What is Reposado Tequila?

For those who are a bit acquainted with Tequila, you might already know that there are different types. Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo are the major players, but everyone has their favorite. Reposado, translated to “rested” in Spanish, is the second youngest tequila style. There are many hours of hard work and patience required to create this beautiful spirit, so let’s get into it.

Where does Reposado Tequila come from?

Starting from the very beginning, Tequila is a distilled blue agave spirit that only comes from one place on earth: Mexico. Similar to other spirits such as Scotch or Bourbon, Tequila has some pretty strict laws that come with production in order to protect its authenticity. The lifetime of this spirit dates all the way back to Mexico circa 1666, so it’s safe to say that it’s an elder. Plus, it can only come from one of five Mexican states: Jalisco (where you find the town of Tequila), Guanajuato, Nayarit, Michoacán, or Tamaulipas. 

How is Reposado made?

Since we already know that blue agave is the main ingredient, let’s talk about the process of creating this unique spirit. Following the steps from our Tequila guide page, we’re going to give a quick summary of each one.

• Step 1: Be patient. The agave plant can take six or seven years before it develops a sugary sap called aquamiel, “honey water” in Spanish, that forms the base of Tequila.

• Step 2: Next, the heart of the agave plant is harvested by hand with machetes and steamed or baked in a clay oven.

• Step 3: The cooked hearts are shredded and pressed to extract the juice. That juice is fermented, and then the fermented juice is distilled in either a column still or an old-fashioned pot still.

• Step 4: To make a Reposado Tequila, the distilled spirit must be aged in an oak container of any size for anywhere from two months to just under a year. During that time, it turns a deeper amber color. It can take on barrel characteristics such as vanilla, cocoa, and baking spice notes.

Taste profile

Reposados are known for a bold blanco taste enhanced with caramel and honey. Some can even pull in flavors such as vanilla, cinnamon, or dried chocolate depending on how long it has been aged.