Received sample from Agave Swappers. Nice oaky nose with sweet caramel and vanilla cream soda, lots of barrel spice. Tasty palate hint of sweet agave, barrel spices, caramel and vanilla. This is a decent Añejo and a good bargain considering it is in the low $70s.
Cinnamon, honey, wood spice in the air as soon as I opened the sample bottle.Very nice gold color in the glass and bottle. Nose has a small amount of ethanol and more spice from the whiskey barrels. Easy entry with a nice agave presence and a good punch from the ABV. A bit of bitter wood at the tail end, but this is well done and I say that as not much of an Añejo or XA drinker for some time now. This tastes very natural and has good mouth feel and a nice tongue spike and bite in the throat to let you know it's tequila, always a good thing. Thanks to Matt Cavanaugh of the Tequila Swappers FB group page for the sample
Vessel: Glencairn Nose: Carmel, Oak, Barrel Spice, Cream Palate: Pepper, Oak, Barrel Spices, Agave Finish: Butterscotch, Pepper, Oak, Sherry I put this one up on Agave Swappers after Chris Cardenas sent me a bottle. I wanted to wait until at least few people in my group reviewed this to share my thoughts.. Here I am! I really enjoyed this one a lot. This was a very well-rounded, solid Añejo, especially for the price! I'd love to see what else Cardenas Legacy has in store! I would love to see an XA and a HP or Still Strength!
Cardenas Anejo Sample from Matt C, Agave Swappers Nose: barrel spices, caramel, vanilla Palate: sweet agave, caramel, vanilla Finish: nice, warm Easy sipper, this will be a great tequila to bring people over from sweet additive bombs to a quality-made, naturally sweet tequila. it'd be a nice after-dinner drink on a chilly day.
Received this sample from Agave Swappers: Nose: Oak, cocoa, brandy and caramel come through up front, balanced nicely by cooked agave. There’s a faint wisp of leather that gives it a little extra character without going over the top. Palate & Mouthfeel: Watery mouthfeel, which is a letdown, but the flavor profile is quite enjoyable - agave, butterscotch, oak, and a touch of anise. It’s a good mix, just lacking texture and weight. Finish: Clean and slightly dry. Not a lot of grip, but it doesn’t fall apart either. It closes quietly but not poorly. Final Thoughts: I like the flavors here more than I expected. There’s a nice balance of sweet, earthy, and spice elements. The thin mouthfeel keeps it from landing fully for me. Still, it’s an easy sipper with plenty of likable notes if you don’t mind the light body.
(Agave Swappers) The aroma opens with wood, red apple, light banana, and a sharp ethyl sting. On the palate, wood hits first, followed by a distracting floral soapiness that throws the balance. Whiskey notes and tangy-sweet fruit come through, joined by baking spice, orange citrus, and lime zest. The finish is slightly sweet and sticky, caramel and toffee tones flash briefly before trailing off, leaving a faint residue. A few bright moments, but the soapy note detracts from the overall experience.