Celebrate Día de los Muertos With These Limited Edition Spirits

As the third installment of Clase Azul’s limited-edition series, Nuestros Recuerdos, or “Our Memories,” following Sabores in 2021 and Colores in 2022, this year’s Aromas release will pay tribute to the mesmerizing scents of the holiday, especially highlighting the sweetness of cempasúchil (marigold) blossoms that adorn the ofrendas for the celebrated souls. The añejo tequila itself is aromatic, spending 25 months in American whiskey casks and finished in Armagnac casks. “These casks’ unique character results from their provenance, Bas-Armagnac, where grapes grown in siliceous-clay soil end up imparting fine and complex fruit notes to the spirit,” master distiller Viridiana Tinoco told Observer, describing a layered bouquet of peach, pear, raisin, candied walnut and clove, with a lengthy finish of cacao and cinnamon. There are only 3,500 decanters in existence, outfitted in an ombre, marigold glaze with a 24-karat gold skull ornament surrounded by a whimsical illustration of a marigold harvest by Mexican artist Jimena Estíbaliz.

“El Alebrije” is this year’s special release from Mandala; a rich and full-bodied añejo tequila with warm notes of caramel in between soft, fruity notes courtesy of 24 months of aging in sherry casks. The black, ceramic decanter is enlivened by the Aztec deity Quetzalcoatl and the fantastical creatures known as the Alebrijes. Artists Jesiel Rubio and Fer Arias interpreted the life cycle and correlation between human experience and our spiritual selves, portrayed by Quetzalcoatl and the Alebrije, on the brand’s signature cyclical decanter for a powerful portrayal of the holiday’s true significance. “Their presence in this design serves as a reminder that, just as we honor and celebrate the lives of our loved ones during the Day of the Dead, we too are part of the eternal flow of existence,” the brand said.

In anticipation of this year’s Día de Muertos, Tequila Don Julio debuted an artist edition of their cristalino añejo tequila. The traditional añejo is twice distilled, then aged for 18 months in American white oak barrels before enduring a charcoal filtration to reestablish the crisp agave flavors typically found in blanco tequila. The liquid is also clear, like a blanco; however, the palate is more complex with a balance of vanilla, honey and a lingering finish of toasted oak. The Día de Muertos Artist Edition is encased in a colorful box, designed by Mexican artist Claudio Limón with traditional oranges and purples depicting skulls, flowers and the agave plant—all central themes to the holiday and greater Mexican culture.

On November 1, Mezcal Amarás will unveil its newest expression, with only 400 bottles released globally. It marks the first in the brand’s forthcoming Logia Portfolio, a line of prized, rare and collectible ancestral distillates. As one of the rarest wild agave species, Horno, from which the upcoming mezcal borrows its name, only blooms once in its lifetime, making Mezcal Amarás Horno the ultimate collectors’ bottle. “In a world where exclusivity has become a cherished hallmark, we wanted to capture a similar experience for mezcal enthusiasts through Horno. Each sip will take you through a world of nuances and unique flavors,” Santiago Suarez, chairman and cofounder of Mezcal Amarás, said. Though not explicitly released in honor of Día de los Muertos, launching the ultra-premium mezcal on the first day of the holiday adds excitement for this liquid which displays aromas of honey and apricot, a mix of cotton candy and bell pepper on the palate, and a lingering finish of baking spices.

At the end of September, ultra-luxury tequila brand Tequila Komos announced its newest expression, Komos XO. The single batch, limited edition launch was crafted from the rarest barrels and tequila aged up to 11 years for “absolute pinnacle of aged tequila,” said Richard Betts, co-founder and co-CEO of Tequila Komos. Tequila Komos XO offers rich aromas of chocolate, vanilla and smoke with a layered palate of dried fruits. Collectors will enthuse at the crystal decanter—maintaining the flagship Komos shape but transparent so as to showcase the warm, rich color of the tequila—marked with Batch No. 1. 

Distilled by the late fifth generation sotolero, Don Celso Jacquez, Los Magos’ newest release ahead of Día de los Muertos, is a rare six-year expression of reserve sotol. Unlike tequila and mezcal, sotol is a distillate from Dasylirion wheeleri, a desert shrub native to Northern Mexico, that’s wild-harvested. Having aged six years in single barrels, the small-batch of this spirit flaunts flavors of vanilla, clove and allspice, with only 1,000 liters produced for a total of six barrels in existence.