Codigo 1530 Released a 15-Year-Old Extra Añejo Tequila
Fifteen years is pretty old for an American whiskey; in fact, most bourbon is bottled at somewhere between four and seven years old. Tequila, on the other hand, usually spends less than three years in barrels. And even when it’s labeled as extra añejo, five years is often the upper limit. Código 1530, however, decided to age its new expression for a full 15 years before giving it a relatively brief finish, making this one of the oldest (and most expensive) tequilas currently on the market.
Código 1530 is technically a celebrity-backed brand, although that’s something it leans on for some releases more than others. It was founded in in 2017 by the former CEO of Crocs Ron Snyder, distiller Federico Vaughn, Betsy Heneghan, and country music star George Strait. In 2022, the brand was acquired by Pernod Ricard. As you’re likely aware, there are many celebrity-backed tequila brands out there (too many, some might say). But kudos to Código for actually making good tequila, which it claims to be additive-free, and taking the relatively unusual step of maturing all of its aged expressions in Napa Valley Cabernet French oak wine casks instead of the usual bourbon barrels.
Such is the case with the new 15-Year Extra Añejo, albeit this tequila is aged for much longer than usual. It spent those years in the aforementioned French white oak Cabernet barrels, and then was finished in French oak Cognac casks for an additional six months. “Our 15-Year Extra Añejo is a singular liquid and above all, a symbol of patience—15 years in Cabernet French oak and Cognac casks, waiting for the moment it was truly ready,” said co-founder Federico Vaughn in a statement. “This is a tequila made for the connoisseur and the person who understands that the rarest things are never rushed. Some tequilas you drink; this one you remember.”
We were not able to sample the tequila, but the official tasting notes describe aromas of toasted oak, maple, vanilla, and dark cacao on the nose, followed by flavors like plum, cinnamon, and oak on the palate, with some tobacco notes on a long, lingering finish.
This is certainly an expensive tequila, with an asking price of $4,100 per bottle. But that’s not just based on the age of the liquid or the fact that it’s limited to a run of just 350 bottles; the presentation is elevated as well. Each bottle comes in a wooden presentation case with two crystal tasting glasses, a crystal decanter with a gold-plated stopper, and a “Certificate of Authenticity attesting to its provenance and rarity.” Código 1530 15-Year Extra Añejo is available starting this month at select retailers around the country.
