Un Tequila Legendario

Oh - how wonderful to receive such a present as this, direct from Mexico:


(thanks to Tequila in Tucson for the picture) Now the question is - when to find the proper occasion to actually open it? Third anniversary of June 5th the likely date. And what to expect? These reviews have me over-eager:

Tequila Aficionado:

Of all the momentous events of 1942, among them the sinking of the Queen Mary, the premiere of “Casablanca” and the births of Muhammad Ali, Paul McCartney and Manolo Blahnik, perhaps nothing was more historically consequential than the founding of a tequila distillery in Los Altos, Mexico, by a 17-year-old named Don Julio González — at least, that’s the consensus among hardcore tequila drinkers, and, really, does anyone else matter?

Today, it is the luxury brand of choice for many a sophisticated tippler, but back in the ’40s, when tequila was known as “mescal wine,” it wasn’t exactly the sort of spirit being served in the haunts of the haute monde. Young señor González helped change that by producing tequila made only from prime sweet blue agave grown in a near-perfect micro-climate around his hometown of Atotonilco el Alto.

A few years ago, in commemoration of his 60th anniversary of making tequila, the company introduced the 1942 ($125). This brilliant anejo is the color of a Hawaiian sunrise and tastes like dulce de leche spread on an apple wedge. There’s some spice to it as well, but it balances the sweetness rather than overwhelms it. The 1942 is aged at least 2 1/2 years in American white oak barrels and made with the company’s most exclusive distillate. This goes without saying in good company, but I’ll say it anyway, since there may be cretins among us: the 1942 should never be polluted with margarita mix nor is it to be slammed down the gullet frat-boy style. This is primo stuff best served in a snifter and enjoyed one delectable sip at a time. 1942 is a tequila 60-plus years in the making; it deserves a few moments of your time.

Booze Reviews.net:

I think this could be my first 200 point review...

Full Review: People give me booze for Christmas. I mean, everyone I know does it, even the ones who don't know everyone else does it. This should probably tell me something about myself, but fuck it.So this year, among other outstanding bottles which will also be reviewed, a friend dropped off a bottle of 1942, and all I can say is Holy Shit.

Holy Shit.

The box states that this tequila is the lifetime achievement of the distillery, which may seem a bit much; but a glass and a half into it and I'm starting to see how they could make this claim. 1942 is a perfect tequila. No, actually, it's a perfect spirit, period.

Oak's apparent in the nose, straight away, but it doesn't whap you upside the head with it... it's just a high-level whiff that gives way immediately to the heady vanilla body with just a hint of caramel. The vanilla carries over to the glass, and it's surprising in the first taste. The agave is unbelievably balanced, the sugars so perfectly apparent in the glass, but not overpowering. It drinks like wine. In fact... it would be way too easy to drink half this bottle right here and now; though this is one I think I'm going to have to make stretch-- there are just too many people I want to share it with. But don't get me wrong here, it's tequila through and through-- this isn't some fluffy shit-- it's just unbelievably mellow. I've never tasted a tequila like this. This is the kind of tequila you could serve at a meeting between the President of Mexico, the head of the Tijuana cartel and the head of the CIA and none of them would kill anyone, lie or any make covert deals until the bottle was done. In fact, they might not even talk until the bottle was done-- too much of a distraction.

I wish I could be more literate about it, but I'm half drunk and more than half distracted by how unbelievably good this tequila is. I mean, how many ways can I say "good"? Really-fucking-good. Un-fucking-believable. Goooooooooood. Wow I need to change my undies good.

Yes, it should serve a good year or two's enjoyment indeed.