This is the Día de Muertos entry in the Íconos de México collection, and the artwork is the reason to reach for it. A Catrina stands at the center, face painted as a calavera, crowned with roses and carrying an armful of flowers, set against a cemetery at dusk. Around her the scene fills in with papel picado strung overhead, ofrendas laid out with offerings, cempasúchil marigolds, calla lilies, sugar skulls and a foreground of lit candles. It reads as what the holiday actually is, a celebration and a remembrance rather than something somber, and the decanter is plainly built to survive the bottle being emptied. The liquid holds its own. This is an añejo cristalino, which means the tequila is fully aged first and then filtered through charcoal to strip the color back out while retaining as much barrel character as possible. Reported maturation is two years and five months in American white oak, which is a long rest by añejo standards and well past the one year minimum for the category. What that produces is a genuine contradiction in the glass: it pours clear like a blanco but carries the vanilla, oak and rounded sweetness that only real time in wood delivers. It drinks soft and mild with a gentle warmth toward the back, and the finish is more complex than the lightness of the entry suggests. Serve it neat, chilled or at room temperature, in a glass that lets it open. It suits someone new to sipping tequila and works equally as a considered gift, particularly around late October and early November.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
40% |
| Proof |
80 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
Mexico |
| Region |
Jalisco |
| Category |
Tequila |
| Expression |
Añejo Cristalino |
| Collection |
Íconos de México, Day of the Dead Catrina |
| Agave |
100% agave |
| Age |
Reported 2 years 5 months |
| Maturation |
American white oak |
| Filtration |
Charcoal filtered to remove color |
| NOM |
1489 |
Tasting Notes
Color: Crystal clear and bright, with the barrel color removed by filtration rather than never having been there.
Nose: Soft and inviting, with cooked agave, vanilla and a gentle oak sweetness developing with air.
Palate: Mild and smooth, carrying vanilla, light wood spice and agave sweetness, with a touch of warmth building toward the back.
Finish: Clean and more complex than the light entry suggests, closing on vanilla and soft oak.
FAQ
What proof is Íconos de México Day of the Dead Catrina Cristalino? It is bottled at 80 proof, or 40 percent alcohol by volume.
What is a cristalino tequila? An añejo that has been filtered through charcoal to remove the color it gained in barrel. It looks like a blanco but keeps much of the vanilla, oak and sweetness of an aged tequila.
How long is it aged? Reported at two years and five months in American white oak, which is well beyond the one year minimum required for añejo.
If it is clear, is it unaged? No. It is aged first and filtered afterward, which is what separates a cristalino from a blanco.
What does the artwork show? A Día de Muertos scene featuring a Catrina figure, the elegantly dressed skeleton associated with the holiday, surrounded by papel picado, ofrendas, marigolds, candles and sugar skulls.
Where can I buy Íconos de México Day of the Dead Catrina Cristalino online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
