The irresistible Sierra Tequila Reposado testifies to a special fruity, refined with vanilla beans and creamy caramel taste. Spicy, slightly sharp herbs, caramel and smoke completely complete the aroma and the taste of this premium Tequila. 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.”

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 entries 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.”In the oldest portion of the Tequila category, three ultra‐premium extra añejo Tequilas won a Master medal. First of all, Avión Reserva 44 received the Master award for its “nutty” aroma, and “moreish” flavours of “chocolate, toffee and citrus peel”. Silver medallist in El Tequileño Blanco was found to have “classic aromas” on the nose leading to “fresh agave” and a “peppery finish” on the palate, and was deemed to be “good for mixing”. El Tequileño Reposado Rare received a Gold in this flight, hailed for its “slightly floral aroma” with “pepperiness” on the palate and a “long finish”. Fellow Gold medallist The Bad Stuff Reserva Especial Extra Añejo had plenty of “lime zest and pepper” on the nose, which led to a “well rounded and balanced” spirit. Tequila Avíon Reserva 44 was awarded a Silver medal, with its “agave aromas mixed with some icing sugar sweetness”. 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. Decadent and luxurious are just some of the adjectives used to describe tequilas that fall into the extra añejo category. A newer class that was added in 2006, these premium tequilas are barrel-aged for a minimum of three years (also in barrels that cannot exceed 600 liters), but can spend even longer in wood depending on the distiller. Varying in color from deep gold to reddish-brown, extra añejos are smooth, complex, and offer drinkers a unique experience like no other spirit. Cristalino

It is made with blue tequilana webber agave, extracted from the Altos de Jalisco, produced by Sierra Unidas distilleries. Among the five Gold winners in this flight was Calirosa Tequila Añejo, with its “dessert‐like” palate and “dry” finish, with “some marzipan and nuttiness”. El Tequileño Reposado Gran Reserva was awarded a Gold medal, enjoyed for having a “nice sweetness on the palate, but with the agave flavour still shining through”.Lobos 1707 Extra Añejo Tequila also gained a Master title for being “elegant”, with a “nice balance of flavours”. Silky texture