Do you love tequila? It’s great to see the agave-based spirit is no longer perceived as just another novelty drink you order at a bar. These days, people appreciate the nuances each new expression brings. A fairly recent release is the Barrel Select Añejo by two prominent names in the booze business. In fact, this is their second outing.
The collaboration is between Tequila Ocho and Ferrand Cognac (formerly Pierre Ferrand). We’re looking at a partnership combining the very best from each distinct craft. Heaven Hill Distillery’s subsidiary shares that the small-batch series follows a strict recipe. One calling for overripe agave from Rancho Las Raices, which is close to Tequilera Los Alambiques.
To create the Barrel Select Añejo, an essential component of the process comes in the form of highly prized French oak cognac casks. These are not just your run-of-the-mill containers. Instead, the barrels were previously housing brandy by Ferrand Cognac. Fully seasoned, the wood then imparts its essences into the tequila after a year of maturation.
Overall, it’s an exquisite combination spanning two continents for everyone to enjoy. “Among the many things our families have in common is taking great care to honor the generations that came before us and laid the groundwork for us to thrive doing exactly what we love,” according to Tequila Ocho co-founder and Maestro Tequilero Carlos Camarena.
Official tasting notes detail aromas of wet earth, celery, cilantro, burnt cajeta, cherry, green guava, and cherry. Next is a palate of “salted caramel, vibrant minerality, cooked agave, ginger, intense coffee, and fresh sawdust.” The Barrel Select Añejo is bottled at 44.4% ABV (88.8 proof). Tequila Ocho is making it available in select domestic markets, and a few international markets.
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Images courtesy of Tequila Ocho/Heaven Hill Distillery
