The worlds of tequila and coffee have met a few times before, mostly in the form of coffee-tequila liqueurs, but there are a few other examples out there as well that still retain the “tequila” designation. One of those is El Mayor‘s new Café Reposado, a tequila that spent a few months maturing in barrels previously used to age coffee beans, and the result is a subtle coffee-infused expression that actually works.
El Mayor is a tequila brand owned by St. Louis company Luxco, which was acquired by MGP Ingredients back in 2021 (the home of Remus Bourbon, Penelope Bourbon, and the source of many contract-distilled rye whiskeys and bourbons, among others). The tequila is produced at Destiladora Gonzalez Lux in Arandas, Mexico in the state of Jalisco, where a few other brands like Cortada, Escasa, and Exotico are also made. The El Mayor lineup consists of all the usual suspects—blanco, reposado, rosado reposado, añejo, extra añejo, and cristalino expressions—with a few other special releases.
Café Reposado is the latest tequila to join the portfolio, and what separates this spirit from the others is that it was matured for three months in ex-bourbon barrels which were then used to age coffee beans, resulting in what the brand calls a “coffee-kissed” flavor profile. That actually tracks when you taste it—the inherent agave quality of the tequila remains, but it’s augmented by notes of vanilla, spice, grass, wet earth, and of course coffee. We’re talking a subtle java influence here, as opposed to other examples like Patron’s fan favorite XO Cafe liqueur, which was brought back in 2024 after a few years’ absence, or Cantera Negra’s similar Café expression.
Café Reposado is more along the lines of Quintaliza Reposado, a tequila that came out a few years ago which was aged in bourbon barrels for two months and “coffee-seasoned” casks for another three months. Those were seasoned with brewed coffee, however, unlike the coffee bean-seasoned barrels used for El Mayor’s version. The brand does not advertise itself as being additive-free tequila in its marketing materials, something that admittedly more brands are hesitant to do because the CRT, Mexico’s tequila governing authority, has cracked down upon the practice. So there may or may not be additives used to color or flavor this tequila, but it’s a good product nonetheless.
El Mayor Café Reposado is available now at specialty retailers around the country (SRP $34), and you can find the rest of the portfolio at websites like ReserveBar now.
Authors
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Jonah Flicker