Review 185: Milagro Single Barrel Anejo

Review 185

11/23/13

Milagro Single Barrel Anejo: 40% abv

Background: We’ve already done a review of Milagro Silver tequila, so now we’re interested in looking at what Milagro is like with some age under its belt. This little beauty is one that I picked up in a shop on the east side of Michigan, and it was a limited production bottling. It is still very young at 18 months old, but it is fairly unique, and it does speak to what Milagro tequila can be with a little bit of craftsmanship. Milagro’s tequila is roasted in clay ovens in Jalisco, made from the “volcanic-rich” soil that is found there, as they put it. This is a triple-distilled tequila as well, and like all Milagro products, they’ve made the barrel too pretty to throw away (I’ll be throwing it away anyway). With all of that being said, let’s look at how this tequila actually performs.

Straight

Nose: The nose starts off fairly untraditional from tequilas we’ve had in the past. There is definitely a strong influence of agave in the nose, but along with this is a strong nuttiness; a mixture of peanuts and chestnuts. There is also a fruity sweetness to it coupled with vanilla extract, which is soft and mild. There is a slight anise aroma becoming apparent, but it is not over-dominant. A brininess is noticeable, which is strangely coupled with a slight vinegary pickle smell. This isn’t horribly prevalent, so don’t cringe at the thought. Some spices and herbs are in the nose as well, with subtle fresh mint and cloves.

Arrival: The arrival very smoothly starts off with a light, mouse-like entrance. There is definitely nuttiness, vanilla, and some weak salt flavor up front. There is some agave in the arrival, with a zesty spice as it goes into the body. There is some mint in the arrival, but it is relatively weak and more like a toothpaste fluoride. There is also a Laffy Taffy banana flavor to it. The arrival is relatively simple, but it does present some very interesting flavors to it.  

Body: The body has a lot of saltiness to it, with strong agave flavor, and a prominent amount of nuttiness. There is some strong lime tartness in the body, with some slight vanilla and dry wood that sits in the background and adds some character. There is a little bit of pineapple tartness and bitterness that sticks through the later part of the body into the finish.

           

Finish: The finish does contain a little bit agave left over. The unique banana presence is now more creamy, like banana cream pie. The fluoride mint flavor is actually prevalent here, but it starts to taste more like natural spearmint as the finish continues forward. There is some roasted almonds in the finish as well. There is some light floral notes in the later part of the finish, which contains jasmine and lavender flavors. There is a little bit of dry wood that lingers as well. Finally, there is a spicy gingerbread and allspice mixture that can be found as well.

With Water

Nose: The nose, after add a small amount of water, starts to take on a little bit more grain flavor, with citrus notes like grapefruit and lime becoming more dominant. The spice is a little more noticeable, and the agave backs off a little bit. There is a bit of pine that comes through in the nose now as well. There is less chestnut, and more peanut in the nose after adding water.

Arrival: The arrival has more vanilla, and a little bit of barley malt flavor now. There is still some nice spice and smooth agave flavor as well. The arrival is also slightly savory at this point, although it is so subtle, it is hard to pinpoint.

Body: The body is still predominantly the same as before. The difference here is that the body has a slightly bigger tartness, almost like black cherry. The body is more dry and astringent, with some pepper-like bitterness running in the finish.

Finish: After adding water, the finish is really floral and woody, with dominant earthiness to it. There is some bitter rose flavor, with some more raw grassy notes. The agave is still here, but there is less sweetness and tartness. The nut is still noticeable. It is also significantly more dry than before. The vanilla now is sticking around a bit longer than before.

Final Comments:  This is definitely a unique, fun tequila to try. It is prominently nutty and salty, with a variety of light complexities. Unlike a whisky, the complexities don’t scream at you, but they are still there. It isn’t hugely boozy or heavy, but it still has some flavor to speak of. It is an easy sipper, and it has a lot to offer, but it isn’t the most complex spirit in the world.

 

Why you’d buy it: For a fun, different tequila experience at an affordable price.

Why you wouldn’t: You don’t like salty nuts.

Score: 8.75/10

Review 176: Milagro Silver

Review 176

9/3/13

Milagro Silver: 40% abv

Background: One of the struggles I have with tequila is that it seems to lack any sort of published information in a lot of cases. Brands are the only sources of information, and we all know how reliable those are. Milagro doesn’t seem to be much different. The story is about two college kids who love tequila and a master distiller who is tired of being told to cut corners. That sounds pretty good right off the bat; but it doesn’t have many facts for us. They talk about traditional processing, but who knows what they mean by that. We do know that Milagro Silver is produced at the Jalisco highlands and is 100% blue agave, which we like. Milagro Silver is triple distilled and is not aged, and that’s about all we care about. Among the rest of their range, they have a reposado, an anejo, and a “select barrel” series of tequilas for each of their different ages. Now, with no further ado, let’s work on some notes.

Straight

Nose:  There is an initial sweetness that comes through in the nose, with definite aromas of agave, fresh lime, and a little lemon. There are some greens notes, as the tequila smells slightly grassy and there is some fresh mint that comes through as well. A bit of vanilla comes through on the nose, complimented by a mild cranberry scent and some light champagne. There is a little bit of a star fruit and orange aroma that comes out, which I can’t say is too common. Also, quite surprisingly, there is a little bit of saltiness that comes through in the nose. Finally, there was a bit of floral smell from the glass.

Arrival: The arrival some strong vanilla and agave coming through. There was a slight brininess in the beginning. There is a bit of cinnamon and clove that creep in. There is a sense of youngness to the arrival, with a pretty prominent alcohol flavor and burn. It is not to the fault of this tequila, and it shows promising character for their aged spirits, but it becomes noticeable in the arrival. The arrival is a little earthy, but it misses on complexity.

Body: The agave and vanilla become so prominent in the body, making sure you know this is a tequila. In our last review of Hornitos, you could have questioned what you were drinking, but here you cannot mistake it, and that’s exactly what you’ll find. There is a lime-like flavor that comes through in the body. 

                                                            

Finish: The obvious happens in the finish. There is a lot of agave that carries over from the body, but to mix things up, eccentric notes of pine and mint come through as well. There is a shadow of green apple that can be found with some digging. Somewhat of a metallic flavor, albeit not a strong one, but certainly a noticeable one, comes forward in the finish. There is a floral, bitter note that comes through in the finish with a bit of tea tree oil to boot. There is an intense earthiness that comes through, with a green note to it. There is also a slight bit of pineapple that comes through.

With Water

Nose: The sweetness on the nose, after adding some water, really comes forward. The agave becomes very prominent and sticks out, with some of the alcohol edginess coming to the front.

Arrival: The arrival feels very much the same, but it feels mellower than before. There is a bit of pear that comes through in addition to the original flavors. This is not a good start to the addition of water, which can be well expected with a 40% liquor.

Body: In the body, the addition of water actually kills off the sense of agave, with some dry spice and vanilla sticking out, but it becomes almost drown in the water addition. Granted, this is not very much water that’s being added.

           

Finish: The finish is almost completely obliterated by the addition of water. Although a bit of the vanilla sticks around, as well as a bit of bitterness and some additional graininess, most of it goes away, and the finish dies away quickly.

Final Comments: This starts off as a good, clean un-aged tequila. It is simple, which we expect from something in this context. There is a little bit of a bite to it, aside from the alcohol presence. It is crisp and light. This silver does not handle water very well, which is not a surprise for the alcohol content and the lack of age. What is this saying? Where does this fit in the tequila market? Well in my opinion, if you are going to mix some margaritas but don’t want the thick, woody taste profile of an anejo tequila, a silver tequila is your best bet, and although I don’t think this is THE best for drinking straight, it would make a good tequila for a solid mixed drink.

 

Why you’d buy it: It is good value for money, plus the bottle is pretty sexy

Why you wouldn’t: You don’t like the color blue, or you NEED to be drinking Patron to show your class.

Score: 8.0/10