Winemaking process: double distillation in copper stills, aging for 9 months in toasted oak barrels. The Master standard continued into the higher end of the añejo category, with one top award winner unearthed in the ultra-premium heat. Corralejo 99,000 Horas Añejo was a deserving Master medallist. The Tequila impressed the judges with its “very rich nose”, followed by a “smooth mouthfeel, wonderful complex mature flavours, and a long and elegant finish”. In the 100% Agave Mezcal Añejo flight, two more Silver medals were claimed. The first was secured by Señorío Añejo, which had a “vanilla sweetness” on the palate that complemented “very slight smoke” notes. Three panels put the majority of entries to the test at the Novotel Hotel in London Bridge. The first group comprised Nicola Carruthers, deputy editor of The Spirits Business magazine, and Michael Fichtner, head bartender at the Coburg Bar at The Connaught hotel in London. Bryan Rodriguez, wine and spirits buyer at Harvey Nichols, chaired the panel. Two Tequilas proved they have the credentials to win a Master medal in the following flight: 100% Agave Tequila – Ultra‐Premium Reposado. El Tequileño The Sassenach Select Double Wood Reposado bagged the top award for its “clean and fresh palate with increasing savoury notes, honey, vanilla, late pepper and bitter herbals”.

Two Gold medals were given to “classic, earthy” Matra Mezcal and “very smooth” Mezcal Artesanal Noble Coyote Espadín‐Tobalá, with “ripe banana” notes. A Silver medal went to Mezcal Artesanal Noble Coyote Jabalí. From there, the competition moved onto Flavoured Tequila, where a Gold medal was handed to 1800 Coconut, with its “inviting, fresh coconut” aroma and “agave notes on the finish”. Completing the flight was Sierra Milenario Tequila Extra Añejo, which walked away with a Silver medal. The Tequila was found to have a “hint of coffee” on the nose, with slight “vegetal notes” on the palate, complemented by a “balanced sweetness”. The lively Sierra Tequila Reposado has won many international awards: 2012 Silver medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, 2011 Gold medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, and 2010 Gold medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Conclusion of the Sierra Tequila Reposado Mexican Gold: A Gold medal was awarded to Tequila Exotico Reposado, which had “good length” to its finish, while a Silver medal was given to Corralejo Reposado.All of the Tequilas were very good, but [Patrón Reposado Tequila] came up as the best because it tasted like a product that has been carefully produced and the barrels have been used very well,” Gomez added. “It was quite spicy, mineral. These were good representations of Tequila at this price.” Four Gold medals were also awarded in this round, including one for Gran Centenario Leyenda. The Tequila had a “silky, luxurious texture” and a “nice dryness” on the finish. The Spirits Business held its annual Tequila & Mezcal Masters last month, where an experienced panel of judges uncovered some of the category’s best expressions available on the global market. Two more Gold medallists followed: “sweet, caramel, complex” Tequila Olmeca Altos Reposado; and “rich and well rounded” Tequila Avíon Reposado, which was said to be a “great sipping Tequila”. Eight Gold medals were also enjoyed in this round. Among the Gold winners were: “vibrant, delicious” El Tequileño Cristalino; “nicely balanced” Teremana Reposado, with “green peppers on the finish”; and “unusual, distinct” Vivir Tequila Reposado, which boasted “vanilla notes and Bourbon barrel influence”.

Five Gold medallists were also enjoyed by the judges: Don Julio Añejo, with “cinnamon, vanilla and oak”; “sippable and accessible” Olmeca Altos Añejo; 1800 Añejo, which had “rich toffee, resinous aromas”; and “silky” Gran Centenario Añejo, with notes of “burnt sugar and lime citrus”. Pernod Ricard’s Avión Añejo also earned a Gold medal, presenting “lovely complexity and balance – very sippable”. Chambers said: “Delicious. Very good at what it does.” People are buying their spirits more and more online, so they are searching and getting more knowledge about Tequila and mezcal, how they’re produced and what’s behind the two spirits,” Gomez explained. The number of excellent Tequila and mezcal bottlings on the market has been increasing at an impressive rate, with producers bringing interesting expressions to keen consumers, as this year’s blind-tasting competition showed. This year’s Tequila & Mezcal Masters received a record number of entriesFlavor: fruity with herbal notes, a subtle hint of orange, vanilla with cocoa, sweet and fruity agave After assessing all the Tequila submissions, a series of mezcals were put to the taste test. Up first was a large flight of 100% Agave Mezcal – Joven. The flight produced a Master medal in the form of The Lost Explorer Mezcal Salmiana. “This has a very beautiful Tooty Frooty nose,” said Gomez. “This would be perfect for someone who doesn’t know mezcal; it’s a very entry-friendly mezcal but still a fantastic product. It does everything I would expect at this level; it’s got a sweetness, but it keeps a good mouthfeel and is full of flavour.” Joining me, Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business, on Zoom was Eduardo Gomez, founder of Tequila Fest and director of mexgrocer.uk.

The third team consisted of Matt Chambers, co‐founder of the Whisky for Everyone blog and the North London Whisky Club, Evan Prousaefs, bar manager and assistant general manager of Los Mochis restaurant in London’s Notting Hill, and Chris Tanner, bar manager at Milroy’s. Melita Kiely, editor of The Spirits Business, chaired the panel.The opening flight of Mixto Tequila – Blanco delivered a set of Silver medals for El Sueño Tequila Silver and Sierra Tequila Silver. El Sueño Tequila Silver was “light and bright” on the nose, with “delicate citrus and a peppery palate”. Sierra Tequila Silver had a “slight nuttiness”, but was found to be “what you’d expect” from a mixto blanco – “solid”, noted one judge. Meanwhile, BBC Spirits received two Gold medals for Lokita Espadin, enjoyed for its “new make spirit aromas” and “subtle smokiness”; and Lokita Tepeztate, with its “fruity aroma, hint of cinnamon” and “slightly dry finish”. L-r: Eduardo Gomez and Melita Kiely (photo is from The Tequila & Mezcal Masters 2020, taken pre-pandemic) At the top end of the price spectrum, another Master was discovered: El Tequileño Añejo Gran Reserva. “It has very good notes of oak, cinnamon and caramel from the barrels,” commented Gomez. “For me, when I move to añejos, those producers and brands have to properly balance the oak elements with the agave. Here, this was done exceptionally well.”

This variety of flavours, which has received many international awards, gives Sierra Tequila Reposado a special complexity. The tasting then took on a flight of 100% Agave – Super-Premium Reposado Tequilas, in which the first Master was discovered. Patrón Reposado Tequila impressed with its “green and clean” aromas, “nice texture” and “slightly sweet palate that brings cooked agave, a hint of pepper and a long finish”. The judges found the quality improved as they progressed to 100% Agave Tequila – Premium Reposado. A Master was bestowed upon Tequila Dahlia Cristalino. Rodriguez found this expression had an “explosive nose” full of “roasted agave, pepper and floral notes”. The palate had a “touch of sweetness” and “lingering” flavour. “This shows Tequila’s immense complexity, playful aromas and notes reminiscent of other spirits categories,” he enthused. “This feels more like a sipping liquid than a mixing liquid.”Corralejo Reposado Tequila was also judged to be worthy of a Gold medal, with “wholemeal bread on the nose, some caramel flavours and a touch of pepper spice”. As we moved from on to 100% agave Tequilas, Patrón Silver Tequila took home a coveted Gold medal in the Super-Premium Blanco flight. The Tequila delivered a “bright, fresh” aroma, which led to “agave and pepperiness” on the palate. Corralejo Blanco Tequila received a respectable Silver. The añejo options in the super‐premium contingent were also impressive – with two reaching the Master standard. Sierra Tequila Antiguo was deemed to be Masterworthy, with its “brilliant nose full of earthy spice, pepper” and “very well integrated oak” that “beautifully supports the spirit”. El Mayor Tequila Añejo also secured the top Master accolade. Smith found “bright agave on the nose, salted caramel notes; great balance of spirit and wood”. The 100% agave Tequilas continued with a flight of premium reposado expressions. El Tequileño Reposado received a Gold medal in this round. “Reposado can be from two months old, so the colour was very light but you get complexity, green notes and you can taste strong agave notes,” Gomez said. “You get the aged notes, the caramel from the barrel, but very subtle, it doesn’t overpower the Tequila.” It is made with blue tequilana webber agave, extracted from the Altos de Jalisco, produced by Sierra Unidas distilleries.