Tequila Gold vs. Reposado – Origin, Taste & Top Bottles

 Tequila Gold, often sold under the name Tequila Oro (Spanish for "Gold"), is in most cases a blend of unaged Tequila Silver and aged golden tequilas. Its golden color gives it its name and serves as a visual distinguishing feature from white Tequila Blanco. In rare cases, however, it is also a white tequila with additives such as caramel coloring, oak extracts, glycerin, and sugar syrup, the addition of which is permitted if they make up a maximum of 1% of the weight. Tequila Gold can boast an extremely diverse and varied aromatic profile, depending on the blend.

In German-speaking countries, Tequila Gold is mainly known in combination with orange and cinnamon – in contrast to salt and lemon with Tequila Silver. With this drinking method, you sprinkle some cinnamon on an orange slice, drink the tequila shot, and then bite into the orange.
Tequila Gold can also be incorporated into many cocktails, such as the Tequila Sunrise; high-quality varieties can also be enjoyed neat or on the rocks – just like in Mexico!

"Reposado" means "rested" in English; and so, Tequila Reposado must "rest" in oak barrels for 2–12 months before it can be given this title. The barrels can be made of French, Mexican, Canadian, or other oak wood, thus essentially determining the individual character and the diverse taste palette of Tequila Reposado. Tequila Reposado, like Tequila Gold, is golden in most cases, but is characterized by a more intense and pronounced taste, which can spread in many different nuances depending on the production.

But now let's see why Tequila Gold and Reposado deserve the gold medal mentioned in the title. For this purpose, we present some particularly successful bottlings and pay special attention to the variety of tasting notes. Tequila Gold and Reposado can boast a complexity that white tequilas usually cannot offer. Let's look at the prime examples now.

The Camino Real Gold Tequila is – as the name suggests – "real gold". This tequila comes directly from the heart of tequila production – from the city of Tequila. It has been produced there for 70 years according to an unchanged recipe. This tequila has therefore stood the test of time, as evidenced by the light agave notes, the hint of oak, and the mild aroma. We are clearly dealing with a gold medal contender for the next Tequila Olympics here.

The name of the Olmeca Tequila Gold dates back to the Olmec culture, which inhabited the coast of the Gulf of Mexico from approx. 1,500 to 400 BC and created colossal stone heads there, which can still be admired today. Although this bottle boasts engraved ancient symbols, it fortunately has less to do with a colossal head. However, the taste is colossally good, being not only slightly sweet and smoky, but also shining with notes of honey and black pepper. The same can be observed in the aroma; the trained nose also identifies fruity aromas.

Let's move on to the Reposados, of which the Corralejo Tequila REPOSADO already indicates with its blue bottle with golden ornaments where the journey is headed: straight to the top of the podium. Made from 100% blue agaves, this golden-yellow tequila boasts an aromatic profile that makes all competition look pale – scent notes of cooked agave, lemon, and grapefruit rise to the nose and continue in the extremely soft taste, which is complemented by a hint of vanilla and wood. And this quality is no coincidence: The Hacienda Corralejo distillery has been producing its tequila for around 250 years according to an almost unchanged recipe and is thus one of the oldest tequila distilleries ever.

Now let's move on to bottlings of Tequila Gold and Reposado that also stand out in the "B-note" – i.e., the bottle design. If you generally like unusual bottle designs, we recommend our article specifically dedicated to this topic, the Top 10 unusual bottle designs. But now to the bottle designs with gold medal potential in the Tequila category.

The bottle of Casa Cofradia Tequila Special Reserve Silver offers a fitting home for a light golden, premium tequila thanks to its very distinctive ceramic shape. The Reserve Silver, aged for six months in white oak barrels and made from 100% agave, brings plenty of vibrancy to the tequila tasting with a slightly peppery taste and notes of grass, while slightly sweet agave aromas beautifully round off the taste experience. This is ensured by the company La Cofradía, which means "Brotherhood" and has over 50 years of dedication to tequila production. And with this special series, they have surpassed themselves.

It's no coincidence that this tequila is at the very end of our article, because the Padre Azul Super Premium Tequila Reposado combines everything that makes a good tequila, starting with a unique bottle design. The closure is a 270-gram cast iron skull, while the bottle is encased in a 100% handmade leather jacket. But all this sensational appearance would, of course, be worthless if the contents of the bottles were not of quality.

However, this concern is unfounded, because this Reposado, made from 100% blue Weber agave, matures for at least eight months in French oak barrels and already shows during the aroma test that you are dealing with a real golden boy here: wood, pears, bananas, dried oranges, caramel, coconuts and much more delight the nose, while the silky-fruity taste completely enchants.

Which of our tequilas wins the individual gold medal, you'll have to find out for yourself, but one thing we consider certain: in the team ranking, the gold medal only passes by Tequila Gold and Reposado.