Spirits Selection by the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB) is among the world’s largest blind-tasted competitions, with international judges, strict quality controls, and capped medal rates. In 2025, six Añejo and Extra Añejo Tequilas earned Gold medals, spanning classic ex-bourbon maturations, sherry-influenced finishes, and limited single-barrel releases.
The lineup demonstrates how time in wood can enhance the character of cooked agave rather than mask it, while innovative finishes can broaden the aroma and flavor profiles. Below, you’ll find brief backgrounds on the Gold medalists, and my concise tasting notes on why these Tequilas were judged among the world’s best.
Añejo Tequila
RG Legado, Añejo Tequila, 40% ABV, 750 ml. $35
This Tequila spends 12–18 months in ex-bourbon casks of American oak. On the nose, it offers aromas of cooked agave, toffee, cocoa, and orange zest. It’s smooth and slightly sweet on the palate, showcasing flavors of caramelized agave, chocolate, baking spices, and toasted oak. The finish is medium length and slightly sweet, with lingering notes of chocolate, caramelized agave, and seasoned oak.
30-30 Añejo Tequila, 40% ABV, 750 ml. $30
This Añejo is a valley classic. It spends 18-24 months in American oak casks. The Tequila features pronounced aromas of vanilla on the nose, along with notes of dried fruit, cooked agave, and seasoned oak. It’s sweet on the palate, featuring cooked agave and maple syrup-like sweetness, along with notes of dried fruit, spice notes of cinnamon and clove, and seasoned oak. The finish is long and sweet, with lingering notes of oak spices.
Milagro Añejo Tequila, American Oak Barrel, 40% ABV, 750 ml. $40
Milagro Tequila is produced in Los Altos, the Jalisco Highlands. The Añejo spends about 12–14 months in American oak. The Tequila is crafted to be very approachable, featuring a sweet, dessert-leaning style.
On the nose, the Tequila is sweet, featuring aromas of vanilla custard, caramel, cooked agave, and baking spices. It’s sweet and smooth on the palate, with noticeable viscosity, showcasing flavors of caramel, milk chocolate, roasted agave, and assorted oak spices. The finish is long, sweet, and smooth, with lingering notes of caramel and seasoned oak.
Extra Añejo Tequila
Campo Azul Extra Anejo Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, 40% ABV, 750 ml. $130
Campo Azul in Los Altos, in the Jalisco Highlands. This Single Barrel Extra Añejo Tequila is finished in Tennessee Whiskey casks. Each batch is a one-cask bottling, extremely exclusive and limited in quantity.
The Tequila features aromas of vanilla, toasted coconut, cooked agave, dried fruit, and seasoned oak. It’s smooth and rich on the palate, with noticeable mouth weight. The Tennessee whiskey influence is evident in the caramel and banana bread flavors. There are also additional flavors of cooked agave, assorted wood spices, vanilla, and notes of dried fruit. The finish is medium-long and sweet with lingering notes of seasoned oak and pepper.
Maestro Dobel 50 – “1973”, 40% ABV, 750 ml. $500
This expression is Dobel’s ultra-premium Extra Añejo. It is typically released in vintage-year themes. The Tequila is a blend of spirits drawn from ancient casks of American and European oak and is finished in a cask that previously held Pedro Ximenes (PX) sherry. PX is a sweet, syrupy Sherry that is made from partially rasinated grapes and imparts sweetness, viscosity, and an array of dark dried fruit flavors to spirits that are finished in its casks.
The Tequila features vanilla, cooked agave, milk chocolate, and candied orange zest on the nose. It’s smooth, sweet, and silky on the palate, showcasing flavors of dark honey, chocolate, nut brittle, dried dark fruit, and baking spices. The finish is very long, smooth, and sweet, with lingering notes of mint-chocolate and seasoned oak.
Cristalino Tequila
Maestro Dobel Atelier, Cristalino Extra Añejo, 40% ABV, 750 ml $200
This Tequila is Casa Dobel’s Anniversary Series decanter. A Cristalino is an aged Tequila that has been subjected to charcoal filtration to remove any color. Any aged Tequila can be used to craft a Cristalino, but typically, Añejo or Extra Añejo Tequilas are used. The result is a bright, transparent liquid, filtered to crystal clarity that retains some of the flavors imbued by the wood aging, giving the Tequila a sweetish, desert-like character.
The nose features aromas of vanilla crème, coconut, and subtle wood spices. It’s smooth and silky on the palate, showcasing flavors of caramel, vanilla, toasted almond, candied citrus, and roasted agave. The finish is long and polished, featuring oak with lingering notes of vanilla, caramel, and agave.
This year’s results underline a simple truth: the best aged Tequila marries clarity of agave with precision in oak. Whether it’s a dessert-leaning PX finish, a Tennessee whiskey cask twist, or a classic ex-bourbon barrel profile, the winners delivered texture, layered sweetness, and a typical profile of cooked agave, pepper, and citrus. Cristalino entries added polish without sacrificing flavor.
For drinkers and buyers alike, these Gold medalists are credible Tequila signposts—expect supple mouthfeel, measured sweetness, and long, elegant finishes across the board.
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