Don Ramon Diamante Reposdo

Reposado means rested. Under the tequila rules a reposado must spend at least two months, and less than a year, in oak, and here the spirit rests in white oak after double distillation. The highland agave matters too: plants grown in Los Altos are larger and sweeter in aroma than those from the valley lowlands. Only mature plants of about eight to ten years old are cut, by hand, and the hearts are cooked slowly in traditional ovens before they are crushed and fermented.

The oak turns the spirit gold and adds a layer of caramel. The aroma is floral and herbal with a trace of vanilla and chocolate, and the palate is spiced and herbaceous, with citrus and cooked agave through the finish. It is bottled at 40%.

Pour it into a small glass and sip it at room temperature, or use it where a silver tequila would feel thin: a margarita with a little more depth, or a paloma with the grapefruit left sharp.