El Jimador Reposado Tequila: The Affordable Cocktail Champion
The El Jimador reposado tequila from the Herradura distillery is the best-selling fermented agave juice distillate in the world—a real best seller.
Many people feel like they have to criticize blockbusters no matter how good they are, but this bottle does not disappoint.
Maybe it’s not exactly an artisanal tequila, but as a work distillate to make cocktails, it’s excellent, especially considering the price of around 22 euros.
It is a reposado tequila, so it has made a quick passage through wood to mature, absorb tannins, and develop softness, so we are not talking about a naked and angular blanco tequila but a slightly more almondy, toasted, and soft distillate.
How El Jimador reposado tequila is made
As you well know, El Jimador is the craftsman who selects, splits, and takes care of the whole collection of agave cones; he is the one who decides when and how to harvest the agave.
And for this reason, the Herradura distillery has chosen to pay homage to these tequila heroes by choosing this name and placing its image on each bottle of this line of tequila.
In this case, the production is quite classic: harvesting, cooking, fermentation, double distillation, and then the passage of two months in American oak barrels to give body, tannin, and softness to the distillate.
It seems like a minor step, but this refinement has oxygenated the distillate, making it very soft, fragrant, and velvety. Don’t expect a lysergic and angular tequila; quite the opposite.
Obviously, we are talking about a 100% agave tequila. Alcohol content of 38 degrees.
The bouquet
Floral nose with aromas of withered flowers, honey, dried fruit, classic and delicate herbaceous and earthy notes, a smoky frame, and then nice tropical fruit, but not too ripe.
Vanilla, caramel, and toasted notes are very marked, obviously due to the wood.
The taste
On the palate, it has a good balance between freshness, warmth, and softness, even if the first approach is very woody.
It was born to be docile, velvety, and very caramelized, despite having a strong structure and a mentholated-peppery-spicy trend that is never predictable.
The alternation between herbaceous, citrus, and spice flavors is good.
In short, it’s not a very deep or thoughtful tequila. On the contrary, it’s very fresh and fruity, but the time it spent in wood gave the final distillate more body.
Price
The price-to-value ratio is great: 22–24 euros is a great price for a tequila that was made to be used over and over again in cocktails.
From salt and lemon for the wildest evenings it can go
The price is in line with other competing reposado tequilas, so it’s well calibrated.
Cocktails to make with El Jimador reposado tequila
Tequila reposado El Jimador cocktail Margarita, the best recipes with tequila Being smoky and woody, it is excellent for tropical cocktails, with pineapple, vanilla, spices, and dryness in general.
Try it to make legendary cocktails such as El Diablo, Vampiro, Tequila Sunrise, Watermelon Margarita, Devil’s Tongue with Chilli, Salt, and Lemon Tequila, Boom Boom Tequila, and the classic Margarita.