Corazón Tequila has announced the 2019 release of its limited line of Expresiones del Corazón.
Each year Corazón releases a lineup of barrel-aged tequila expressions. This year the lineup includes Buffalo Trace Distillery Old 22 Añejo, Sazerac Rye Añejo, and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Añejo, all of which were aged in barrels that previously held some of the world’s most highly awarded whiskies from Buffalo Trace Distillery.
Also part of the lineup is the Artisanal Blanco.
The Buffalo Trace Distillery Old 22 Añejo was aged at least 22 months in Buffalo Trace Distillery bourbon barrels which held whiskey aged at least 22 years. This tequila tastes of wood, caramel, almond, chocolate and has a taste of ripe plum and light roasted coffee on the finish, the company says.
Sazerac Rye Añejo was aged 24 months in Sazerac Rye barrels, and has a dense texture that tastes soft and balanced, the company reports. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Añejo was aged 19 months in Thomas H. Handy barrels and has a lightly sweet flavor and a dense texture with a soft. The Artisanal Blanco was held for 60 days in stainless steel, and has a sweet, soft, mint, eucalyptus and slightly tangy taste.
The Corazón brand, which falls under the Sazerac umbrella, is produced in Acatic, Los Altos Jalisco at the Casa San Matías Distillery.
Using 100 percent blue agave from the highlands of Jalisco, the brix for Expresiones del Corazón are measured to determine sugar levels before harvest, rather than a traditional clear cut. Two sets of agave were harvested, one with a lower sugar content and flavored a little drier, and one with a higher sugar content considered a little sweeter for agave, resulting in more floral notes, the company reports. The result was a harmonization of the two sets of agave in the Blanco, which was then used as the base for the other Expresiones del Corazón.
The filled barrels are stored in the first row at Casa San Matías aging facility in Acatic. They are bottled as single-barrel tequilas.
Expresiones del Corazón are now available nationally. Quantities are very limited. The suggested retail price for the Artisanal Blanco is $59.99, Buffalo Trace Distillery Old 22 Añejo is $79.99, Sazerac Rye Añejo is $79.99 and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Añejo is $79.99, all per 750-ml. bottle. The Artisanal Blanco, Buffalo Trace Distillery Old 22 Añejo and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Añejo are each 80 proof, while the Sazerac Rye Añejo is 90 proof.
