Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Did you know a tequila could be aged for six years and still be called a reposado? Yeah, I know that doesn't make sense at first, but it will in a minute. So we're going to break down some tequila aging rules. And it's not just about time. It's about the barrel. According to Mexican regulations, part of the nom tequila classified as anejo, or extra anejo, has to be aged in oak barrels no larger than 600 liters. That is a rule for a reason. The size of the barrel directly affects how much tequila interacts with the wood. Smaller barrel, more surface area, more contact.
[00:00:30] More influence from the oak. Bigger container, less contact, slower extraction. So now let's talk about this really interesting example. This is the El Teal repo rare. And this tequila has been aged for six years. Yeah, six years. But instead of using a standard barrel, they age it in a massive 25,000 liter American oak tank. It's called a popolum. Now, let's put that in perspective. A typical barrel, a bourbon barrel, which is mostly used in the tequila industry, about 200 liters. The max size for an anejo extra Anejo is 600 liters. This thing is 25,000 liters. So even though tequila has the time, it doesn't meet the barrel size requirement, which means it cannot be called anything but a reposado. I know you're thinking that's wild, but here's why it actually matters. Because this massive tank changes how the tequila ages. With less surface area touching the wood, you get a slower, more subtle extraction. Less heavy oak, less overpowering barrel influences. You're not just going to taste vanilla or caramel or char. You're still going to get a lot of agave. So in a way, you're getting the benefit of time without completely covering up the spirit. This brings me to another important piece of aging tequila. The type of oak being used. Most tequila is aged in American oak, usually from ex bourbon barrels. That's going to give you the classic vanilla caramel, maybe a little sweetness. Some producers are using European oak and French oak. And that's where you're getting more spice, more structure, more tannins, sometimes more fleshy stone fruits within those flavors. So now you've got two variables. Shaping the final product. The size of the vessel, the type of the yolk. Both matter and how long it sits is very important. One thing that's also important to note is let's say I age this two, three years. I still can declassify my product and call it a reposado, even though it would classify as an extra anejo. I can't tell you why that rule is there. No one's been able to explain that to me. Because if you aged it for three years, why wouldn't you call it an extra on your. But you are able to take what, whatever your age time is and bring it down to an age statement that's as low as repsado. And also another thing to think of is if I age this tequila for three years, but I added some reposado to it, then it only could be called a reposado. And that same goes, if I add anejo to extra anejo, it could only be called an anejo. And if I added reposado to anejo, it could only be called a reposado. Much like we talk about a hoven. When you blend a lower age spirit in with a higher age spirit, you can only use the lowest age statement of the youngest spirit. And that's one thing that's important. You can't look just at the label and assume older means better. Because aging tequila isn't just about time. It's about the decisions that are made during the production. This is a perfect example. Six years in a barrel doesn't make it an extra on yeho. But I will tell you this, it does make it something special. And let's take a little sip of this one. This one is a closed bottle. I used one that was from an open bottle. I thought this was a pretty display. So let's dive into this. Wow. If you can find a bottle of repo Rare or you see it on a shelf at a bar, definitely have a taste of this. Tony Saez and the El Tech Eleno team are doing a fantastic job making some amazing tequila in the town of Tequila with agaves from the highlands. So definitely check this one out. Repo Rare. It is amazing. Cheers. Have a fantastic night.
