El Tesoro Anejo Tequila Mundial: Yamakazi Edition Review

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Destilería La Alteña (NOM 1139)
• MASH BILL: 100% Blue Weber Agave
• AGE: 12 months in Yamazaki 12-Year-Old Japanese sherry and wine casks
• YEAR: 2025
• PROOF: 84 (42% ABV)
• MSRP: $199.99
• BUY ONLINE: Total Wine & More, but search for stores near you. I've seen this for $169.99 in California.

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Tequila fans who will appreciate such a fantastic release.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes. It's steep at $200, but I've never tasted anejo this good.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle. If you see it at a bar and the bottle isn't depleted past the halfway point, ask how long it's been on the shelf. If too long, it could be flat.

OVERALL: The brand story on this one is interesting. Some excerpts:

El Tesoro Mundial: Yamazaki Edition brings together three masters of distilling: Carlos and Jenny Camarena, the former and newly appointed master distillers of El Tesoro, respectively, and Shinji Fukuyo, The House of Suntory’s fifth-generation chief blender. Known for their expertise in deciphering peak conditions and flavor profiles among their storied warehouses, this extraordinary tequila delicately expresses the notes that Yamazaki, The House of Suntory’s iconic single malt, is known for.

“Our Mundial Collection is one of the most exciting projects at La Alteña," says Jenny Camarena, master distiller and CEO at El Tesoro and La Alteña Distillery. "Each time we release a new one, we show another way tequila can take the shape of something new that can express ideas and flavors one would never expect. My brother Carlos began working on the Yamazaki Edition years ago, and it’s been my pleasure to see it come to its final stage.”

Trust me, heavy hitters are involved in this release. I've been to La Alteña and met both Camarena siblings, and they are amazing people making amazing tequilas. So let's talk about this one.

This nose keeps me on my toes. It starts with lime rind, petrichor (minerality), Meyer lemon, cream soda, toast with orange marmalade and dried thyme. After letting it rest, the influence of the Yamakazi barrels shows up in ripe plums and raisin bread, before shifting to juicy tropical fruit, banana and lemon hard candies, tropical flowers and loads of minerality.

On the palate it's viscous and weighty, but black pepper and wood spice keep things active and busy. Before long it takes a softer turn toward raspberry cream, light caramel and non-charred oak. Despite being deeply honeyed, minerality from the tahona-crushed agave doesn't back off, but it lets cinnamon and oak join in. This is an outstanding aged tequila whose agave notes aren't dominated by wood–a hallmark of Carlos Camarena's precise aging methods.

BRAND NOTES

APPEARANCE: Gold, clear, shiny with a captivating sparkle.

AROMA: Aromatic agave, minerals, oak, dry fruits, nuts, honey, delicate florals, fresh tobacco.

PALATE: Mineral, toasted almonds, pecans, raw honey, balanced bitterness, warm spices, sherry notes, toasted coffee beans, dark chocolate.

FINISH: Long and lingering with sherry notes, fruits, seasoned oak, red berries, warm spices, clove, pepper.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.