Lost Lore Tequila Reposado

Lost Lore Tequila Reposado rests up to twelve months in used American white oak whiskey barrels at the Vivanco family distillery in Los Altos de Jalisco, where master distiller Sergio Cruz oversees production. The spirit is confirmed additive-free by Tequila Matchmaker, a distinction that reflects Cruz's commitment to transparency in a category increasingly compromised by undisclosed flavor enhancements. Stone-oven cooking and copper pot distillation preserve the mineral-driven character that defines highland Jalisco tequila, while the eighty-proof bottling weight maintains the cooked agave core without sacrificing complexity. The Vivanco family sources mature Tequilana Weber agave from the red volcanic soils of Los Altos, a region known for fruit-forward profiles and natural sweetness that comes from elevation and terroir rather than additives. After cooking in traditional stone and brick ovens, the piñas are crushed with a roller mill and fermented with champagne yeast in stainless steel tanks, a rare choice that extends fermentation time and develops complex esters absent in faster industrial fermentations. Deep well water drawn from the aquifer below the distillery contributes minerality throughout the process. Double distillation in copper pot stills concentrates the cooked agave character before the spirit enters barrels for aging, a step that integrates oak tannins without overwhelming the vegetal core that defines reposado done right. Expect pronounced cooked agave on the nose alongside citrus peel and cracked black pepper, aromas that carry through to a palate marked by oak, white pepper, and a faint char from the whiskey barrels. The finish is dry and peppery, with lingering agave sweetness that resists the cloying vanilla notes common to heavily manipulated reposados. This is a versatile reposado for sipping neat or building into spirit-forward cocktails—try it in an Old Fashioned where the barrel aging plays naturally against bitters, or pour it alongside grilled steak and charred poblanos to echo the pepper and smoke notes already present in the glass. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.