Tapatio Anejo Tequila 1L
Tapatio Anejo Tequila 1L is a 40% ABV (80-proof), 1L anejo from one of Mexico's most revered distilleries — La Altena, NOM 1139, in Arandas, Los Altos, Jalisco. Made from 100% estate-grown highlands Blue Weber agave, it is aged 18 months in used American oak bourbon barrels — six months longer than the category minimum — deliberately resting in well-used wood so the agave leads and the oak follows. Master distiller Carlos Camarena, grandson of founder Don Felipe de Jesus Camarena, oversees every batch. Order online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 40% (80 proof)
- Size: 1L
- Age: 18 months in used American oak ex-bourbon barrels
- Origin: La Altena distillery (NOM 1139), Arandas, Los Altos, Jalisco
- Production: 100% estate highlands agave; stone/brick ovens, tahona + roller mill, open fermentation with fibers, copper pot stills
The Bartender's Favorite Anejo
Ask around a serious agave bar and Tapatio keeps coming up — Joel Harrison called this anejo "probably the bartenders' favorite tequila," and the 94-point Distiller.com score backs the love. The recipe is deliberately old-school: agave roasted four days, fermented with a proprietary yeast culture going back some 75 years, double-distilled in copper pot stills, then laid down in second-use bourbon barrels that lend structure without burying the agave. Among anejo tequilas, the 1L bottle is the classic presentation — tequila made the way it was in 1940, bottled undiluted in character if not in proof.
Tasting Notes
Intense straw-yellow with golden flashes. The nose gives sweet cooked agave, creme brulee, vanilla, and caramel, edged with cinnamon, red pepper, and spice. The palate is sweet and spicy — cooked agave, cacao, and vanilla layered with pepper, walnut, and berries, with vegetal and woody notes running through. A soft, silky, very long finish with spices persisting at the back of the palate.
How to Enjoy
Neat or on a big rock is the canonical serve — this is a sipper's anejo. It also stands up beautifully in an Old Fashioned or a refined Añejo Margarita.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Tapatio Anejo aged?
18 months in used American oak bourbon barrels — six months beyond the 12-month legal minimum for an anejo.
Who makes Tapatio?
The Camarena family at La Altena distillery (NOM 1139) in Arandas, Jalisco — founded in 1937 by Don Felipe de Jesus Camarena and now run by master distiller Carlos Camarena.
Is Tapatio additive-free?
La Altena is famous for traditional, minimal-intervention production — 100% estate agave, natural fermentation, used barrels chosen to preserve agave character.
Where can I buy Tapatio Anejo 1L online?
The 1L bottle is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, shipping from San Diego, CA.
Eighteen months of highlands agave and honest oak — take home the 1L of Tapatio Anejo from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.