El Espolon Anejo Tequila
El Espolon Anejo Tequila is an 80-proof (40% ABV) 100% Blue Weber agave añejo from Destilería San Nicolás in Arandas, Jalisco — aged at least a full year in American oak, including a finishing stretch in ex-bourbon barrels. For an añejo at this price, the wood program is serious: new American oak does the heavy lifting, and the bourbon-barrel finish layers in butterscotch and vanilla. The agave underneath is classic Espolòn — hand-harvested highland agave, slow-cooked 20 to 22 hours, double-distilled in column and pot stills, fermented to the distillery's famous ritual of classical music in the fermentation room, a tradition of the late Maestro Tequilero Cirilo Oropeza. This 750mL bottle wears the brand's Day of the Dead–inspired label art, drawn from José Guadalupe Posada's calaveras. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Aging: At least 12 months in American oak, finished in ex-bourbon barrels
- Agave: 100% Blue Weber, hand-harvested in Los Altos de Jalisco
- Production: 20–22 hour autoclave cook; double distillation (column + pot stills); classical-music fermentation ritual
- Origin: Destilería San Nicolás, Arandas, Jalisco — NOM 1440
- Rating: 89 points, Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2021
A Year in Oak, Priced Like a Reposado
Most añejos at this tier see the legal minimum of wood; Espolòn's goes a full year — and it shows. The pour is bright reddish-gold, with roasted agave and earthy wood on the nose over butterscotch. The palate is medium-to-full and velvety: caramel, vanilla, dried fruit, and chocolate with warm spice and a peppery agave thread running through, finishing cool with a hint of menthol. Campari has owned the brand since 2009, but the liquid still follows Oropeza's playbook. It's the over-delivering añejo of the value shelf — compare it in our tequila collection or browse the Espolon range.
Tasting Notes
Bright reddish-gold. Nose: roasted agave, earthy wood, butterscotch. Palate: caramel, vanilla, dried fruit, chocolate, warm spice, peppery agave, a hint of mango. Finish: velvety and warm with a menthol-cool edge.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a snifter or on a large cube — the year's worth of oak earns it sipping status. It also makes a rich Añejo Old Fashioned: the caramel and chocolate notes play beautifully with bitters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Espolon Anejo aged?
At least twelve months in American oak, including a finishing period in ex-bourbon barrels — a full year, well beyond the añejo minimum of one year (retailers state the exact barrel split two different ways, so the safe figure is "at least a year").
Who makes Espolon tequila?
Destilería San Nicolás (NOM 1440) in Arandas, in the Los Altos highlands of Jalisco — created by the late master distiller Cirilo Oropeza and owned by Campari since 2009.
What's the story behind the label?
The rooster-and-calavera artwork is inspired by José Guadalupe Posada, the Mexican printmaker whose Day of the Dead skeletons are a national icon.
For an añejo that drinks above its price, order El Espolon Anejo Tequila online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — 750mL.