sample sent to me by the brand Nose: hay, agave, alcohol, melon, some funky fruit?!? Palate: caramel, agave, anise, black pepper, some spice? nice, easy sipper Finish: dry, spice, sweet agave, oak and black pepper I just read some other reviews. I agree with Lauren. This was an easy sipper, muted. It left me wanting more.

First off, I like the products from the new NOM a lot better. Congrats to the brand for making such a wise upgrade. The resulting tequilas are full of unique character that brings the agave forward. Bravo. On this new reposado I'm getting aromas of earth, tobacco, anise, hay, agave, black pepper, and a unique aroma that reminds me of over-ripened fruit. Definitely interesting. Flavor leads with agave, then caramel, anise, hay, and then some melon. Everything blends together and plays nicely in the mouth, it just feels like all of the flavors are working together in harmony. Medium length finish and mouthfeel, and I feel like agave gets the last word toward the end of the finish, when everything else fades away, it's the agave that remains.

Aroma: Initially fairly restrained. I find cooked agave, a touch of earthiness, minerality, and black pepper, with some alcohol on the nose that comes across slightly solvent-like. As it sits, more cooked agave begins to emerge along with subtle barrel influence. Palate: The profile is soft and understated. Cooked agave is present but muted, joined by light minerality and a touch of oak. I also pick up a slight rubbery, musty note. Finish: Short to medium in length with lingering pepper and minerality and a touch of sweetness. As the tequila opens in the glass, the finish gains a little more character, but it remains fairly restrained overall. Overall: This reposado has improved from previous releases I’ve tried since the move to its new distillery, but it still leaves me wanting more. The flavors gradually open up with time, revealing more cooked agave and subtle barrel notes, yet I never found the depth or complexity I look for in a standout reposado. That said, not every tequila needs to be bold. If you’re newer to sipping tequila or prefer a lighter, more approachable style, this could be an easy introduction to the category. For my palate, though, it feels a bit too subtle and doesn’t quite hold my attention.

Nose: Oak, musk, caramel, agave, pepper Taste: oak, sweet caramel, pepper, cinnamon, agave, and spices A $50 Repo is not bad at all

On the nose I immediately get hit with oak, cola, fruits and butterschotch. Then there are subtle notes of agave, clove, ginger, vanilla, brown sugar, white pepper and walnut. Taste is well balanced. Notes of caramel, oak, vanilla and brown sugar are front and center. The background notes are honey, sweet green tea, barrel spice, agave and black pepper. Mouthfeel is watery but it does coat well. Finish is a bit short with quick notes of honey, oak and butter. The move to 1621 definitely made a great change in this Reposado.

Aroma: Light nose. Fruity but more like banana not citrus, light oak Flavor: Butterscotch or caramel—sweeter than the aroma but not too sweet, oak, cinnamon on the back palate. Short finish. Crushable. Would be an easy one to share with friends new to tequila. The distillery change is a big step up.

Sampled at Binnys All Things Agave. Good aroma and palate. Big improvement from the new NOM 1621.