Volans Tequila Seven Year Extra Anejo (750Ml)

Volans Seven Year is a rare extra añejo from the highlands of Jalisco. It is made at the El Pandillo distillery, NOM 1579. The estate blue Weber agave grows close to 7,000 feet above sea level. Only 1,234 bottles were produced.

Production keeps to the old ways. The agave roasts for 22 hours in brick ovens and is crushed by tahona. It ferments in open tanks with natural yeast. Then it is distilled twice in copper pot stills. Only agave, water and yeast go in, and the brand follows a no-additives policy.

Patience does the rest. The tequila spends six years in American white oak bourbon barrels. A final year in French oak adds spice. That makes seven years in wood, then a rest in steel before bottling.

The nose shows cooked agave, caramel and vanilla, with oak, baking spice and dried fruit. On the palate it feels rich and velvety. Caramel, vanilla and toasted oak lead, and dark chocolate and dried fruit follow. Cooked agave still shines through all that wood. The finish is long and smooth, with a light touch of pepper.

Serve it neat in a sipping glass and give it a few minutes to open. Pair it with dark chocolate, aged manchego or roasted pecans. It is a bottle for a milestone, best shared with people who love aged agave.