PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
ArteNOM is a wildly original and highly coveted tequila.Their Selection de 1146 Anejo tequila is crafted by living legend Enrique Fonseca. The number 1146 represents the distillery (NOM) where this tequila is made in a town named aptly enough, Tequila.

Fonseca is a fifth generation agave cultivator and master distiller that owns one of the largest areas of Highland agave lands in Jalisco, Mexico. The Highlands, a.k.a. Los Altos, are known to have a richer soil than the Lowlands of the Tequila Valley, allowing the agaves to flourish and imbuing them with more sweetness. As a result, Highland tequilas are generally thought to have slightly fruitier flavors.

Tequila ArteNOM creates some of the best tequilas in the world, producing very small quantities of artisanal products that bring to focus how each spirit represents the place from which it came. The 1146 Anejo is a non-diffuser and additive-free, hand crafted tequila.

As with terroir in wine, tequila is dramatically affected by the climate, elevation, and soil in the area where the agave is grown. ArteNOM works with a different distiller for every one of their projects in a variety of regions and sub-regions. Each mezcalaro (master distiller) further shapes the character of their tequilas with their techniques of cultivation, processing, distilling, and aging.

Enrique Fonseca is a legend in the agave world renowned for his expertise in aging his tequilas. This anejo spends time in both former Loire Valley Cabernet Franc casks and American oak previously home to Tennessee rye whiskey. Back in the nineties, when your average tequila producer was working on mass producing a cheaper product, Fonseca was experimenting with aging his spirits in every type of barrel he could get his hands on, essentially letting his tequila vaporize away.

Unfortunately, you lose a certain percentage of your distillate to evaporation whenever you age it in a barrel, known as the Angel’s Share, but all of his research and sacrifice has definitely paid off. The standard rule for an anejo tequila is that it must be aged for at least a year in a barrel, traditionally bourbon, less than 600 liters in volume. Fonseca supersedes this aging minimum dramatically, laying down his spirit for three to four years or more.

Needless to say, aging your spirit for two or three years in French wine casks followed by a year in American white oak whiskey barrels produces some wild depth and complexity. Tasting a product created by a tequila savant such as Enrique Fonseca is an incredible opportunity. His meticulous attention to every step of the process can truly be tasted in every sip. The1146 Anejo is double distilled in copper pot stills, allowing it to retain a lot of grit and character.

The years spent in oak have smoothed over any rough edges on this ArteNOM 1146 Anejo tequila, delivering an intricately nuanced flavor profile. There’s a beautiful oak presence on the nose, which is integrated throughout in the form of baking spices, toffee, and vanilla.

PROFILE SUMMARY:
Color: rich amber
Nose: butterscotch, citrus, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, baking spices
Palate: dry toffee, walnuts, caramel, custard, orange pith
Finish: vanilla, cinnamon sugar, Mexican dark chocolate

PRODUCT RATING:
Tastings Magazine: Rated 95 Points
"Amber color. Aromas of peanut brittle, ripe apple, flamed orange, cafe latte, leather, foraged mushrooms, and brown butter with a chewy, lively, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a peppery, very complex, very long spiced peach chutney, luxury tobacco, and red tea finish. A flavor-packed, cognac-like Añejo tequila with delicate fruity nuance and big toasty brawn."