Ancho Reyes’ chile liqueur has quietly constructed a following amongst mixologists for its unique (ancho chile) and verde varieties, particularly as a go-to for spicy margaritas and different traditional cocktails. Lately, the Campari-owned model launched its first new product since 2017: Ancho Reyes Barrica.
Ancho Reyes Barrica is a barrel-aged model of the purple chile liqueur, rested for 2 years in ex-bourbon casks. (Throughout a visit to their manufacturing facility in September 2023, we confirmed nearly all of casks previously held both Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey or Buffalo Hint bourbon.)
The Puebla, Mexico-based model espouses Barrica as each a neat or on-the-rocks pour, in addition to a liqueur worthy of inclusion in cocktails that warrant some extra spice.
Let’s see how this barrel aged chile liqueur holds up as a neat pour.
On the nostril, spicy ancho chiles (no shock) begin issues off, along with cayenne and flaked purple chiles, the sort you’d discover in a pizza parlor. Although this isn’t made with inexperienced poblanos just like the model’s verde liqueur, there’s nonetheless one thing contemporary, inexperienced, and vegetal right here: mowed Bermuda grass or younger branches stripped of their bark. Beneath these contemporary components is a deep and darkish caramel and vanilla extract, notes that add a layer of richness past the unaged purple chile liqueur.
On the tongue, an preliminary pop of sugar cane sweetness offers strategy to heavy cinnamon and clove spice, together with dried citrus peel and lightweight purple chile. Candy at first and with a delicate warmth that builds over time and with subsequent sips, the spice is mildly subdued in comparison with the unaged Ancho Reyes expressions.
The end is notably lengthy with a really light hug of chile warmth all the way in which down. It additionally returns to these contemporary and vegetal notes, a welcome reprieve from the sweetness on the palate.
If something, this expression might do with simply barely extra warmth all through all the sip, which could enhance the experiences of each sipping neat and in a cocktail. Nevertheless, relying on the cocktail, a half ounce or extra ought to be loads to impart some gradual warmth along with a mature sweetness. This isn’t a liqueur meant to compete with scorching sauce on affect, however quite an attention-grabbing (and profitable) experiment in what barrel getting old can do for such a liqueur: add refinement and depth with out sacrificing core taste.
80 proof.
A- / $65 / ananchoreyes.com
Ancho Reyes Barrica Chile Liqueur
$65
