Suavecito Founder’s Reserve Is a Tequila for Whiskey Drinkers
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This month, as is the case with most months, there are a bunch of new tequilas being released, but one that’s worth highlighting is the new Founder’s Reserve from Suavecito. This is a limited-edition, single-barrel, anejo tequila that is the perfect choice for whiskey drinkers, and it’s made using a unique process in which agave nectar is added to the spirit.
Suavecito was founded in 2008, six years after owner Bill Foss traveled to Mexico to purchase an agave farm in the Highland region of Jalisco. What sets Suavecito apart from other brands is the unusual (but not unprecedented) step of adding agave nectar to the spirit. Specifically, 2 percent unfermented agave nectar is added to tequila. Though this is an additive of sorts, it’s not the typical additive that people think of when discussing this concept in agave spirits. (A rep for the brand says no other sweetener, color, or thickener is used in any of the expressions.) According to Suavecito, the reason for this step is to “eliminate the burning sensation so familiar with other types of tequila.” While that might be the case with some poorly made tequilas, any fan of the category knows good tequila doesn’t need to cover up any harshness with an additive, and one could argue that this essentially functions like any other additive by changing the flavor of the spirit.
Still, Foss stands by this process, and while the agave nectar does bring more sweetness to the palate, the new Founder’s Reserve is a rich and decadent sipper that will appeal to whiskey drinkers. The tequila is distilled at NOM 1424 (Destiladora de Agave Azul), a distillery that is committed to using sustainable practices in production. In the case of the new Founder’s Reserve, the tequila was aged for 24 months in ex-bourbon barrels from Kentucky and finished in new French oak barrels for six months. Only 15 barrels were produced of this single-barrel anejo expression, and each individually numbered bottle clocks in between 51 and 54 percent ABV, which is stronger than your average still-strength tequila.
The result is a sweet but complex spirit that has very little burn despite its proof (and maybe because of the agave nectar). We got to try a sample, and while the brand’s position that this is a tequila for whiskey drinkers rings true, the agave character still shines through with notes of dark and milk chocolate, slow roasted agave, caramel, cut grass, butterscotch, black pepper, cinnamon, and oak on the palate. Definitely enjoy this on its own or over a large ice cube, but this tequila would also work well in an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan if you’re in the mood for a cocktail. Suavecito Founder’s Reserve is available at specialty retailers around the country (SRP $125), and you can order it from websites like Total Wine along with the rest of the lineup now.
