Lost Lore High Proof Reposado

Lost Lore High Proof Reposado is bottled at 98 to 100 proof, a deliberate step above the standard 80, and that elevation changes everything about how the agave and barrel interact. Made at NOM 1414, the Vivanco family distillery in Arandas, Los Altos, Jalisco, under master distiller Sergio Cruz, this reposado rests for up to 12 months in former American whiskey barrels but the extra alcohol by volume keeps the oak from taking over. The result is a tequila where roasted agave remains the lead voice and the barrel acts as seasoning rather than structure. The production follows a traditional highland method: 100% blue Weber agave grown in the red clay soils of Los Altos is cooked in stone and brick ovens, crushed on a roller mill, and fermented with champagne yeast in stainless steel tanks before double distillation in copper pot stills. Founder Arturo Lamas III built Lost Lore on the legacy of his great-grandfather, a traditional agave spirits maker whose craft had been dormant for generations. The distillery is confirmed additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker, a transparency that matters when you're tasting for the difference between agave and everything else. The Vivanco family's work in Arandas has quietly become one of the more consistent examples of highland tequila that balances ripeness with clarity. The nose opens with roasted agave, vanilla, and warm baking spice, the proof delivering intensity without aggression. On the palate, cooked agave leads into caramel, black pepper, cinnamon, and toasted oak, with a richness and weight that the higher bottling strength amplifies. There's no heat or harshness, just a longer carry and a more defined structure than the category standard. The finish is clean and lingering, with spice that fades slowly. Pour it neat to appreciate what the proof does for texture, or use it in a margarita or Paloma where the extra backbone holds up to citrus and ice without thinning out. It also works in stirred tequila cocktails where you want the agave to register clearly against vermouth or amaro. In stock at Off Premise in Chicago.