REPOSADO TEQUILA
Reposado — Spanish for "rested" — is blanco tequila that has spent time in oak: a minimum of two months and under a year, after which it would become añejo. Those months turn the spirit gold and add vanilla, caramel and gentle spice while the agave still leads. A defining detail is that reposado can rest in oak of any size, from small barrels to large vats, where añejo is capped at 600-litre barrels. This is the home for reposado in the vault; for the tiers on either side, see our blanco and añejo pages.
- The "rested" tier — blanco that has been aged in oak before bottling.
- 2 months to under a year in oak; past a year (in ≤600 L barrels) it becomes añejo.
- Oak of any size is allowed — small barrels up to large vats — unlike añejo's 600 L cap.
- Most often ex-bourbon American oak, though any oak, new or used, is permitted.
- Golden in colour; agave still leads, with vanilla, caramel and light spice.
- 100% agave reposado is additive-free; bottled around 40% ABV (NOM range 35–55%).
Every reposado starts as blanco, then goes into oak for a minimum of two months and under a year. The wood does the work: it pulls the spirit from clear to gold and lends vanilla, caramel and a little spice, while rounding off the sharper edges of fresh agave. Reposado's freedom is the barrel — it can rest in oak of any size, from a ~200-litre ex-bourbon barrel to a large vat — whereas añejo must use barrels no bigger than 600 litres. Ex-bourbon American oak is the common choice, but new or French oak is allowed too, which is why two reposados can taste quite different.
Reposado is the middle ground: agave up front, then vanilla, caramel and gentle baking spice from the wood, with a rounder feel than blanco but without añejo's deeper oak and tobacco. That balance makes it the versatile one — good neat, and a fuller base for a margarita or paloma than an unaged pour. Compare the bright unaged expression and the long-aged añejo to taste what the barrel adds.
Tequila by Age & Agave Content
| By aging | |
| Blanco / Plata | Unaged or rested under 2 months; clear, agave-forward |
| Reposado | Oak 2 months–1 year; golden, mellow, vanilla and spice |
| Añejo | Oak 1–3 years; amber, caramel, wood, tobacco — for sipping |
| Extra Añejo | Oak over 3 years; deep and concentrated; the newest tier |
| By agave content | |
| 100% agave | All sugars from blue Weber agave; distilled and bottled in Mexico |
| Mixto | At least 51% agave plus up to 49% other sugars (often cane) |
Browse tequila by age — blanco, reposado and añejo — or see our best sellers.
Collector Note
Reposado's interest sits less with age and more with the maker's hand on the barrel — additive-free, 100% agave bottlings, single-estate or tahona-milled spirit, and cask choices that range from ex-bourbon to virgin oak. Because the oak window is short, the agave is still very much present, so the distillery's source and method show clearly. As with any spirit, the marks worth checking are "100% agave" and a NOM number, and condition matters: store bottles upright, cool and out of direct light. Note that a bottled reposado does not keep aging — wood contact ends at bottling.
How Reposado Is Aged
Reposado is a finished blanco that is rested in oak rather than bottled clear. The distillery fills oak or holm-oak containers and lets the spirit sit in direct contact with the wood for at least two months and under a year; cross a year in barrels of 600 litres or less and the same spirit would legally be añejo. Inside the wood, the spirit softens, takes on colour and draws vanilla, caramel and spice compounds from the oak — and, in warm Jalisco warehouses, gives up some volume to evaporation, the "angel's share." Crucially, the NOM allows reposado to use oak of any size, so a producer can choose a small ex-bourbon barrel for more wood influence or a large vat for a lighter touch. The CRT certifies the result against the NOM-006 standard, and the bottle carries a NOM number.
Authentication & Vault Preservation
Every bottle sold through Midnight Whiskey is sourced as an authorized, authentic retailer, vault-stored and insured under controlled conditions, shipped with protective handling and age-verified 21-and-over signature on delivery, and authenticated by our concierge before it ships — including a check that each tequila carries a NOM number and, where stated, the "100% agave" mark. For the details, see how we verify provenance, our vault storage and concierge, and our shipping and handling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "reposado" mean, and how long is it aged?
"Reposado" is Spanish for "rested." Under Mexico's NOM-006 standard it must spend a minimum of two months — and under a year — in direct contact with oak; past twelve months in barrels of 600 litres or less it becomes añejo. Every reposado begins as a blanco, and even a couple of months in wood shifts it from clear to gold and softens the sharper agave notes. A distinctive point: reposado can be rested in oak of any size, from small barrels up to large vats, whereas añejo and extra añejo must use barrels no larger than 600 litres.
How does reposado differ from blanco and añejo in taste?
Reposado keeps blanco's agave core but gains character from the wood — vanilla, caramel, gentle baking spice and a rounder, softer edge — without the heavier oak, tobacco and dried-fruit notes that a year or more gives añejo. It's most often matured in ex-bourbon American oak, though the rules allow any oak, new or used. That middle-ground balance makes it versatile: it sips well neat and makes a rounder base for a margarita or paloma than an unaged blanco.
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