Review: Tequila Herradura, Complete Lineup (Updated 2016)
At Drinkhacker we have a habit of revisiting spirits every few years to see how things have changed. In the case of Tequila Herradura, this is our third time around with the brand (and the fourth for the silver expression). Our 2008 and 2012 reviews may serve as guidance and starting points for this re-re-review. Notably however this is our first encounter with Herradura’s luxe extra anejo, Seleccion Suprema.
The occasion for this new roundup was a San Francisco lunch with Ruben Aceves, International Director for Brand Development for Brown-Forman’s tequila operations (B-F has owned the brand since 2007). Aceves took me through the lineup while providing a deep history of Herradura. (All products were formally reviewed not during lunch but rather several weeks later.)
That said, while Aceves says that Herradura’s tradition-bound production process has not changed in years, climatic conditions impacting the agave harvest mean that Herradura, like all tequila, is evolving. How has this impacted the finished product? Let’s find out.
All expressions are 80 proof.
Update: We’re consolidating all of our Herradura core tequila reviews here so you don’t have to click around.
Tequila Herradura Silver (2016) Review
Not a classic “silver” tequila — this is aged for 45 days in oak. Racy and loaded with agave on the nose, sharp lemon notes leading to some sultry, earthy aromas. The body shows slight sweetness with ample agave character shining through, along with notes of citrus, some coconut, and a finish that leans slightly toward floral elements. The finish nods at brown sugar and honey, laces in some chocolate, and folds in a healthy slug of herbal agave notes. Definitely benefits from some air time, so give it up to an hour in glass before really digging in. B+ / $25 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Silver (2012) Review
As blancos go, this silver tastes quite mild to me now. Have I become accustomed to or my tastebuds dulled by over-agaved tequilas? Nice sweetness, with natural vanilla character to offset a mild agave backbone. Big, buttery body. A touch of coffee bean on the back end. Very, very drinkable and a bit dangerous because of it. A- / $33 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Silver (2008) Review
This blanco has grown on me since I originally tasted it in April. My overall tasting notes are the same — some buttery and nutty notes that wash over a relatively straightforward agave finish. The bite is there, but it’s clean and fades quickly. Even shooters should need no training wheels on this one. I was borderline on the rating the last time, but I’d probably go with an A- this time instead of the B+. Aged 45 days in oak. A- / $33 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Reposado (2016) Review
Aged 11 months, forever in the tequilaverse. Soft and pretty, with clearer floral notes than the silver. The nose is engaging, offering ample vanilla and caramel, with, again, a hint of coconut. The palate is again soft, gentle, and slightly fruity with notes of mandarin oranges, vanilla custard, and just a twist of cracked black pepper. So easygoing it comes across as if it’s almost watered down, which makes it borderline dangerous. By way of comparison to the 2008 release which I still have on hand, it is clearly lighter in color, with less of an herbal component on the nose and the palate. The finish of the 2008 is quite a bit fruitier, too, giving it a bolder profile and a stronger conclusion. That said, I like the overall direction the expression has taken in recent years. A- / $34 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Reposado (2012) Review
Aged 11 months. Vanilla is pumped up, but oddly so is the agave. While the blanco has a nice balance to it, the reposado is off. The vanilla comes on too strong, with a butterscotch character that doesn’t play as well with the agave as it should. B / $34 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Reposado (2008) Review
Aged 11 months, it’s quite dark for a reposado. (Incidentally, Herradura claims that it created the reposado category!) There’s more up-front agave on the nose and the body of this tequila, but it’s still quite creamy and buttery and goes down easily. A bit too vegetal on the whole, but good for the category. Strangely, I see it around here for less than the Silver, making it an exceptional bargain for the category. B+ / $29 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Anejo (2016) Review
Aged 2 years. Heavy dessert notes attack the nose — chocolate, caramel, toasted coconut, and graham cracker. Sweet but not overblown, it’s immediately engaging, with a slap in the face of banana cream pie drizzled with caramel sauce. The finish is lightly peppery, edged with fresh herbs, notes of green apple, and a touch of barrel char. This expression seems to have changed the least over the years (which makes sense, because used bourbon barrels have not likely gotten much different), which suits it just fine. A- / $40 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Anejo (2012) Review
25-plus months in oak. And somehow the anejo pulls it all back together. In balance, vanilla, caramel, chocolate, big ripe banana character, and a little agave at the back. Silky and rich, a banana cream pie from south of the border. A- / $43 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Anejo (2008) Review
This aged tequila spends at least 25 months in oak, giving it a nice vanilla and oak character. The agave’s still there, no question, but it takes on a lovely caramel tone after all that aging. On the whole, very smooth and lovely, almost elegant and not overdone like some anejos so that you can’t still catch the agave. Again, it doesn’t knock your socks off, but it’s a nice anejo that should be readily available where you live. A- / $47 [BUY IT NOW FROM TOTAL WINE] [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Seleccion Suprema Extra Anejo (2016) Review
Aged 49 months. Rich, gorgeous, and opulent — it’s a knockout from start to finish, kicking things off with a nose of dense caramel, chocolate, and an underbelly of herbal agave, the lattermost which is stronger here than in either the reposado or anejo. The palate is a showcase of candy shop delights, beginning with slightly salty caramel, and moving on to gobs of milk chocolate, ample coconut, almond brittle, and flambeed banana. Exotic raspberry notes emerge from absolutely nowhere late on the finish, which lasts for ages thanks to the bold and rounded power of the body (and yet, it’s just 40% abv). Everything fires on all cylinders, working together in near-perfect balance. Bottom line: This is a tequila that’s impossible not to like — nay, impossible not to love. 80 proof. A+ / $340 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Tequila Herradura Silver
USD25
