Fortaleza Winter Blend 2023

Fortaleza’s Winter Blend is one of the most anticipated annual releases in all of tequila — a small, allocated bottling that’s different every single year. For 2023, Destilería La Fortaleza (NOM-1493) married together reposados aged across a patchwork of barrels: American oak that previously held charanda, plus French and Hungarian oak carried over from the 2022 Winter Blend, all rounded out with their classic Fortaleza Reposado.

The result is a reposado with real depth. The nose opens on cooked agave, caramel, vanilla and warm baking spice with a thread of molasses; the palate follows with caramel and oak up front, then more roasted agave, black pepper, cinnamon and a creamy, citrus-custard richness. Bottled at 44% ABV, it carries all that complexity with weight while staying remarkably smooth.

This is a sipping tequila, full stop — pour it neat in a copita and give it a few minutes to open; there’s no reaching for lime or salt here. As a once-a-year release it’s a genuine collector’s bottle and an unforgettable gift for the agave obsessive. Once the 2023 is gone, it’s gone for good.