BlackFive

My hosts for the evening had a very nice array of products for us to try, under the expert tutelage of the skillful and vivacious Bobbie Crocker of Patron.  Along with their excellent tequila, Patron also produces Pyrat rums and Ultimat vodka.  In the interests of transparency, I've enjoyed Patron for close to 20 years, having been introduced to the then new brand while on a trip to the Southwest that included a brief foray into Mexico.  To my mind, they have improved with age. 

The select audience could not have asked for better, either of Patron or Savi Provisions. The snackage and service were outstanding, and everyone was extremely gracious  -- as usual.  All the more so since we started at the top, and things only went up from there. 

Gran Patron Platinum is not your everyday clear tequila.  This is a triple-distilled sip of what most clear tequilas dream of being.  Patron prides itself on excellence using traditional techniques not always used by competitors.  For this flagship product, they select the best of the Weber blue agave plants and after distillation, rest it in oak barrels for a short time.  The result is a nice light nose of agave with fruit, and hints of citrus.  The aroma is crisp, almost sweet, and to my nose the hints of citrus were of grapefruit and maybe a bit of lime.  The taste is surprisingly crisp, light, and sweet.  Here, the notes of grapefruit and lime come out, along with ripe green fruit.  The strong finish is solid, long, and rich with agave dominating the pallet but with spice notes coming out along the sides and a faint hint of honey as it fades. This is a premium product made for sipping, and it is truly a delight to do so. 

 

 

Next was the double distilled Silver Patron.  Many years ago, this had been my introduction to Patron and it's products, and it is still a very good introduction.  While the nose is not as crisp as the platinum, it is filled with agave, green fruit, and citrus.  The body is solid, crisp and smooth.  The agave taste is sweet, and lime was the major part of the citrus flavors within.  The finish is nice, with pepper coming out along the sides. 

 

 

The next tasting was of Patron Reposado.  The nose is a wonderful mix of oak and agave, with hints of citrus and floral notes.  It is easy to tell that it has been aged for at least two months in oak barrels, with both aging and the barrels adding richness to the product.  It is also why there is a solid mouthfeel that is full of oak and agave that fades towards sweetness.  While you taste oak and agave, you also can taste fruit, honey, and citrus as well, providing a delicious complexity.  The finish is nice and light, with much stronger floral notes, vanilla, and honey coming out for a sweet end to the finish. 

  Patron Anejo was our next tasting, and the mild nose contained almost no agave.  Instead, wood, mixed fruit, honey, and spice with vanilla dominating were strong on the first sniff.  There was a very faint bit of citrus in the upper range.  The taste was smooth, and reminded me very much of a good light bourbon or Scotch.  Oak, mixed fruit (rasins, plums, and dates), honey, and vanilla fill the mouth nicely.  The finish is clean and short, with pepper and other spices coming out and a hint of smoke high as it ends. 

Our evening did not end there.  We also sampled Patron Citronage orange liqueur, which has a strong nose of orange with agave and mint coming out as the orange fades.  The taste is quite sweet, reminding me strongly of candied orange, ending in a clean but strong orange finish.  Then, we finished with Patron XO Cafe, which combines Patron Silver with the essence of fine coffee.  The best way to describe it is sweet good coffee with a kick.  While it was not part of the tasting, I prefer the XO Cafe Dark, which adds in Criollo chocolate to the mix for an even richer taste. 

My thanks to Patron and Savi for inviting me to attend, and for their excellent hospitality.  If you are in the Atlanta area, be sure to check out Savi's Facebook Page for information on upcoming tastings.  They are well worth attending. 

LW