Great Lakes Tequila Club partners with local liquor stores and bars to bring amazing private barrel selections to our members. If you see our name on a barrel pick, you can rest assured that top members of the club were involved in tasting multiple barrels and chose a special selection.
CLub PICKS
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El Gran Legado De Vida Reposado [2024]
* Barrel Pick: RF-3 (French Barrel #3) * NOM 1123 * 43% ABV * Single estate Michoacán agave; 42 Brix at 7 years * Aged 10 months in French Oak ex Martell V.S.O.P. Cognac * 270 bottles * Relative Price: $$$$ Where to find? * Royal Food & Liquors (Aurora, IL) * 59 Food and Liquor (Warrenville, IL) * La Azteca (Melrose Park, IL) |
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Suerte Reposado [2024]
* Barrel Pick: #45 * NOM 1530 (single brand distillery) * 44% ABV * Tahona crushed * Aged 9 months in charred American White Oak ex-Bourbon * 246 bottles * Relative Price: $$$$ Where to find? * Joe's Beverage Depot (Romeoville) * Lucha Cantina (Rockford) - SOLD OUT |
Yeyo Reposado [2024]
* Barrel Pick: "Tropical #7"
* NOM 1414
* Columbian White Oak
* Previously filled with Rum (aged five distinct rums from various small distilleries over a five-year period)
* Filled with Yeyo Blanco Batch 130
* Aged up to 7 months
* 264 bottles
* Relative Price: $$$$
Where to find?
* Royal Food & Liquors (Aurora, IL)
* 59 Food and Liquor (Warrenville, IL)
* La Azteca (Melrose Park, IL)
* Barrel Pick: "Tropical #7"
* NOM 1414
* Columbian White Oak
* Previously filled with Rum (aged five distinct rums from various small distilleries over a five-year period)
* Filled with Yeyo Blanco Batch 130
* Aged up to 7 months
* 264 bottles
* Relative Price: $$$$
Where to find?
* Royal Food & Liquors (Aurora, IL)
* 59 Food and Liquor (Warrenville, IL)
* La Azteca (Melrose Park, IL)
Codigo Reposado [2023]
* Barrel Pick: "21-2003"
* NOM 1616 (single brand distillery)
* GLTC collectors bottle with laser printed logo
* Charred French White Oak
* Previously filled with Cabernet wine from Napa
* Aged 6 months
* Organic baker's yeast from Amatitán
* 34-36 Brix agave from the Valley
* 150 bottles
* Relative Price: $$$$
Where to find?
* Joe's Beverage Warehouse (Romeoville, IL)
* Barrel Pick: "21-2003"
* NOM 1616 (single brand distillery)
* GLTC collectors bottle with laser printed logo
* Charred French White Oak
* Previously filled with Cabernet wine from Napa
* Aged 6 months
* Organic baker's yeast from Amatitán
* 34-36 Brix agave from the Valley
* 150 bottles
* Relative Price: $$$$
Where to find?
* Joe's Beverage Warehouse (Romeoville, IL)
What's special about a single barrel?
Each barrel of aged tequila tastes different. While the unaged blanco that fills the barrels is the same, each oak barrel has its own history before being filled. Some have been used more times than others, came from different regions, or even held different liquids. There is a lot of variation between barrels and that can impact tequila differently. Producers commonly use two different methods to smooth out those differences: 1) Blend together lots of barrels holding tequila into one batch for bottling, and/or 2) Use additives for flavor, color, texture, or sweetness to converge toward a common profile. At GLTC, we celebrate the natural differences between barrels and batches, and avoid brands that use a cheat code of including additives!
More brands are offering single barrel programs for stores to select from these days. And yes, this can lead to a slightly more expensive bottle price due in part to the inefficiency of managing tastings, packaging, and selling of individual barrels.
A barrel typically holds enough for 200-300 bottles of tequila. You will find a WIDE range of flavor profiles between different barrels of the same tequila. This can be fun to experience! But just because it is a single barrel pick doesn't mean it's delicious--it just means a store bought that selection which could be as much for economics as quality. Your best bet is to rely on top brands that would run a reputable single barrel program, and pay attention to who might have done the tasting and made the selection itself. In the case of GLTC, that always includes Mike (founder) and top members.
Note that the Club is not involved in the commercial aspect for any of these barrels--we didn't buy them and we don't make ANY money from sales (that's all on the liquor store or bar). We just want to bring amazing tequila to our club members, and being involved in selecting a unique barrel is part of that.
Each barrel of aged tequila tastes different. While the unaged blanco that fills the barrels is the same, each oak barrel has its own history before being filled. Some have been used more times than others, came from different regions, or even held different liquids. There is a lot of variation between barrels and that can impact tequila differently. Producers commonly use two different methods to smooth out those differences: 1) Blend together lots of barrels holding tequila into one batch for bottling, and/or 2) Use additives for flavor, color, texture, or sweetness to converge toward a common profile. At GLTC, we celebrate the natural differences between barrels and batches, and avoid brands that use a cheat code of including additives!
More brands are offering single barrel programs for stores to select from these days. And yes, this can lead to a slightly more expensive bottle price due in part to the inefficiency of managing tastings, packaging, and selling of individual barrels.
A barrel typically holds enough for 200-300 bottles of tequila. You will find a WIDE range of flavor profiles between different barrels of the same tequila. This can be fun to experience! But just because it is a single barrel pick doesn't mean it's delicious--it just means a store bought that selection which could be as much for economics as quality. Your best bet is to rely on top brands that would run a reputable single barrel program, and pay attention to who might have done the tasting and made the selection itself. In the case of GLTC, that always includes Mike (founder) and top members.
Note that the Club is not involved in the commercial aspect for any of these barrels--we didn't buy them and we don't make ANY money from sales (that's all on the liquor store or bar). We just want to bring amazing tequila to our club members, and being involved in selecting a unique barrel is part of that.
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