Distiller Notes
Tears of Llorona is an extra Extra Anejo Tequila. It begins as 100% blue agave from high volcanic slopes in Jalisco, where growth is slow. Master Tequilero German Gonzalez hand selects the agaves and has them harvested late, increasing their starch and sugars. The piñas are roasted slowly in the traditional way. His yeast is proprietary and fermentation is slow. Distillation is by copper pot still and barreling is at very high specific gravity.
Tears is aged in three different barrels -- oak that has previously held scotch, sherry, and brandy -- and brought together in very small batches to create a complex fusion that is more like a cognac than a tequila. German then bottles at 43% specific gravity to balance the flavors. This results in a very high rate of osmotic loss - the "angel's tears" that are one reason for the name, Tears of Llorona.
Proof: 86
Because of their great complexity, Anejo Tequilas are most often used as a substitute for Brandy or Whiskey in cocktails like the Manhattan or Old Fashioned. Anejo Tequilas must be aged in oak barrels for between one and three years, while Extra Anejo refers to any Tequila aged longer than three years. The prolonged contact with the oak barrel allows the wood to make a much stronger impression on the Tequila by adding toffee, caramel and vanilla to the sweet, spicy agave flavor profile.