Overview

When customers think about Jose Cuervo, or when Tracy Byrd wrote his 2002 song "Ten Rounds with José Cuervo," they probably think about the Especial label, but the brand, which, like the tequila market, has evolved far beyond just Jose Cuervo Especial Gold. The Especial label still plays a vital role for the brand regarding global volume, but the Cuervo brand offers customers a wide variety of tequila styles at all price points.

Jose Cuervo, NOM 1122 (Norma Oficial Mexicana), has a long and rich history. In 1795, the King of Spain granted José Antonio de Cuervo the first concession to distill a commercial agave spirit legally. The family established the La Rojeña distillery in 1812 in Tequila, Jalisco. Located just down the street from the main square of this Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town), La Rojeña is the oldest active distillery in Latin America. I have visited the distillery twice, and I highly recommend it. The tour and experience capture the romantic view of tequila you are probably hoping for. You can even take the Jose Cuervo Express train from Guadalajara to Tequila and stay at the Hacienda Solar de las Animas, the Cuervo family-own hotel on the main town square. In addition to La Rojeña, there are distillation facilities at Planta Camichines and La Laja in Jalisco and the principal bottling facility is located in Guadalajara.

Jose Cuervo was the first tequila imported to the United States in 1852. The brand was the first tequila brand to register a trademark in 1933 and the first to launch a major ad campaign in the United States in 1955. The family, now called the Beckmann Family, built a tequila dynasty; they are the largest agave holder in Mexico, and Jose Cuervo is the best-selling tequila in the world.

Jose Cuervo Especial Silver & Gold

Jose Cuervo Especial is categorized as a mixto tequila because it is produced from 51 % blue weber agave and 49 % sugar cane. Proximo Spirits, the brand's parent company in North America, sometimes calls it a "blended tequila." The sugar from agave and other sources, such as sugar cane, are combined, fermented, and distilled to create one product. Jose Cuervo Especial is the brand's best-selling product. It has been formulated to enhance the flavor of a Margarita, and this is precisely how the brand would like you to consume it. The Silver is unaged. The Gold is a joven-style tequila made from a blend of reposado tequila (rested in for a minimum of two months in oak vats or barrels) and younger tequilas, and probably some caramel coloring and are bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) for the United States.

Spirits Definition - Mixto Tequila

“Tequila may be fermented and distilled from a minimum of 51% agave juice and up to 49% non-agave sugars. It may be bulk exported and bottled outside of Mexico. This style of tequila, originally called mixto, makes up the great majority of tequila consumed outside of Mexico. Although the term does not appear on the label, if a product label does not read “100% agave” in some way, then it is, in fact, mixto tequila.”

Nickles, Jane. 2022 Certified Specialist of Spirits Study Guide (p. 140). Kindle Edition.

“All 100% agave tequila must be distilled entirely from the fermented juice of the blue agave plant. All 100% agave tequilas must be bottled in Mexico.”

Nickles, Jane. 2022 Certified Specialist of Spirits Study Guide (p. 140). Kindle Edition.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional

Unlike Especial, the Tradicional label offers consumers an entry-level 100 % agave option from Cuervo, meaning that 100 % of the fermented sugars came from agave, not other sources like sugar cane or corn. As the tequila category continues to grow, especially in the United States, consumers are shifting their preferences from mixto to 100 % agave tequila. Many tequila drinkers must realize that Cuervo offers a 100 % agave option, even though the Tradicional label is supposed to represent the Cuervo family's original tequila recipe dating back 200 years. Tradicional has a unique bottling process, finishing the liquid at freezing temperatures to preserve the purity of its flavor. It is an excellent option for mixing classic tequila cocktails like Margarita, Paloma, or Cantarito.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Plata

The Plata label is distilled in copper stills from 100 % blue agave, is unaged, and is bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) for the United States. It won a gold (G) medal at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), one of the only tequilas under $30 judged so highly.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado

The Reposado label is distilled in copper stills from 100 % blue agave, rested in charred oak for at least two months, and bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) in the United States. If you are bored of Margaritas, try the Reposado in a Mexican Mule with ginger beer or the brand's official Muletta cocktail, which is a twist on a mule with Angostura Bitters.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Añejo

The Tradicional Añejo label is distilled in copper stills from 100 % blue agave, aged in charred American oak barrels, finished in Irish single malt whiskey barrels, and bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) for the United States. It is considered the first marriage of Irish whiskey with a tequila distillery, and It's the first añejo tequila from Jose Cuervo Tradicional in 225 years. Proximo Spirits, the brand's parent company in North America, also owns the Bushmills Irish whiskey brand, so it is safe to assume these barrels come from Bushmills. This product makes a great Old Fashioned for the price.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Cristalino

Jose Cuervo Tradicional is the 100 % blue agave option from the Cuervo brand, separate from their popular mixto option Especial. This expression is a blend of Jose Cuervo Tradicional Reposado, aged 2 months in oak barrels, and Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo, aged a minimum of 3 years in American and French oak barrels. The final product is charcoal filtered for clarity and smoothness, bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) and a perfect entry-level Cristalino option.

Reserva De La Familia

Jose Cuervo (NOM 1122), the world's largest tequila producer, has three sub-brands at different price tiers. The Especial label is their mixto (not 100 % agave) brand, Tradicional is their 100 % agave brand, and Reserva de la Familia is their tequila portfolio's highest tier. Often shortened to just Reserva, they are small-batch tequilas compared to the other products from Jose Cuervo. The brand is crafted 100 % from only the hearts of hand-selected, fully mature eight-to-ten-year-old blue Weber agave plants sourced from their estates' richest volcanic soil. The agave plants are more commonly referred to as piñas or pineapples in Spanish because that's what they look like when they are harvested and trimmed.

The Reserva Extra Añejo was first released in 1995 to commemorate the Cuervo family's 200-year tequila legacy, drawing from the family's best private reserves. The Extra Añejo was the only product bearing the Reserva de la Familia name for many years. Now, Reserva is a full lineup of super-premium tequilas featuring the Platino, Reposado, Private Cask Collection, Cristalino, and the OG, Extra Añejo. The meticulous care extends to the packaging. The entire packaging process, from the application of the unique label design to the wax seal featuring the Cuervo family crest, is done by hand. Each bottle is individually numbered, wrapped, and packaged in a gift box designed each year by a different Mexican artist. Starting in 2023, the entire Reserva de la Familia brand is transitioning to certified organic labeling.

Reserva De La Familia Organic Platino

The Platino is specially made through a unique and proprietary process called "Esencia de Agave, " which was created by Cuervo and is known only by the distillers. The operation extracts agave sweetness and aromas from the piñas, or hearts, of the agave plants. It is a meticulous method that brings the entire character, flavor, and essence of agave to life, offering a perfect balance and smoothness unmatched by other clear tequila. This product is now USDA-certified organic, unaged, and bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) for the United States. This product is available in 750 ML and 375 ML bottles in the United States. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is $65 for the 750 ML and $38 for the 375 ML.

Tasting Notes Provided by the Brand

Color - Bright and clear
Aroma - Pepper, cooked agave, sweet on the nose with a touch of apple and parsley
Flavor - Unique, sweet and spicy palate with notes of melon, honey and hay
Finish - Mellow & smooth

Serving Recommendations

Served neat in a tequila glass
Can be served chilled
Can be mixed in an Elevated Margarita or Margarita variation

Reserva De La Familia Organic Reposado

The Reposado is distilled from 100 % fully mature agave using only the inner portion, or the heart, of the agave piña. This product is aged up to six months in three distinct barrels:

Heavily charred American oak
Lightly toasted American oak
Lightly toasted French oak

The heavily toasted American oak contributes baked spices, while lightly toasted American and French oaks bring mellow flavors of toffee and vanilla. Each tequila is aged separately before being blended by the Maestro Tequilero. The final product is USDA-certified organic and bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) for the United States. This product is available in 750 ML and 375 ML bottles in the United States. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is $65 for the 750 ML and $38 for the 375 ML.

Tasting Notes Provided by the Brand

Color - Golden, brilliant
Aroma - Pepper, cooked agave, orange peel, ginger, toasted wood
Flavor - Tropical fruit, clove and vanilla
Finish - Mellow & smooth

Serving Recommendations

Served neat in a tequila glass
Can be mixed in a Reposado Old Fashioned

Reserva De La Familia Añejo Cristalino Orgánico

The PX Organic Añejo Cristalino is the newest line extension from Jose Cuervo to the Reserva de la Familia brand. It is the first widely available organic Cristalino Tequila in the market and the seventh Cristalino Tequila released by parent company Proximo Spirits. This tequila is aged in American oak for a minimum of 12 months and then finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks to impart an extra Sherry sweetness and softness, with flavors of dried fruits and raisins, before being filtered as the color is carefully removed while preserving the unique Añejo flavors and achieving a crystal clear presentation. Pedro Ximénez sherry, usually shortened to PX, is a sweet fortified dessert wine from southern Spain. The final product is USDA-certified organic and bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) for the United States in a sleek, eye-catching bottle with a long waxed neck. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is $150.

Tasting Notes Provided by the Brand

Color - Bright and clear with distinct tearing and a pronounced body
Aroma - Sweet notes of cooked agave, honey, baked fruits with lasting light notes of oak
Flavor - Sweet and soft on the palate with rich, smooth notes of stone fruit and a refreshingly bright finish
Finish - Fresh and complex

Serving Recommendations

Served neat in a tequila glass

Reserva De La Familia Extra Añejo

The Extra Añejo is distilled from 100 % fully mature, 8 years old or more, agave using only the inner portion, or the heart, of the agave piña sourced from rich volcanic soils of the family's private single estate fields. The agave piñas are cooked in smaller ovens at La Rojeña distillery in Tequila in Jalisco, the oldest distillery in Latin America, for 48 hours: 36 hours by direct vapor and 12 hours with residual heat. The fermented agave juice is double-distilled in small batches in copper pot stills. The tequila is aged for over 3 years in a combination of small, new American, and French oak barrels charred at different levels and bottled at 80 proof (40 % ABV) for the United States. The bottle is made of hand-blown glass, individually numbered, and sealed with wax. Each year, the Cuervo family commissions a Mexican-based artist to design original artwork for the collector's box. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) is $185 for the 750 ML.

Tasting Notes Provided by the Brand

Color - Dark amber tone
Aroma - Oak, almonds, dark chocolate, cinnamon
Flavor - Rich oak, toasted almonds, vanilla and cinnamon
Finish - Complex & smooth

Serving Recommendations

Served neat in a tequila glass

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