The Last Drop Marks Its 40th Release With an Extra Añejo Tequila

The Last Drop Distillers launched in 2008 with a bold mission: to seek out some of the oldest, rarest spirits from around the world and share them with enthusiasts who might never have encountered them otherwise. These sorts of liquids — 100-year-old ports and Cognacs, 55-year-old scotch whiskies — don’t just fall on your lap. But the company had a secret weapon for bringing them to market: its two co-founders, Tom Jago and James Espey, were industry legends who could leverage long-standing relationships to secure scant allocations; a barrel here, a barrel there, stuff in such short supply that no major brand would bother creating a new label for them.

The operation’s small, nimble nature allowed it to specialize in micro-batches of exceptional provenance. A lot has changed for Last Drop since then. Its intrepid founders have passed, bequeathing stewardship to their respective daughters. It has been purchased by Sazerac — the same family-owned company behind Buffalo Trace. And it has expanded its scope to include additional categories of spirits, such as Japanese whisky, rum, and now… tequila.

That’s right, agave fans: The 40th release is an ultra-rare extra añejo, set to retail for $2,300. Only 435 bottles of this tequila will be released later this month — an imbibable reminder of how closely The Last Drop has stuck to its original mission. To date, it has produced fewer than 16,000 bottles across all 40 editions — each offering a fleeting glimpse of something that’s destined to disappear post haste. 

It’s a particularly sad fate to consider when tasting this limited-edition tequila. The 92.6-proof spirit was batched from three casks — two of them ex-bourbon, which held agave spirit for more than a decade, and the other a port pipe offering seven years of maturation, combined into a dessert-friendly expression. 

According to The Last Drop’s tasting notes, the blend opens with notes of roasted nuts and spiced oak, then unfolds with waves of tropical pineapple and vanilla. Floral notes of orange blossom and jasmine also emerge. Creamy dulce de leche and cooked agave dominate the palate, followed by notes of plums, dates, and a touch of green jalapeño skin. The finish strikes a balance between the spiced oak, the richness of dried fruits, and the freshness of the native agave plant.

The innovative nature of this composition is a testament to Carmen Villareal’s skill. Based in the highlands of Jalisco, the renowned master tequilera has led Casa San Matías distillery since the late 1990s. Throughout all that time, she can seldom remember encountering extra-aged stock as “sophisticated as what went into this one.”

“I am immensely proud of the depth and elegance of this liquid,” she confirms. “For generations, Mexico’s most skilled tequileros have crafted spirits that capture the soul of the land. Yet, even in my decades at Casa San Matías, opportunities to shape an extra añejo of this rarity – exploring the nuances that come from experimenting with unique casks and innovative aging techniques are extraordinary.”

Rebecca Jago concurs. In fact, the second-generation steward of The Last Drop was so enthused by her collaboration with Villareal that she appointed her to the brand’s prestigious Assembly — a discerning panel of industry experts, convened for the express purpose of “championing innovation across the global spirits landscape.”

“We are delighted to present such a beautiful and remarkable spirit as our first-ever agave and our 40th release,” Jago told Food & Wine. “The creation of The Assembly has been one of our proudest achievements, and to welcome Carmen to The Assembly is a source of much joy. Carmen is one of the most creative women I know, and it is an honor to call her a friend and colleague. We cannot wait to share this glorious tequila with our friends and customers.”

And you shouldn’t wait to enjoy it. As with all things Last Drop, it’s here for a good time, not a long time.