Tears is aged in three different barrels -- oak that has previously held scotch, sherry, and brandy -- and brought together in very small batches to create a complex fusion that is more like a cognac than a tequila. Germán then bottles at 43% specific gravity to balance the flavors. This results in a very high rate of osmotic loss - the angel's tears that are one reason for the name, Tears of Llorona. Tears of Llorona is an extra extra añejo tequila. It begins as 100% blue agaves from high volcanic slopes in Jalisco, where growth is slow. Master Tequilero Germán Gonzalez hand selects the agaves and has them harvested late, increasing their starch and sugars. The piñas are roasted slowly in the traditional way. His yeast is proprietary and fermentation is slow. Distillation is by copper pot still and barreling is at very high specific gravity.
Tears of Llorona No. 3: Tasting Summary
Tears of Llorona No. 3 is an extra añejo tequila from Master Tequilero Germán Gonzalez, who starts with 100% blue agave grown on high volcanic slopes in Jalisco, harvests the piñas late for extra starch and sugar, roasts them slowly in the traditional way and distills in copper pot stills. The tequila then rests in three kinds of oak that previously held scotch, sherry and brandy before the casks are brought together in very small batches, a process that gives it a profile closer to a fine cognac than to a typical tequila. The angel's share lost during that long aging inspired the name. Bottled at 43% ABV in a 1 liter bottle, Tears of Llorona rewards slow sipping neat from a snifter and makes a serious gift for collectors of aged agave spirits.
