ArteNOM 1414 Tequila Reposado

ArteNOM Selección de 1414 Reposado is a highlands (Los Altos) reposado from Arandas, Jalisco, made at Destilería El Ranchito / Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados (NOM 1414) under maestro tequilero Sergio Cruz, and it’s built to stay agave-forward while adding just enough barrel polish. It starts with estate-grown Blue Weber agave (grown around 5,400 ft), slow cooked in brick ovens (a long 36-hour roast), then open-air fermented in stainless tanks with field-extracted wild yeast, and double distilled in copper pot stills.  It’s then aged about 4 months in ex-bourbon barrels—specifically described as third-fill barrels, with the char scraped out to reduce carbon/char influence—so you get texture and gentle oak without smothering the vegetal, highland brightness.  In the glass, expect a very pale straw color with a nose that leans chaparral/green-herbal and roasted sweet potato, followed by a palate that hits salted vanilla cookie, allspice, and a mild chile warmth, plus a fun sweet-savory interplay that can show citrus peel, honeyed floral notes, nutmeg, and baking spice on the way to a dry, gently spiced finish.  It’s bottled at 41.2% ABV (82.4 proof)