Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Most Anejos just spend a year in an old whiskey barrel and bottled quickly and sold for 50% more than a blanco. And honestly, most of them taste just exactly like that. A little flat, predictable, forgettable. But Cambio isn't following the playbook. What I have here is a tequila that's just about to redefine what Anejo means. Cambio just recently released their very first flagship anejo. Here's the catch. There were only 375 cases in this first release. Why so few? Because this isn't your standard 12 month on Yeho. We're talking about a tequila that's aged 22 to 24 months, nearly double the legal requirement. The extra time alone would set it apart. But Cambio takes it an even step further. Instead of dumping their tequila into tired American oak whiskey barrels, Cambio uses three unique cast types. French oak Chardonnay barrels raw inside for pure agave character. Another set of French oak Chardonnay barrels, freshly retoasted and already seasoned by their reposada. And finally, a 30 year old limousine oak cast that once held cognac. Each batch rests for different amounts of time, 22 to 24 months, 15 months and 13 months before carefully blended together. The result is a layer of flavor that you just don't find in tequila today. If you want to hear the full story straight from the brand, check out my interview I did with Cambio recently on my YouTube channel. Chef John explains it all. Let's check out the nose on this one. On the nose, I get cooked agave, I get a rich barrel note that is almost like a wine barrel smell. Like I'm, I'm nosing a rose barrel, but I get an oakiness that's a little different. I also pick up some vanilla in there and I get a little bit of baking spice. Let's dive into the taste. On the taste, it is fruit, fruit, fruit. It's amazing. You get cooked agave, you get the normal vanilla flavors that you get. But then you pick up all of this what I, what I would call stone fruit, peach, pear, apricot. And then that caramel comes in and then you get this really nice spice behind it and the finish just hangs on it starts to get a little peppery. It gets you in the back of the mouth. So many amazing flavors and you get a little bit of that barrel taste, but, but not like you do like that musty bourbon barrel that you would normally get in an anejo. This is a rich, fruity agave forward flavor. So with Cambio what you get in the glass is a richness, complexity and a balance.
[00:02:41] A balance of oak, vanilla. They come through naturally. There's no additives needed here. Alongside of that agave, a brightness and a subtle spice. The fruit is what I really pay the most attention to. It's pretty amazing. This kind of tequila makes you stop mid sip and pay attention. And here's the kicker.
[00:03:00] This thing's hitting the shelves at like 69.99.
[00:03:04] Let that sink in. One of the most complex, carefully crafted anejos ever produced for under 70 bucks. Cambio didn't just make another tequila. They created an anejo that redefines the category. It's bold, it's different. And no one else is crazy enough to do it as their flagship release.
[00:03:22] Like I said, Only 375 cases. If you want to taste it, this is what tasting the future of tequila and what it can be beholding to 500 years of tradition. If you want to watch my full interview, Chef John De Rosier explains the whole thing. Go to my YouTube channel. Check it out. Tasting Tequila with Brad Just look for the cameo interview. It is actually my highest viewed video on YouTube.
[00:03:47] Also, if you've had Cambio tequila, let me know in the comments what you think of their anejo and their other expressions. Thanks for watching. Salute.
