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Cazadores Tequila Reposado
About Cazadores Tequila Reposado
Cazadores Tequila Reposado is produced in Arandas – a town in the Highland region of Jalisco, Mexico. Established by Don Felix Bañuelos in 1973, Cazadores creates their tequila using a family recipe that had been kept secret for decades since 1922. In 2002, the family-run company (and their distillery) was bought out by Bacardi. Despite the ownership change, Cazadores seems to have retained their original tequila recipe as well as the traditional processes and community spirit that drive the company’s branding.
All of Cazadores tequilas are made using double distillation and double fermentation. According to the company, their 7-step production process is “zero-waste”. Changes made to their process over time have been geared towards making operations more sustainable, while still honoring the original tequila recipe. This particular Tequila Reposado is aged in American White Oak Barrels for 2-12 months before bottling.
Bottle Specs
❖ ABV: 40%
❖ Distillery: Bacardi y Compañia
❖ Aging: 2-12 months
❖ Price Point: Lower-mid Price Range
Tasting Notes
Palate:
❖ Agave
❖ Wood
❖ Citrus
❖ Tropical Fruits
❖ Vanilla
My Tasting notes
As I took my first whiff of this tequila, there was a fresh and vaguely fruity aroma. I could also pick out a wood quality that seemed to have a peppery spice to it. After a few sniffs, the vanilla notes started to come out. Overall, the individual aroma notes are subtle and work best together. I had to really concentrate and use all the strength in my nose to pick out individual nose notes – but added together, there is a pleasant freshness that is quite striking.
As I took my first sip, the flavors were a bit unexpected. It began just like the nose notes – fresh with subtle fruit. However, the middle and finish took me on a whole ride. After the fruity notes, there was a peppery bite that quickly dissipated into a burst of strong wood notes. The finish had a sweeter wood quality that felt like a less spicy version of cinnamon bark. By the end of my tasting, each sip had gotten gradually more and more spicy – leaving a strong tingle in my mouth and throat.
Cocktail
For my cocktail, I wanted to try out the Tequila Daisy, which is said to be a precursor to the classic Margarita. I thought it would be a nice and simple drink that would let the tequila flavors really come through.
If you’re not familiar with Grand Marnier (in the ingredients below), it’s an orange-flavored liqueur that has a cognac base. If you can’t get your hands on this, you can substitute another orange-flavored spirit such as triple sec.
TEQUILA DAISY
❖ 2 oz Tequila
❖ 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
❖ 1/2 oz lemon juice
❖ 1/2 tsp sugar
❖ splash of club soda
- Add all the ingredients except the soda water to an ice-filled shaker, and shake until chilled.
- Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass.
- Top with a splash of soda water.
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Inside of a cocktail, Cazadores is pretty smooth. I found that it had a nice character to it, with the wood notes creating a subtle depth against the citrus mixers. I had no complaints about my drink.
Bottom Line
RATING: 3/5
Overall, I think this is a good tequila. At the same time, however, it didn’t really wow me. I would recommend it for some circumstances, but I think there are definitely better tequilas out there for only a slightly higher price. It was difficult to get excited about it.
That said, Cazadores Reposado is very affordably priced, and that is important. For people on a budget, it’s a decent choice for when you are looking for something semi-nice for houseguests or party guests without breaking the bank. It tastes good in a cocktail, and has a nice value when it comes to feeling the effects of the alcohol. Of course, if you and/or your guests prefer their tequila on the rocks, it’s worth paying a bit more to get something smoother.
From a social standpoint, I do really appreciate Cazadores’ focus on the environment in their production. The fact that they are zero waste is very impressive. For me personally, though, the fact that the company is not Mexican-owned cancels out some of those brownie points. It’s always disappointing to read a whole marketing saga about a family-owned company, only to find out that they were bought out by a huge corporation.
For me, Cazadores Reposado is just plain average!
As always, drink responsibly.
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