Gran Patron Piedra Extra Anejo Tequila (750ml)

Ranked among Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Spirits for 2016. (97 points).
This will make a stunning addition to any bar.

Formerly a travel retail offering, Patron's decision to release this for a broader audience comes as competition hots up in the super premium Tequila category.
Piedra, which means “stone” in Spanish, is one of very few tequilas that's still produced in an age-old way as opposed to a more industrialized process.

Geoff Kleinman from drinkspirits.com explains, "Piedra uses the traditional process of grinding the roasted agave heart (called the pina) using a stone wheel called a tahona. The resulting juice is called agua miel, which translates to “honey water”. Typically this agua miel is fermented on its own, but for Piedra, the crushed agave fiber is added back into the mix. This mix is distilled and then aged in a combination of new American oak and French oak casks for at least three years (making it an extra anejo tequila). As with many high end releases, Patron Piedra is then bottled in a fancy etched glass decanter topped with an enclosure that emulates the tahona stone. This bottle is then enclosed in a fabric lined display case that looks a lot like a fancy coffin."

He adds, "There’s no question that Patron Piedra is an expertly crafted tequila which manages to maintain the core character of the Patron flavor experience while coming at it with a lot more balance and finesse."

Made from 100% blue weber agaves, the tequila was matured in both American and French oak casks.

Other reviews... Patrón's first-ever extra añejo is aged at least three years, and is named for the stone wheel (piedra) that crushes agave to make Tequila. It has an amber hue and a rich aroma that mixes caramel, dried fruit and peppery notes. The palate is silky and rounded, with lots of caramel and oak up front, tapering off gently with anise, ginger and cinnamon. 40% Alc./Vol.
97 points - wineenthusiast.com