Last Drop releases first Tequila
Sazerac-owned rare spirits bottler The Last Drop Distillers has debuted an extra añejo Tequila as its 40th release.
Tequilera Carmen Villarreal, the newest member of The Last Drop Assembly, created the liquid. The Last Drop Assembly is a panel of renowned spirits experts who collaborate and innovate with the brand.
Villarreal is the steward of Casa San Matías, one of Mexico’s oldest family-owned Tequila houses, which has been distilling since 1886. She stepped into the family business in 1997, following the death of her husband, Don Jesús López Román.
Under her direction, Casa San Matías produced the world’s ‘first’ extra añejo Tequila in 1991.
The Last Drop Release No. 40 Extra Añejo Tequila is made with 100% Blue Weber agave that was nurtured for up to a decade in Jalisco.
The release is composed of three casks: two aged for 10 years in ex-Bourbon barrels and one for seven years in a Port pipe.
“For generations, Mexico’s most skilled Tequileros have crafted spirits that capture the soul of the land,” said Villarreal. “Yet, even in my decades at Casa San Matías, opportunities to shape an extra añejo of this rarity – exploring the nuances that come from experimenting with unique casks and innovative ageing techniques – are extraordinary.
“I am immensely proud of the depth and elegance of this liquid. To see it selected by The Last Drop, and to contribute as a member of The Assembly to its release, is both humbling and inspiring.”
With an ABV of 46.3%, only 435 bottles are available worldwide with a suggested retail price of US$2,300.
On the nose, the Tequila offers notes of ‘roasted nuts and spiced oak, followed by waves of tropical pineapple and vanilla’. The palate features ‘creamy dulce de leche and cooked agave’, followed by plums, dates and ‘a hint of green jalapeño skin’.
“Our goal has always been to uncover and share extraordinary spirits that might otherwise never have been tasted. This release marks a new milestone as we bring Tequila into our collection for the first time,” said Rebecca Jago, The Last Drop’s director of brand experience and former managing director.
“With Release No. 40, we are honoured to work with Carmen Villarreal, whose artistry and innovation created this extraordinary Tequila, and to welcome her into The Assembly, as together we curate our first Tequila release and expand our journey to embrace remarkable creations from around the world.”
Each 700ml bottle is individually numbered and includes Villarreal’s signature. The Tequila is presented in a handcrafted wooden case with a 50ml miniature, tasting book, cork stopper and set of wooden coasters.
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