Review: Corzo Reposado Tequila  92/100
a review by Chip Dykstra
Published December 2, 2012 (Updated April 2, 2018)

Corzo is a 100% Blue Weber Agave Tequila produced in Los Altos (the Highlands) of Jalisco, Mexico. Although the Corzo website does not explicitly state the distillery which produces their tequila,The NOM identifier on the bottle is 1487 CRT. This NOM identifier is required by the Mexican Government to be placed on the label of each bottle of tequila to verify that it is produced legally from agave sourced in the Tequila region of Mexico. Each distillery has its own NOM, and by researching the NOM we can discover exactly which distillery produces each brand of tequila. The Corzo Brand is produced at the Tequila Cazadores De Arandas, S. De R.I. De C.V. (also known as Bacardi y Compania, S.A. de C.V.). Indeed the Corzo Brand is owned by Bacardi and is their premium tequila brand.

Most tequila is double distilled however, Corzo Tequila is triple distilled with only a small center cut taken from each distillation. In fact this fine center cut requires the company to use twice as much agave to produce the tequila as would normally be used. After the second distillation, Corzo tequila is rested for 2 to 4 months in American white oak barrels. After the tequila has matured for this first amount of time the tequila is then distilled a third time. After the tequila has matured for this first amount of time the tequila is then distilled a third time. After the third distillation the tequila is then matured (or rested) for a second period of time (3 to 6 months) in French oak until it has reached the proper characteristics for their Corzo Reposado Tequila.

In the Bottle  5/5

The Corzo bottle was apparently designed by renowned art director Fabien Baron who is the creative director of Baron & Baron, an art direction and marketing company whose portfolio of clients includes Calvin Klein and Giorgio Armani. The rectangular bottle is stunning and oozing masculinity and sex appeal. At first I thought I might have trouble pouring the spirit into my glass because of the extremely short neck. However, if you look closely at the bottle shot to the left you can see a small channel on the lip of the spout. This channel serves to bridge the gap from my glass to the pouring spout. I also looks really cool when you pour a shot for your friends.

In the Glass  9/10

I poured out a small sample of the Corzo Reposado into my glencairn glass and began my review with a good look at the spirit before I began to nose it. It is a pale straw coloured spirit consistent with a Reposado Tequila which would spend about five months in oak barrels. I gave my glass a light tilt and a slow swirl and discovered a light sheen of tequila left on the inside of the glass which gave up a few very skinny fast-moving legs and nothing more.

The initial aroma from the glass is lightly sweet with hints of dark fruit mingling with the mild punky aroma of agave and a firm scent of white pepper. Rising into the breezes above the glass are additional impressions of honey and vanilla, almond and coconut, hints of lemon zest lemon, and grilled pineapple. The nose displays tremendous complexity with even a few hints of scattered tea leaves in the air.

In the Mouth  55/60

The entry onto the palate begins softly with honey and a mixture of dark and citrus fruit leading the way. However, the tequila quickly asserts its Highland character with spicy pepper and herbaceous agave spilling over the taste-buds. I taste impressions of grilled pineapple with hints of cinnamon, as well as flavours of vanilla pudding, lemon zest, coconut, anise, nutmeg and almond. The complexity is stunning.

Of course I made a couple of cocktails stating with a my version of the Tequila Sunrise (made with the juice from blood oranges) which I call the Scarlet Ruse, followed with my Royal Alexander Margarita. The cocktails were great and I believe the Corzo Reposado is every bit as satisfying in the cocktail format as it is when sipped neat.

In the Throat  14/15

In the exit, the herbaceous agave and pepper tap on the tonsils (without any undo harm let me assure you). Ghostly echoes of almond, tapioca pudding, and citrus fruit remain with the pepper fading from view rather slowly. The fading honey-like sweetness seems to beg me to have another sip.

The Afterburn  9/10

I am a big fan of this expression of Corzo Tequila. The spirit is complex and full of herbaceaous agave flavour. Although the tequila carries its share of spicy pepper, the honey-like sweetness and light oak spice which accompanies this pepper makes sipping a real treat.

You may read some of my other Tequila Reviews (click the link) if you wish to have some comparative reviews.

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Suggested Recipe:

You may (loosely) interpret the scores as follows.

0-25     A spirit with a rating this low would actually kill you.
26-49   Depending upon your fortitude you might actually survive this.
50 -59  You are safe to drink this…but you shouldn’t.
60-69   Substandard swill which you may offer to people you do not want to see again.
70-74    Now we have a fair mixing Tequila.  Accept this but make sure it is mixed into a cocktail.
75-79    You may begin to serve this to friends, (we are probably still cocktail in territory).
80-84    We begin to enjoy this spirit neat or on the rocks. (I will still primarily mix cocktails)
85-89    Excellent for sipping or for mixing delicious cocktails!
90-94    Definitely a primary sipping spirit, in fact you may want to hoard this for yourself.
95-97.5 The Cream of the Crop
98+       I haven’t met this bottle yet…but I want to.

Very loosely we may put my scores into terms that you may be familiar with on a Gold, Silver, and  Bronze medal  scale as follows:

70 – 79.5    Bronze Medal (Recommended only as a mixer)
80 – 89.5     Silver Medal (Recommended for sipping and or a high quality mixer)
90 – 95         Gold Medal (Highly recommended for sipping and for sublime cocktails.)
95.5+            Platinum Award (Highest Recommendation)