lot 2, covers up some sweetness and aromas, and it has a very slight oxidized sensation. Palate: slight oxidized sensation in the mouth too, less agave notes. Finish has more wood notes and less agave can be perceived.

NOM: 1579 Bottle: 07/16/2021 Lote: 0003XA40 ABV: 40% Age: American oak distressed bourbon barrels 5 Años Review Nose: XA Fruity stone fruits like nectarines/peach, agave still very present despite a lot of time in barrel, vanilla and black pepper. Subtle hint of leather, wet earth and oak. 5 Años - splitting hairs here compared to the standard 3-4 year anejo, but this smells more rounded and a wonderful melody of natural sweetness I detect in the fruity notes. Palate 5 Años version is less sweet, more oak than 3-4 year with a savory note reminding me of sweet/savory caramelized vedallia onions and a caramel note like torched crème brûlée. Final thoughts: I’ve had the 3-4 year anejo many times and to my nose/palate, I'd give the 5 year a bit of an edge. I’d reach for this more than the regular anejo which is saying a lot because I love the regular anejo.

A special 5 year aged anejo with a great flavor that is agave forward with delicious barrel notes.