DON JULIO ADDS A FASCINATING WHISKEY COMPONENT TO ITS LATEST REPOSADO, AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO BUY IN LIMITED EDITION BARRELS (AND THAT AIN’T A TYPO)

BY EVAN MONROE

Last year, Don Julio announced the release of a limited edition Reposado Double Cask, a tequila finished in casks previously used in the making of Buchanan’s blended Scotch whiskey. Inspired by founder Don Julio González’s innovative spirit (the Don began distilling in 1942 at age 17), current Master Distiller Enrique de Colsa’s latest variant to the portfolio is a rich and nuanced riff on the label’s traditional Reposado, with hints of whisky smoke on the finish.

First matured in American White Oak barrels for eight months (as with Tequila Don Julio’s traditional Reposado), the Double Cask is then finished for 30 days in Buchanan vessels. De Colsa spent nearly three years perfecting the technique by researching wooden aging containers across parent company Diageo’s portfolio (which includes Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, and Captain Morgan, among others), and explained that the result is “an incredibly unique favor pro le that is excellent enjoyed neat or on the rocks.”

The new product joins another late 2018 brand addition, Tequila Don Julio Reposado Private Cask, for which 300 limited edition barrels were selected by de Colsa and aged for a total of 10 months (two more months than traditional Don Julio Reposado, and five times the base requirement for Reposado according to Tequila Regulatory Council standards). Participating retailers can order a barrel to be sold in store, unique to each retailer and accompanied by a personalized certificate of authenticity.