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There are a lot of new luxury tequilas hitting the market these days, which makes sense considering that the category has now outpaced American whiskey in terms of sales, and is even threatening vodka’s dominance. The latest example comes from Gran Centenario, a brand founded over 150 years ago which is now owned by Proximo Spirits, the company that also owns Jose Cuervo.
Gran Centenario Gallardo is named after the brand’s founder, Don Lázaro Gallardo, who is credited with inventing a (trademarked proprietary) process known as Selección Suave, which involves blending newer rested and more mature tequilas together to create new expressions. “Gallardo built a legacy through his revolutionary techniques,” said Alex Coronado, head of production and master distiller at Gran Centenario, in a statement (he works across all Cuervo brands including Reserva de la Familia and Maestro Dobel). “His work inspired me to become a master distiller, and Gran Centenario Gallardo is the perfect embodiment of his skill and dedication to the industry… With the magnificent aroma of rich caramel, toasted oak, and hints of vanilla and notes of dark chocolate and roasted agave, this tequila honors Don Lázaro Gallardo’s legacy with a liquid that’s equally rich and layered.”
The new Gran Centenario Gallardo is an extra anejo tequila (more than three years old) that was initially aged in a combination of French and American oak for about three years before being finished in Bordeaux wine barrels from France for a few months. We did not get to try this tequila for ourselves, but the official tasting notes (as well as Coronado’s take above) detail banana, fig, and some earthiness on the palate, along with apple, nuts, and red fruits.
For the hardcore tequila fans out there, it should be noted that Gran Centenario is made at the Cuervo distillery (NOM 1122), where a number of different production methods are used including a diffuser. If you’re unfamiliar, this is a piece of equipment that extracts sugar from agave using high-pressure water and/or chemicals rather than cooking and milling it, which some people believe results in an inferior product that often uses additives to boost the flavor. That being said, according to the website Tequila Matchmaker and a rep for the brand, a diffuser is not used in the production process for Gran Centenario (the agave is cooked in brick ovens and a roller mill is used for extraction instead).
Gran Centenario Gallardo is a really limited-edition tequila, with just 679 bottles available here in the U.S. (SRP $600). You can find it for sale via ReserveBar now, along with the rest of the Gran Centenario lineup.
