24-05-2025
The Top Añejo Tequila, According To The SF World Spirits Competition
The Añejo Tequila finalists from the 2025 SFWSC
Photo, courtesy Tasting Alliance/San Francisco World Spirits Competition
Four Tequilas have been selected as finalists for the World's Best Añejo Tequila at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The SFWSC is among the most prestigious spirit judging events in the world. Both consumers and the beverage industry closely follow its results. The Top Shelf 2025 Awards Gala, a highly anticipated event in the Tequila industry, will announce the winner on November 9 at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco. Below are brief backgrounds and tasting notes for the finalists.
This Texas-based company produces its Tequila at Casa Maestri's Tequila Valley Distillery in the city of Tequila. It's crafted from a blend of Highland and Lowland agave and aged for over 14 months in ex-bourbon American oak barrels.
The nose presents prominent cooked agave aromas of caramel and vanilla, accompanied by a touch of seasoned oak. The palate is both sweet and spicy, highlighting additional caramel, vanilla, oak, cinnamon, and black pepper spices. The finish is lengthy and smooth, leaving behind persistent sweet and spicy notes.
Cierto Tequila is an ultra-premium Tequila brand created by Master Distiller Enrique Fonseca at La Tequileña in Tequila. It is known for utilizing mature, estate-grown Highland agave and traditional production methods. Cierto is valued for its smooth, complex flavor profile and asserts that it is free of additives.
The brand offers two main lines. The Private Collection emphasizes refined elegance and accessibility across Blanco, Reposado, Añejo, and Extra Añejo expressions. The Reserve Collection is a longer-aged luxury tier designed to highlight depth and richness, appealing to connoisseurs. Both lines are perennial medalists in international spirit competitions, positioning Cierto as a benchmark for modern artisanal Tequila.
The Tequila is aged for 18 months in French Limousin oak casks. The nose presents subtle hints of cooked agave, vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch. It's smooth and creamy on the palate, showcasing caramel, vanilla, milk chocolate, coffee, cooked agave, and seasoned oak. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering notes of butterscotch, vanilla, chocolate, and a hint of pepper.
A field of Agave tequilana, commonly called blue agave. In the background is the famous Volcán de Tequila
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Pantalones Tequila is an organic, 100% blue agave Tequila co-founded by celebrity couple Matthew and Camila McConaughey. It is produced at Tequiler Tap in Amatitan in the Jalisco Highlands. According to the company, it is certified USDA organic and made without additives. The brand offers Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo expressions, each produced using traditional methods. Aging occurs in ex-bourbon American oak barrels. The Añejo Tequila is aged for 15 months.
The Tequila presents prominent cooked agave notes of butterscotch and brown sugar on the nose, complemented by vanilla aromas. It's smooth and velvety on the palate, showcasing more cooked agave notes of creamy butterscotch, brown sugar, a somewhat candied sweetness, butter, and a slight herbal/vegetal note. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering caramel and subtle vanilla notes.
Hotel California Tequila is a premium Tequila brand inspired by the like-named legendary Baja California hotel. It is produced at Hacienda Capellania in Jalisco's Southern Los Altos region. The Tequila is aged in both French and American oak barrels.
The Tequila is aromatic and complex on the nose, featuring prominent woody aromas and subtle dark chocolate, ripe peach, and dried apricot notes. The seasoned oak aromas are even more pronounced on the palate, complemented by vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and prune flavors. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering caramel, vanilla, and chocolate notes.
Each Añejo Tequila highlights the artistry and dedication involved in crafting exceptional spirits. Whether you prefer Pantalones' sweet and velvety notes, the complex, woody character of Hotel California, the sophisticated layered complexity of Cierto, or the sweet and spicy flavor of De La Gente, a unique experience awaits you in every bottle.
