Don Julio 1942 – Fine Tequila in a Tall Bottle
“If you don’t like this, it’s safe to say there’s no tequila you’re going to like,” said one magazine editor to another who was skeptical about the spirit in general. “Oh, that’s quite good,” he replied after tasting Don Julio 1942, banishing all memories of shots with salt and lime in his college days.
For many years I drank the best go-to choice in any Mexican bar—Don Julio Tequila—but it took a while before I got to try the extra premium 1942 version. That changed when I was at a dinner at the Rosewood Mayakoba and they pulled this out for our after-dinner drink. It lived up to the anticipation.
Don Julio 1942 Tasting Notes
You can think of this particular brand extension as leaving a fine spirit in the barrels longer to give it more influence from the oak. The 1942 line is made in small batches and aged for a minimum of two and a half years. For some people this “extra añejo” is too much of a good thing as some of the tones you associate with a good cognac or bourbon start to rise up in prominence. The nose was much more “serious” in this version and on first sip there are stronger tones of caramel and vanilla.
As it moves around your taste buds you might detect some tropical fruit tones, black pepper, some other spices. The fresh sweet agave that’s prominent in the original Don Julio recedes to the background a bit, like a rambunctious child told to sit down and stop acting up.
Just as some things in us improve with age and seriousness though, so too with 1942 when you’re looking for a good tequila to sip after dinner as we were. Among some real enthusiasts, this is one of the best on the market, something to pull out for a special occasion.
While some premium tequilas, especially extra-anejo ones, can go for two or three times what this one costs, Don Julio 1942 frequently shows up as a medal winner in blind tastings by spirits experts. If you’re staying at one of the best luxury hotels in Mexico, you’ll probably find this one in the resort’s best bar as well.
If you have a chance to try it at a high-end all-inclusive resort like La Casa de la Playa, where I enjoyed it for a second time, do not miss your opportunity to take advantage of that inclusion!
It does have a high price to match its reputation, but there’s no denying that the packaging will impress any gift recipient. It lists for $140 and generally only goes for $10 or $15 less in stores. While some brands don’t seem to put much thought into the packaging for that price, the Don Julio 1942 really looks like something special , from the box to the bottle to the labels.
It’s not hard to find this premium aged tequila on the shelves. Unlike the normal squat bottle for the regular Don Julio versions, this one comes in a tall and skinny handcrafted bottle that really makes it stick out. Supposedly the founder of the company made his bottles short so that drinkers could see each other across the table easily when at a party or a cantina, but obviously there won’t be four or five bottles of this version getting in the way!
What’s the story with that name? It happens to be the year that Don Julio Gonzalez began producing tequila. The rest, as they say, is history. It is now one of the best-known tequila brands on the market, especially within Mexico, and it has the big liquor conglomerate Diageo behind it to make sure you’ll be able to find it around the world.
See more tequila reviews on Luxury Latin America.
The main reason that I like to buy tequila is that it has one of the best-looking bottles. For example, take this drink into consideration and look at its bottle. It is obvious that some thought went into it.