Casamigos Tequila – a smooth performance from Clooney

George Clooney developed Casamigos Tequila with long-time friend Rande Gerber

George Clooney is now very much the country gent, following his marriage to a British barrister and recent house-hunting expedition in the English countryside. But when it comes to drinking, he hasn’t quite acquired a taste for gin fizz and Pimm’s on the lawn – he’s still very much a Tequila kind of guy. Clooney’s signature can be found on every bottle of Casamigos Tequila – a new brand for the UK that the Oscar-winning actor and director part-owns along with friends Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman.

All three expressions of Casamigos (Spanish for ‘house of friends’) are made with 100% blue agave, but George and co claim their Tequila is extra-special thanks to a 72-hour roasting of the piña hearts (as opposed to a shorter period of steaming), then a double-than-average fermentation time (80 hours).

We gave the range a try, and what really shone through was the smooth feel and elegance of all three. Some drinkers will prefer their Tequilas on the punchier side, but if you’re looking for proof that Tequila isn’t all about brash flavours (and even brasher hangovers), then Casamigos is a good place to start.

This is what we thought:

CASAMIGOS SILVER TEQUILA, 40%

Nose: Fresh, with clean notes of lemon, black pepper, and nutmeg. Faintly buttery, too, lifted by aromatic floral notes.

Palate: Rich, smooth mouthfeel but still clean. Touch vegetal with the agave and green-pepper notes coming through. Tasty.

Finish: Very clean, this fades elegantly. Not overblown by any means, this is smooth stuff.

 CASAMIGOS REPOSADO TEQUILA, 40%

Nose: Fragrant nose, with aromas of black pepper, violets, nutmeg and vegetal notes from the agave. Elegant and subtle.

Palate: Smooth mouthfeel, with black pepper, heady floral notes and rather rich texture.

Finish: Lovely balance, with the subtle sweetness from the oak matching beautifully with the fresh agave, plus a refreshing snap of black pepper.

CASAMIGOS ANEJO TEQUILA, 40%

Nose: Rich, with refreshing black-pepper hit. There’s some perky spiciness in there, plus sweet vanilla and custard notes from the barrel.

Palate: Nice agave savouriness, balanced by creamy notes from the oak, enlivened by black pepper. Still fresh and vibrant.

Finish: Good balance between the creamy oak and fresh pepperiness. Elegant.

All three Casamigos bottlings are available to buy from The Whisky Exchange website.