Nose - Orange peel, sweet notes from the cooked agave, barrel notes, backing spice, cherries. Palette - Rich cooked agave, cherries, spice, chocolate, raisin. This continues to bring deep flavors the longer it opens up. Finish - Great mouth feel, all of the deep flavors come together in long finish on this EA.

This is Cazcanes’ first XA out of NOM1614 - TTAP. It’s an 80 proof, 40% ABV Extra Añejo aged 37 months in Re-charred Ex-Bourbon Barrels. A small number of French Oak staves were also used during the aging process. This nose is complex with aromas of dark caramelized agave and barrel spices from both the AO and the FO. There’s some candied orange peel, apricot, leather, and a hint of chocolate with an earthy undertone. On the palate, I’m detecting rich caramelized agave that’s earthy and spicy. The baking spices from the AO and the sweetness from the FO. There is a nice minerality and some dark ripe fruits. There’s a nice sweet and spicy finish. Overall this is a nice and layered XA that’s flavorful and cohesive. It’s a tasty mix of sweet and savory.

For name this one loved up to the lore! There's a cheesy, malolactic funk that makes this one special and truly separates it from anything else that came out of Cazcanes, 1599 or otherwise!

Nose: some cooked agave, butter, dried fruit, dark cherries, vanilla and light oak Flavor: sweet cooked agave, butterscotch, vanilla, backing spices, and buttery mouthfeel Finish is medium with some white pepper and some dark chocolate

This is the new 1614 XA. Nice caramel nose with vanilla and buttercream. Very light oak. On the palate, I get barrel notes of cinnamon, caramel and vanilla. A no. 9 of this would really pop. I like this XA. Would like to try against the old XA and I do have one pour left of that one so will update when I do that.

Nose: Alcohol hits first, followed by cooked agave and a decent amount of pepper. There’s some mint and lime brightness layered in, along with vegetal notes and a hint of tropical fruit trying to break through. Palate & Mouthfeel: Full, slick mouthfeel with a noticeable heat - this one drinks hot and comes in alcohol-forward. Cooked agave is there, but it shares the stage with some funk, lime, and tropical fruit. There’s a raw vegetal edge, leather, floral tones, bell pepper, and plenty of black pepper. Finish: Leans peppery and floral, with the floral turning a bit bitter as it lingers. Final Thoughts: Not my favorite - alcohol dominates too much and throws things out of balance. Past that, the profile skews vegetal and bitter in a way that doesn’t quite land for me.