Tastebuds then turned to a flight of 100% Agave Tequila – Premium Añejo Tequilas, and two Silver spirits were discovered. The first Silver medal in this flight went to Próspero Añejo Tequila, with its “light and fresh” nose. The second Silver award was given to Lokita Tequila Añejo. Zignum Añejo also received a Silver award because of its “resinous” qualities on the palate and for being “well rounded and balanced”. “I would say these weren’t traditional mezcals, but they were well aged, good añejos,” said Gomez. “Reposado and añejo is not traditional in the mezcal world, but more and more producers are ageing their products, following the Tequila, rum and whisky industries to be more accessible and friendly for the market. These products did this pretty well.” All that was then left to do was the enjoyable task of retasting the Master medallists to determine the ‘best in class’ Taste Master. After carefully considering the entrants, the judges agreed The Tequila & Mezcal Taste Master 2021 award should be bestowed upon The Lost Explorer Mezcal Salmiana. “This mezcal was very different, very unique,” said Gomez. “The quality was excellent and it’s just so easy to drink.”

In the 100% Agave Mezcal – Blanco heat, two Master medals were enjoyed. Ojo de Dios Mezcal was one of the recipients. Prousaefs was pleased to see a “very solid round”. Tanner added: “This was great value for money.” Lovely complexity This variety of flavours, which has received many international awards, gives Sierra Tequila Reposado a special complexity. In addition to its corners and edges, the gold label has the inscription: Sierra Tequila Reposado, imported, Hecho en Mexico, handcrafted from Agave Azul. The Sierra Tequila Reposado Mexican gold bottle is finished off with a golden Sombrero hat which completes the look.According to Mexican law, tequila can only be produced within five Mexican states: Jalisco (where the majority of the spirit is made), Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas. The spirit must also include a minimum of 51 percent blue agave, though most critics agree that superior iterations are made from 100 percent. Tequila has come a long way in the past decade. From its shot‐slamming party days, the spirit has enjoyed a major glow‐up, and is now revered as a serious spirit. And the medals speak for themselves. This year’s Tequila & Mezcal Masters welcomed a record number of entries, which showcased the high calibre of offerings coming from Mexico. Two Tequilas proved they have the credentials to win a Master medal in the following flight: 100% Agave Tequila – Ultra‐Premium Reposado. El Tequileño The Sassenach Select Double Wood Reposado bagged the top award for its “clean and fresh palate with increasing savoury notes, honey, vanilla, late pepper and bitter herbals”.

In the 100% Agave Mezcal Añejo flight, two more Silver medals were claimed. The first was secured by Señorío Añejo, which had a “vanilla sweetness” on the palate that complemented “very slight smoke” notes. Four Gold medals were also awarded in this round, including one for Gran Centenario Leyenda. The Tequila had a “silky, luxurious texture” and a “nice dryness” on the finish. Tanner remained equally enthused about agave‐based spirits. He added: “I think we’ll see, perhaps like gin, in a year or two there will be a more ‘contemporary’ Tequila category with different barrel finishes and a more experimental level. A Silver medal was given to coffee‐flavoured Sierra Milenario Tequila Cafè. Two more Silver medals were hailed in the Tequila Liqueur round. El Sueño Watermelon Liqueur pleasantly surprised the judges with its “fresh watermelon notes” and some “light earthiness”. Silver winner Horus was likened to a “very well done chocolate cream”.Sierra Tequila Reposado is traditionally twice distilled in copper pot stills. The Mexican tequila is matured for up to 9 months in toasted ex-American oak barrels, giving this incorruptible, gold brown color. This type of production is known as "Reposado", meaning "recovering, calm or approved". The special feature of the production of the Sierra Tequila Reposado is that only blue agave are used which have grown more than eight years in the province of Jalisco.

The ultra-premium añejo round also supplied three Gold medallists: Tequila Gran Diamante – Añejo, Sierra Milenario Tequila Añejo, and Corralejo 99,000 Horas. Tequila Gran Diamante – Añejo was described as being “beautifully rounded, complex and balanced”. Meanwhile, Sierra Milenario Tequila Añejo’s “oily texture” gave a “luxurious feel” to the Tequila, and was said to be simply “delicious”. Corralejo 99,000 Horas was found to be full of “raisins and dried fruit” on the nose, with “medjool dates and a good overall balance” on the palate. He added: “We had some Espadin but I could also feel some wild agave. Some of them were well above the average standard, being fresh, fruity and smoky – I could feel they were all well made. Overall, the standard was very good.” All of the Tequilas were very good, but [Patrón Reposado Tequila] came up as the best because it tasted like a product that has been carefully produced and the barrels have been used very well,” Gomez added. “It was quite spicy, mineral. These were good representations of Tequila at this price.” Sierra Milenario Extra Añejo also received the top award for its “complex” profile. Tasting notes included: “Resinous, rich and bold nose with some dates and dried fruits. Spiciness has mellowed wonderfully, leaving toffee and subtle wood influence. Well‐rounded, balanced and delicious.” Five Gold medallists were also enjoyed by the judges: Don Julio Añejo, with “cinnamon, vanilla and oak”; “sippable and accessible” Olmeca Altos Añejo; 1800 Añejo, which had “rich toffee, resinous aromas”; and “silky” Gran Centenario Añejo, with notes of “burnt sugar and lime citrus”. Pernod Ricard’s Avión Añejo also earned a Gold medal, presenting “lovely complexity and balance – very sippable”. Chambers said: “Delicious. Very good at what it does.”

Awards for Sierra Reposado

The añejo options in the super‐premium contingent were also impressive – with two reaching the Master standard. Sierra Tequila Antiguo was deemed to be Masterworthy, with its “brilliant nose full of earthy spice, pepper” and “very well integrated oak” that “beautifully supports the spirit”. El Mayor Tequila Añejo also secured the top Master accolade. Smith found “bright agave on the nose, salted caramel notes; great balance of spirit and wood”. From there, the competition moved onto Flavoured Tequila, where a Gold medal was handed to 1800 Coconut, with its “inviting, fresh coconut” aroma and “agave notes on the finish”. A further two Gold-worthy entrants were unearthed in the following flight, 100% Agave Tequila – Ultra-Premium Blanco. The first Gold medal was awarded to El Tequileño Platinum, which had “grassy fresh notes” and “nice agave flavours” on the palate. The second Gold went to Borco International’s Sierra Milenario Tequila Fumado, enjoyed for its “classic agave aromas and citrus”. The palate was said to be “well balanced” with