100% Agave | Aged In Oak For One Year PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN MADE IN MEXICO
Origin: Zacatecas. Agave tequilana
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Sweet, subtle with vanilla, honey and oak. Palate: Sweet with vanilla and honey, just a hint of oak. Finish: Short and drying with vanilla and a bit of pepper. Comments: This is similar to the Luminar Mezcal Reposado, except the additional months in oak seem to rob it of its character, leaving it mellow but flat. I expected to like this the most, but in fact this was my least favorite of the three. This could have been a mashbill of almost anything, which was disappointing.
100% Agave | Aged In Oak For Three Months PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN MADE IN MEXICO
Origin: Zacatecas. Agave tequilana
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Sweet, vegetal with green pepper, touch of vanilla and honey, only a hint of cigar smoke and a bit of detergent. Palate: Viscous, sweet with vanilla, a touch of corn and honey. Finish: Short and drying, sweet with honey, vanilla and roasted corn. Comments: Very similar to the Luminar Mezcal Joven, except with bits of vanilla and honey. In color, this has just a subtle, golden hue. Also similar is the noticeable absence of smoke. While I liked this better than the Joven, that’s not a ringing endorsement.
100% Agave PROTECTED APPELLATION OF ORIGIN MADE IN MEXICO
Origin: Zacatecas. Agave tequilana
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Mezcal (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Sweet, vegetal with fresh but mild green pepper, only a hint of cigar smoke. Palate: Viscous, sweet with a vegetal note and a hint of corn and honey. Finish: Short and drying, sweet with roasted corn. Comments: Picked up a 50 mL of this along with two other Luminar offerings. Some of the reviews I’ve read on this called out that it is more like a tequila than a mezcal. While not terribly familiar with either, this definitely isn’t smokey like I’ve come to expect with mezcal. Pretty uninspiring and forgettable.
40% ABV $130 Website We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Producer Says
To celebrate and honor El Mayor’s 25th anniversary, Master Distiller Rodolfo Gonzalez selected 25 barrels of the distillery’s oldest stock to create a unique, limited-edition tequila: El Mayor Extra Añejo Bourbon Barrel Aged. The ultra-premium tequila is aged for 39 months in American Oak bourbon barrels and distilled from Blue Weber agave from the valley area of Jalisco, Mexico. A limited allocation of approximately 6,000 bottles will be available at a suggested retail price of $129.99 per 750-ml. bottle. Distilled and produced at Destiladora Gonzalez Lux in Arandas, Mexico, the limited-edition tequila will be available nationwide in July 2023.
“This limited-edition Extra Añejo tequila is the culmination of 25 years of knowledge, expertise and innovation,” said Graciela Gonzalez, fourth-generation distiller and daughter of Rodolfo Gonzalez. “The result is an extraordinarily smooth, well-balanced tequila with elegant oak hints, baking spices and dried fruit on the nose and palate. It’s a gorgeous expression worthy of marking such a significant milestone.”
The El Mayor 25th Anniversary Extra Añejo Bourbon Barrel Aged bottle features a silver label and embossed detail around the neck. It is packaged in an attractive black box with silver markings that complement the label.
“The tequila category is experiencing a meteoric rise, fueled by award-winning brands like El Mayor,” said Chelsi Hofmeister, brand manager for El Mayor. “This latest 25th Anniversary Extra Añejo tequila is sure to be sought after by those who recognize and appreciate exceptional tequila.”
For recipes and more information about El Mayor and the limited-edition 25th Anniversary Extra Añejo Bourbon Barrel Aged tequila, or to find a retailer, visit elmayor.com or follow the brands @elmayortequila on Facebook and Instagram.
What Gary Says
DISCLAIMER: I’m a whisk(e)y enthusiast, and not familiar with Tequila (so read at your own risk!) Nose: Vanilla, agave, vegetal note, hint of tangerine and nutmeg. Palate: Thick mouthfeel with agave nectar, apples, vanilla, touch of cinnamon and a bit earthy. Finish: Short to moderate in length with honey, dried fruit and pepper. Comments: Not a tequila aficionado by any stretch, but of my limited experience, I found this to be quite nice. As a bourbon fan, you definitely get that influence which I appreciate. And this made a fabulous margarita!
Saint Brendan’s Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur
17% ABV $15 Website We would like to thank Luxco and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.
What the Producer Says
Made with award-winning, triple-distilled Irish whiskey, all-natural cream from Irish dairy farms and salted caramel flavor, Saint Brendan’s Salted Caramel brings a new sweet-and-salty twist to traditional Irish cream. Produced by Niche Drinks in Northern Ireland, Saint Brendan’s Salted Caramel is bottled at 34 proof (17% ABV) and is available in a 750 ml bottle. Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream Salted Caramel will be available by the end of July 2023 at a suggested retail price of $14.99 per 750 ml bottle.
Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream Salted Caramel features aromas of sweet vanilla, caramel and toffee on the nose with silky cream and sweet whiskey on the palate. The warm, sugary finish highlights the sea salt and rich caramel flavor.
“The salted caramel flavor combination continues to grow in popularity with adult consumers,” said Allison O’Brien, brand manager for Luxco’s Irish Portfolio. “Adding this ultimate sweet-and-salty combination to Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream was a perfect match, resulting in a product that delivers across the taste profile. I expect our Salted Caramel will be a go-to choice for adults looking for a fun, boozy treat – especially during the summer months.”
What Gary Says
Nose: Creamy, caramel, butterscotch with a bit of chocolate. Palate: Thick and creamy mouthfeel, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla and cream. Finish: Long caramel crème candy. Comments: Honestly, these aren’t usually my thing – but after reviewing the Ezra Brooks Bourbon Cream earlier this summer and enjoying that (and maybe more importantly, learning my wife LOVED it), I decided to give this a try. Glad that I did! This is really nice. Quite a bit sweeter by comparison but is dangerously drinkable. Pour a couple fingers worth over a cube and this is delightful (although doesn’t need the ice coming out of the fridge). I quite enjoyed just a bit of this over some freshly baked banana nut bread (just letting it soak in).
