Tears of Llorona XA Tequila leaves lots to consider for $280

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Casa Tequilena, NOM 1146
• MASH BILL: 100% Weber Blue Agave
• AGE: 5 years
• YEAR: 2026
• PROOF: 86 (43%)
• MSRP: $279.99 for a 1 liter bottle
• BUY ONLINE: Tears of Llorona Bottle Shop

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Anyone who drinks tequila, especially people who think barrel aged versions are superior to blanco. Let them experience this exercise in comparison.

WORTH THE PRICE: No. There are so many lower-cost bottles that tell the story of agave better than this. I'm a weirdo who likes longer-aged American whiskies on one hand, but un-aged blanco tequilas on the other. For my palate, long aging works really well for cereal grain spirits, but not always for agave spirits. Blanco tequila is as close as you can get to the taste of the agave, its terroir and how its pinas were cooked, fermented and distilled, and those are the flavors I'm after. In this case, five years in wood masks too many of those characteristics.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar. Tears of Llorona is a divisive bottle. Some love it, some don't. Others, in the middle, like me, enjoy it while not being wowed by it. Try it at a bar before you commit to a bottle.

OVERALL: The news release describes Tears of Llorona as an "ultra-rare Extra Añejo tequila ... crafted from estate-grown Blue Weber Agave, double-distilled in copper pot stills, and aged in a selection of exclusive barrels for five years. The result is a spirit of depth and mystery, revered by connoisseurs across categories: from tequila enthusiasts to collectors of fine whisky and cognac."

The release is correct: This is geared toward fans of barrel aged spirits. Nothing wrong with that. Just rarely my jam when it comes to tequila. But as I point out regularly, tequila was distilled and held in wood for centuries before an abundance of glass and plastic totes allowed blanco to be its best self without wood influence.

The nose makes clear that distillery owners Enrique Fonseca and Sergio Mendoza know good barrel aging; they've chosen good casks here. Baking spice and cinnamon bark lead, followed by spring flowers, sweet pastry, raw honey, white grapefruit, cooked agave and flat cola. Hints of golden raisin lead me to think ex-sherry barrels are in the mix here.

On the palate come golden raisins, ripe pear, orange marmalade, perfectly toasted oak and a little mango. Mouthfeel is rich, but rich flavors don't come with it–no hoped-for agave nectar or butterscotch to be found.

On the finish it's fairly lean and clean, slightly acidic, perhaps owing to a wine cask in the mix. (I'm still betting on sherry.) A little burnt citrus ends it nicely.

Overall, this tequila is a tasty number. It's not over-oaked like some extra-añejos or saddled with age-faking additives like others. Given some of the delightful tequilas that come from NOM 1146 (Don Fulano and ArteNOM Seleccion 1146 Anejo Tequila among them), I'm not surprised this is well made. But I'm not in any hurry to pay $280 for it.

I started tasting this tequila after a five-meeting/Zoom calls one day, so my clean and dry palate was ready for tasting. Once I started on it, I stayed with it for a full hour, pouring sip after sip into a tulip glass. With each tongue lashing, I enjoyed it more. Like snow accumulating gradually, flavors piled onto my palate over that hour, and the experience improved significantly.

But I have to ask why it took that many pours to make such a flavor impact? One thing I like most about good blanco is it announces itself immediately. This comparably shy. If I were drinking this at a bar and paying by the pour, I'd be out at least $150, and possibly more. I'm not that kind of big-spending bar customer.

To those who love this, good on you. Every palate is different. To those who don't, hang with it and see if it tells you a new and better story. For me, I'm grateful to have a nice sample of it, which I'll share with friend who isn't fond of it. Maybe he'll come 'round to it.

Afterward: I read the press release notes after tasting it, and the casks used formerly held Scotch, sherry and brandy. Golden raisins were the sherry giveaway, which makes me think they were PX casks.

BRAND NOTES

AROMA: Sherry-soaked raisins and butterscotch meet toasted walnuts, creating a rich and inviting nose.

PALATE: A tapestry of brandied cherries, dark cocoa, and smooth agave, lifted by a gentle, warming spice.

FINISH: Soft yet complex, with hints of oak, vanilla, and a delicate touch of dried fruit that lingers.

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.