Amatitena Tequila Anejo
Amatitena Tequila Anejo is a 42% ABV, 750mL certified additive-free añejo from Cava de Oro distillery (NOM 1477) in Amatitán, Jalisco — aged 12 months in ex-Napa Valley red wine American oak barrels. Made under fifth-generation maestro tequilero Alberto Partida, it sits just past the 12-month line that separates reposado from añejo, and it carries the village's name: Amatitán is where "añejo" itself got its character. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 42% (84 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 12 months in ex-Napa red wine American oak barrels
- Origin: Cava de Oro, Amatitán, Jalisco, México — NOM 1477
- Agave: 100% Blue Weber agave, single estates; mesquite-wood-fired stone oven
- Purity: certified additive-free (Tequila Matchmaker verified)
- Rating: 87 panel / 86 community on Tequila Matchmaker
From the Village That Named Añejo
Amatitena is made the way tequila was made before shortcuts existed: agave cooked in a traditional mesquite-wood-fired stone oven without steam (a rare practice that lends a whisper of mezcal-like smokiness), milled by automated tahona, fermented in the open air with the agave fibers in wooden tinas using spring water and ambient wild yeast, and distilled in 19th-century wood-fired copper pot stills. Then the Napa red-wine barrels work their twelve months of magic. Taste more additive-free tequilas and the Amatitena collection at Del Mesa Liquor.
Tasting Notes
Per the importer (Old Town Tequila): nose of fresh glazed donuts, subtle tobacco leaf, candied dates and petit dejeuner; bold confectionary vanilla, caramel, dried cherry, candied plum, sweet potato, black walnut and subtle marzipan on the palate; "delicate and ethereal" texture; a long finish of baking spices.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a Riedel tequila glass or Glencairn at room temperature. The 42% ABV carries the wine-barrel character beautifully; a splash of water opens the dried-fruit and marzipan notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Amatitena additive-free?
Yes — verified additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker, made with 100% Blue Weber agave and no additives.
What barrels are used?
American oak barrels that previously held Napa Valley red wine, for 12 months.
Is this the same as the Castle & Key limited edition?
No — that is a separate limited release aged in Castle & Key rye barrels. This is the standard ex-Napa wine-barrel añejo.
Old-school process, wine-barrel soul — order Amatitena Tequila Anejo online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.