Corazón Tequila’s New Collection Includes Añejos Aged In Buffalo Trace Barrels

Photo courtesy of Corazon Tequila

Corazón Tequila recently dropped its latest Expresiones del Corazón Collection, and it sounds pretty amazing, as it brings two of my favorite spirits together in a whole new way.

Showcasing a partnership between tequila distillery Casa San Matías and renowned whiskey distillery Buffalo Trace, the 2023 Collection features six premium tequilas, including two brand-new añejos aged in French Oak and ex-Weller 12-Year-Old Bourbon barrels.

In addition, the award-winning Artisanal Blanco and William Larue Weller, George T. Stagg and Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Añejo Tequilas return as part of this year’s Collection. Produced in limited-quantities, Expresiones del Corazón celebrates excellence in distillation, aging and experimentation by marrying Corazón’s premium tequila with barrels that once held some of the world’s most-coveted whiskeys produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Here’s a rundown of the entire Expresiones del Corazón 2023 Collection:

• Corazón Weller 12 Añejo Tequila (NEW): matured for 26 months in ex-Weller 12 Kentucky Straight Bourbon barrels, where some of the finest bourbon at Buffalo Trace Distillery rested for 12 years, this añejo is moderately sweet with heavily cooked agave, toasted vanilla and a silky-yet-intense oak finish.
• Corazón French Oak Añejo Tequila (NEW): aged for at least 13 months in French oak barrels that formerly aged Old Charter Oak French Oak bourbon, the resulting liquid offers aromas of rich oak and vanilla and a smooth and lightly-sweet taste offering hints of cooked agave, apple and caramel.
• Corazón Sazerac Rye 18 Añejo Tequila: 24 months of aging in barrels that formerly held Sazerac Rye for 18 years has produced a moderately sweet tequila with strong hints of fresh fruit met with notes of oak, caramel, almond and cinnamon.
• Corazón George T. Stagg Añejo Tequila: 22 months of maturation in barrels that previously aged the high-proof George T. Stagg bourbon has resulted in salted caramel flavors that burst on the tongue followed by charred pineapple that slowly transforms to tobacco, leaving a sweet-yet-smoky lingering flavor.
• Corazón William Larue Weller Añejo Tequila: 15 months of aging in barrels that formerly held this beloved wheated bourbon has created a harmoniously smooth and dense tequila with lightly-sweet undertones. The taster is greeted with aromas of wood, caramel and almond, then met with notes of chocolate, intense vanilla, nut, eucalyptus and chamomile.
• Corazón Artisanal Small Batch Blanco Tequila: this premium blanco tequila is the extraordinary base spirit created by the artisans at Casa San Matias specifically for the Expresiones del Corazón Collection. Utilizing the finest estate-grown agave with a higher sugar content and artisanal distillation techniques, the result is a refined liquid with a sweet, gentle flavor and powerful notes of cooked agave intertwined with hints of citrus and green apple.

Photo courtesy of Corazon Tequila

“Our dedication to exploring the unique liquid that emerges from the aging process drives our experimentation with new barrels,” says Rocio Rodriguez Torres, Master Distiller at Corazón Tequila. “We are thrilled to embark on this flavor adventure utilizing the exceptional barrels from Buffalo Trace Distillery, allowing us to expand the tequila landscape. Offering aficionados an entirely new experience, these tequilas unveil a symphony of flavors reminiscent of the liquid that graced the barrels before them.”

Crafted from the finest blue agave grown in the Los Altos region of Jalisco using time-honored methods, the agave hearts used for Corazón Tequila are slow cooked in stone ovens and then pressed, fermented and distilled with expert care at the renowned Casa San Matías Distillery.

Careful maturation in Buffalo Trace’s best seasoned whiskey barrels for varying lengths results in an aged tequila that exemplifies the finest artistry in Mexican and American spirits making.

The Expresiones del Corazón line has garnered several top awards over the years for various limited release expressions. Top distinctions received for expressions returning to this year’s Collection include a Gold medal for Corazón William Larue Weller Añejo at the 2022 International Spirits Challenge, Gold medal for Corazón Artisanal Blanco at the 2022 TAG Global Spirits Awards, and Silver medals for Corazón Artisanal Blanco and Corazón George T. Stagg Añejo Tequila at the 2022 International Wine & Spirits Competition.

Each tequila is sold separately in the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection’s iconic glass bottle with a cork stopper and handwritten label specifying the barrel, bottle number and date of bottling. The Expresiones del Corazón 2023 Collection is now available in limited quantities at select retailers, bars and restaurants across the United States.

The suggested retail price for the Artisanal Blanco is $59.99; the William Larue Weller, Weller 12, French Oak, George T. Stagg and Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old Añejos are $79.99 each (750ml; taxes and fees vary by market.) All six tequilas are 80 proof.

For more information about Corazón, visit https://www.tequilacorazon.com.