And Volcán X.A (Extra Ages)-an ultra-premium trio of reposado, añejo and extra añejo tequilas-is aged in proprietary “Grace Casks” (basically boutique American oak barrels sourced by industry giant Moët Hennessy, which launched the brand). Plus, in our selection, of top shelf tequila you’ll find an even newer and rarer Patrón extra añejo that has been aged for eight years in French and American oak casks. As noted below, Patrón’s Extra Añejo 10 Años is aged in a combination of used American oak and hybrid American and French Limousin barrels, while one of their newest limited editions-Sherry Cask Aged Añejo-is aged exclusively in ex-Oloroso sherry barrels. But just as Scotch whiskies, which at one time were only aged in ex-bourbon or sherry casks but are now being finished in different wine or whiskey barrels, top shelf tequila has successfully adopted this practice.

How Whisky, Wine and Wood Influence Tequilaīlancos notwithstanding, the best tequilas have traditionally been aged in American or French oak barrels. But no matter what amount of time it has spent in oak, to produce a superior aged tequila, you must start with a superior blanco. Older than that, the barrels tend to dominate the spirit, often making it woody and overpowering. How long? That depends upon the taste profile the maestro tequilero is after, with The Bad Stuff (yes, that’s the brand’s misleading name) currently leading the pack with its recently released Doce XII, a superb 12-year-old silky-smooth bottle that goes for $1,000. There are four officially sanctioned styles of top shelf tequila authorized by the government agency CRT ( Consejo Regulador del Tequila), which regulates the spirit: blanco, sometimes called silver or plata, it is bottled clear and unaged reposado, barrel aged from two to 11 months, giving it a tannish hue añejo, deeper in color and aged from one to three years extra añejo, rich, brownish-golden tequilas that have been aged longer than three years. Immature agaves produce shallow and bitter-tasting tequilas, and any tequila that uses less than 100 percent agaves is a mixto, a sugary flavored concoction hardly worth pouring. Moreover, the best tequila can only be made from 100 percent Weber Blue Agave (often referred to as Blue Weber Agave) that range in age from seven to 12 years to reach maturity, depending on where they’re grown. In fact, it must not only come from Mexico, but from specific parts of Mexico, most notably from its namesake city of Tequila in the state of Jalisco, as well as in certain areas of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit and Tamaulipas. Like Cognac and scotch, tequila is geographically protected.

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