An elegant, fruity and lightly aged tequila stored in a one-of-kind handcrafted bottle.
Naturally sweet on the palate, with bright undertones of fruit, Clase Azul Reposado is a must-have on your bar shelf that will always be a crowd pleaser.
Tasting Notes:
Color: Rich, Amber Gold
Nose: Ripe agave, banana, sweet papaya, vanilla spice, black pepper
Palate: It opens with remarkable sweetness — animating the hues of ripe agave, vanilla, and banana. The texture is incredibly rich giving way to a soft undertone of clove and black pepper. As it approaches the mid-palate, it grows more medium-bodied, outlined by flavors of white oak and sweet fruit. Finally, as your swallow, it moves down the throat seamlessly exuding notes of rye spice and toasted oak.
Finish: A long spice forward finish, garnished with notes of roasted nuts and vanilla
Our thoughts:
Clase Azul is near ubiquitously thought of as the pinnacle of the new, yet rising tide of ultra-premium, luxury tequila. In spite of its new world feel, it holds its roots to its core, emulating the pride of its Mexican founder, Arturo Lomeli. Lomeli’s mission with Clase Azul transcends the exquisite nectar within the bottle — it represents his country’s culinary and artisan talent, while giving back to hundreds of native artists and birthing a charitable foundation, Fundacion con Causa Azul, that enables local artists to monetize their skill. In terms of production, Clase Azul Reposado all starts with agave that is slow-cooked for 72 hours, crushed, and later fermented with the brand’s proprietary yeast strain. The tequila is then aged for eight months in second use American oak whiskey casks that are thought to give the tequila its unique nutty and vanilla flavor. While some tequila aficionados say that the flavor profile of the tequila is too sweet, we beg to differ — believing rather, that it’s a smooth sipper whose sweetness is more-so derived from its ripe fruit undertones rather than an artificial type of sweetener. Perhaps nothing is more iconic about the product, that is carefully crafted clay decanter that has quickly become a statement piece on everything from home bars to nightclubs. At a relatively high price point (the Reposado starts at $144.99 with the Ultra going up to nearly $1,800), Clase Azul was a hard sell for Lomeli during its early stages. But, it has ultimately succeeded in transforming in transforming the niche category of luxury spirits to something similar to the single-malt culture of the early 2000s. With that said, the juice is to die for — succulent, with pleasant notes of candied fruit, vanilla, and dry spice. We recommend sipping it neat, or taking a more intriguing route by substituting it in staples like an Old Fashioned.