Duke Grand Cru Founders Reserve Commemorative Extra Anejo Tequila Limited Edition
Duke Grand Cru Founders Reserve Commemorative Extra Anejo Tequila Limited Edition is a 6-year-old extra añejo tequila — 40% ABV (80 proof), 750mL — limited to just 1,000 bottles. Made from single-estate blue agave grown in the Los Altos highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, it's aged in second-use American oak whiskey barrels and finished in third-use French Grand Cru wine barrels. Every bottle supports the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 6 years — the flagship of the Duke Grand Cru tequila line
- Limited: 1,000 bottles
- Agave: 100% single-estate blue agave; hand-distilled in small copper pot stills at a distillery founded 1885, Los Altos, Jalisco
- Barrels: Aged in 2nd-use American oak whiskey barrels; finished in 3rd-use French Grand Cru wine barrels (cooperages Taransaud and Demptos; forests of Jupilles and Tronçais)
- Origin: Los Altos highlands, Jalisco, Mexico
Six Years, Three Barrels, One Foundation
Duke Spirits — owned by John Wayne Enterprises — launched its Grand Cru tequila line in 2021 to honor John Wayne's love of Mexico, and the Commemorative Extra Añejo is its crown jewel: six full years in oak, a production run of only 1,000 bottles, and a finishing protocol borrowed from the world's finest wines. After aging in second-use American whiskey barrels, the tequila rests in French oak wine barrels from Grand Cru cooperages — barrels that previously held Napa Valley wines and Duke Grand Cru Bourbon. A portion of every bottle benefits the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. Discover more extra añejo tequila and the full Duke lineup.
Tasting Notes
The nose shows mature agave, dark cherry, seasoned oak, and a subtle wine-cask richness. The palate is deep and concentrated — cooked agave, dark cherry, and rich oak with the French wine barrels adding brilliant cherry notes. The finish is long and smooth, with lingering cherry and dry seasoned oak.
How to Enjoy
Neat, in a proper tasting glass — at six years old and 1,000 bottles, this is a sipping tequila, not a mixing one. Let it breathe for a few minutes to open the cherry and oak. It pairs beautifully with dark chocolate or a fine cigar.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Duke Grand Cru Commemorative Extra Añejo aged?
Six years — three times the one-year minimum for extra añejo. Note this is distinct from the Duke Founder's Reserve Extra Añejo, which is aged 3 years; the Commemorative Limited Edition is the 6-year flagship.
What makes Duke Grand Cru tequila different from other extra añejos?
The finishing protocol: after second-use American whiskey barrels, it rests in third-use French Grand Cru wine barrels from top cooperages (Taransaud, Demptos), previously used for Napa wines and Duke Grand Cru Bourbon — a wine-world treatment rarely applied to tequila.
Does buying Duke Grand Cru tequila support a charity?
Yes — every bottle supports the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, the nonprofit founded in honor of John Wayne that funds cancer research and patient programs.
A 6-year, 1,000-bottle tequila doesn't stay on shelves — order yours online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA before it's gone.