Lagrimas del Valle Reposado Tequila El Chiqueno 2022
Lagrimas del Valle Reposado Tequila El Chiqueno 2022 is a vintage "Rancho Unico" tequila — every drop distilled from agave harvested in 2022 on a single ranch, El Chiqueño, south of the Rio Santiago near Amatitán. Made at NOM 1123 (Tequila Cascahuin, El Arenal) by Master Distiller Salvador "Chava" Rosales Trejo, rested 3 months in ex-bourbon barrels and bottled at 46% ABV (92 proof) in 750mL, it is a bold, terroir-driven reposado from one of tequila's most exciting new projects. It's available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 46% (92 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Vintage: 2022 — single-ranch harvest, El Chiqueño (second vintage after Palo Verde)
- Age: reposado — 3 months in ex-bourbon (American white oak) barrels
- Origin: NOM 1123, Tequila Cascahuin, El Arenal, Jalisco — Tequila Valley/Los Valles
- Agave: 100% Blue Weber; ~32 brix (vs. ~18–20 industry standard); 1,260m elevation
- Production: masonry steam ovens; 70% roller mill / 30% stone tahona; double distilled in stainless pot stills with copper coil
One Ranch, One Harvest: The El Chiqueño Vintage
Lagrimas del Valle borrows Burgundy's playbook — every vintage comes from a single ranch, so each bottling is a snapshot of one place and one year. El Chiqueño sits in a hot low ravine (barranca) south of the Rio Santiago, where mangos and ciruela plums grow; its 2022 agave hit an extraordinary ~32 brix. The project is a collaboration between the Rosales family of Cascahuin — distilling since 1904 — and W.L. Lyons Brown III of Altamar Brands. The agave is cooked four days in masonry steam ovens, crushed 70/30 between roller mill and traditional tahona, fermented separately (stainless and open-air wood), and double distilled. Three months in ex-bourbon barrels adds polish without muting the ranch's voice. Discover more tequila, browse reposado tequilas, or see the Lagrimas del Valle range at Del Mesa.
Tasting Notes
Per the brand: a bold, angular profile with canela, ripe mango and subtle caramel, finishing bright, full and lightly sweet. Per the Agave Matchmaker community: cooked agave, cinnamon, minerals, oak, vanilla, caramel and black pepper, with a warm, buttery finish.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a copita — at 92 proof this reposado deserves the slow pour. It also makes a remarkable high-proof Margarita or an Añejo-style Old Fashioned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "El Chiqueno 2022" mean?
It is the vintage and the ranch: all the agave was harvested in 2022 from the single El Chiqueño ranch near Amatitán — the brand's second vintage after Palo Verde.
What NOM is Lagrimas del Valle?
NOM 1123 — Tequila Cascahuin in El Arenal, Jalisco, the Rosales family's distillery.
How long is it aged?
Three months in ex-bourbon (American white oak) barrels — a true reposado.
A single ranch, a single year, one remarkable reposado — order Lagrimas del Valle Reposado Tequila El Chiqueno 2022 online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.