Step 5 of 6
Ageing
Time in oak turns a blanco into reposado, añejo or extra añejo.
Tequila straight from the still is a blanco. Everything else in the range comes from time in oak, and from how much of it.
Blanco
Blanco or plata (“white” or “silver”) is bottled straight after distillation, or rested for less than two months. Some producers hold it briefly in stainless steel or large neutral oak to soften it. Since 2013 the rules allow nothing but water to be added to a blanco. It is the original form of tequila and the purest expression of the agave: cooked agave, citrus, pepper, herbs and minerality. Because nothing can hide a flaw in the distillate, many purists judge a distillery by its blanco.
Reposado
Reposado (“rested”) spends at least two months, and usually less than a year, in oak. There is no limit on container size, and some producers use vats of thousands of litres; the bigger the vessel, the less the wood influences the spirit. Reposado picks up colour and a rounder texture, with notes of vanilla, caramel and spice, while keeping plenty of agave character. It was the first aged style and is the best-selling class in Mexico.
Añejo
Añejo (“aged”) is aged for at least a year in oak barrels of no more than 600 litres, most often around 200 litres. Many producers use barrels that previously held bourbon or whisky, mostly American oak, sometimes French. After a year or more, the oak takes a much larger share of the flavour, and some añejos drink closer to cognac or Scotch than to blanco.
Extra añejo
Extra añejo, a class added in 2006, is aged for at least three years in the same small barrels. Some are aged much longer, but evaporation (the “angel’s share”) takes a heavy toll in Mexico's climate. In blind tastings, the best extra añejos are often mistaken for fine whiskies or brandies.
Blending and strength
Most aged tequila is a blend of barrels, to keep the flavour consistent from bottle to bottle; single-barrel releases are rare. Before bottling, every class is cut with water to its selling strength, between 35% and 55% alcohol by volume. Most is sold at 38% in Mexico and 40% for export.