Reserva de la Familia was a closely held family secret for ten generations, poured only for the Cuervo family's inner circle, until 1995 when the house released it publicly to mark two hundred years. Every year since, the bottle has arrived in a wooden collector's box designed by a commissioned Mexican artist, and the 2018 box is one of the quieter and more technical entries in the series. Its surface carries tall agave quiotes in flower, the towering stalk a mature plant throws up once in its life, rendered in fine detail against a ghosted background of engineering schematics for distillation apparatus. Botany and machinery layered over one another, which is a fair description of what tequila actually is. The liquid inside is the pinnacle of the Cuervo portfolio, produced at Latin America's oldest active distillery. Hand selected Blue Weber agave is used, only the most flavorful inner portion of the heart, and the spirit is aged in new American and French oak in the family's private cellar before being blended by Master Distiller Alex Coronado, drawing on family reserves considerably older than the base stock. It pours dark amber and gives rich oak, toasted almonds, apple, olive and cinnamon on the nose, then a rich but mellow palate of fresh fruit given structure by tobacco leaf, cocoa and vanilla, closing long and exceptionally smooth. Every bottle is hand blown, the label applied individually, then dipped in wax, embellished with the Cuervo family crest by hand, and hand signed, numbered and dated, so no two are identical. The 2018 edition has been off shelves for years.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
40% |
| Proof |
80 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
Mexico |
| Region |
Tequila, Jalisco |
| Producer |
Jose Cuervo, family owned since 1795 |
| Master Distiller |
Alex Coronado |
| Category |
Tequila Extra Añejo |
| Expression |
Reserva de la Familia, 2018 Collector's Edition |
| Release Year |
2018 |
| Agave |
100% Blue Weber Agave, hand selected, innermost heart of the piña only |
| Maturation |
New American and French oak barrels, private family cellar, blended with older family reserves |
| Bottle |
Hand blown glass, hand applied label, wax dipped, hand applied Cuervo crest, hand signed, numbered and dated |
| Packaging |
Handcrafted wooden collector's box, agave quiote and distillation schematic artwork |
| Status |
Discontinued annual edition |
Tasting Notes
Color: Dark amber.
Nose: Rich oak and toasted almonds over apple, olive and cinnamon.
Palate: Rich yet mellow. Fresh fruit given structure by mature tobacco leaf and cocoa, with vanilla and caramel underneath.
Finish: Long, warming and ultra smooth.
FAQ
Q: Is every bottle individually numbered?
A: Yes. Each bottle is hand blown, wax dipped, then hand signed, numbered and dated, so no two are identical.
Q: Is the 2018 edition still produced?
A: No. Each collector's box is a single annual release. The 2018 has been off shelves for years and is sought by collectors building the series.
Q: What does the 2018 box depict?
A: Tall agave quiotes in flower, the stalk a mature agave produces once in its life, set against ghosted technical drawings of distillation equipment.
Q: How is the tequila made?
A: From hand selected Blue Weber agave, using only the innermost heart of the plant, aged in new American and French oak in the family's private cellar and blended with older family reserves.
Q: Does the liquid change year to year?
A: The Extra Añejo expression remains the constant. What changes annually is the commissioned artwork on the wooden box.
Q: Where can I buy Reserva de la Familia 2018 online?
A: Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
