Review: Volcan de Mi Tierra Tequila X.A.
Volcan de Mi Tierra is one of those ultra-premium tequila brands that deserves its status. Its blanco and cristalino bottlings are both top-tier offerings, and recently the brand finally added another expression to its lineup, Volcan X.A., a blend of reposado, añejo, and extra añejo tequilas packaged in an over-the-top bottle complete with a battery-powered light that illuminates it from underneath.
Volcan X.A. has only been on-premises in a small number of nightclubs and bars until recently, when it began rolling out to retail in 15 major markets.
We’ve never reviewed Volcan’s reposado, anejo, or standard extra anejo expressions, so this is our first foray into tasting its non-clear expressions. Very light in color, it strikes the appearance of a reposado (at best). The nose however is definitely bold and smoldering, lightly woody with elements of coconut husk, toasted grain, and an indistinct cooked vegetable note — perhaps akin to buttery sweet potatoes ready to come out of the oven. It’s an odd collection of aromas that’s tough to parse out, amplified by a vague booziness that settles over the affair.
The palate definitely brightens and sweetens things up, providing a fruitier quality that starts with baked apples and moves into a sweeter, cooked pineapple character from there. A funkier guava note emerges before giving way to secondary qualities — black pepper, bell pepper, and a lightly smoky, earthy quality. The finish feels surprisingly saccharine as the more savory elements fade away, never really coming into balance.
Without tasting the three component tequilas in this blend it’s hard to say where things might have gone amiss, but as it stands, $180 is a lot to ask for a rather unfocused offering.
80 proof. NOM 1523.
