Casa San Matías Distillery maestra tequilera Carmen Villarreal blended this tequila for The Last Drop.
We Tasted Last Drop Distillers' No. 40, a $2,300 Extra Añejo Tequila
This 435-bottle release from master tequilera Carmen Villarreal blends decade-aged Casa San Matías barrels into The Last Drop's fantastic first agave expression
November 24, 2025 –––––– Sean Evans
When The Last Drop Distillers launched in 2008, the aim was specific and lofty: procure and distribute ultra-premium, extra-aged spirits. Since then, The Last Drop has offered 40 such releases, totaling fewer than 16,000 bottles—all with four-figure price tags—across the spirits spectrum. A wide swath of these offerings has been within the whisky realm, and we’ve loved them, giving the likes of a 55 year old Tomintoul, 40 year old Auchentoshan, 56 year old blended scotch, a 40 year old 15th anniversary blend, and a 20 year old Japanese blended malt scores above 90 points.
The Last Drop’s latest release, its 40th, is a first: agave. Specifically, a $2,300 extra añejo tequila, bottled at 46.3%. It’s a sublime marriage of three casks of Casa San Matias tequila, two of which were aged 10 years in bourbon barrels, and one for 7 years in a port pipe. The blending was done by maestra tequilera Carmen Villarreal of Casa San Matías Distillery in the Highlands of Jalisco.
Tequila aficionados will note Casa San Matías, which first opened in 1886, as the origin of the first extra añejo, released in 1991. At a tasting for this additive-free expression, Villarreal shared that it’s been aged for more than twice the time required for extra añejo.
Rebecca Jago, daughter of The Last Drop’s late co-founder Tom Jago and current brand steward, has long thought about bringing a tequila to market. “Over the last five years, the idea of an extra añejo tequila started percolating. We started asking questions about aged tequilas, what tequileros were doing with wood, spirit, and finishing,” says Jago. “At first, we weren’t sure if it would be right for us, but the more we learned and tasted, the more we felt sure there was something [there].”
Villarreal’s enthusiasm and Casa San Matías’ exceptional tequila were the ideal fit, says Jago. (Both The Last Drop and Casa San Matías are part of the Sazerac portfolio of brands.) Jago was ultimately so smitten with Villarreal’s passion and craft that she invited Villarreal to join the brand’s Assembly, a collective of highly established spirits industry veterans dedicated to “championing innovation across the global spirits landscape.”
Of the resulting Last Drop No. 40 liquid, Jago is pleased. “Having tasted several older extra añejo tequilas,” she says, “I’m delighted that this spirit retains the tingling freshness of the agave plant, alongside a subtle sweetness from the port wine barrel, and vanilla and buttery notes from long aging.”
No. 40 joins a number of other tequilas that have pushed the envelope on aging, including Patrón 10 year old, Rey Sol 200th anniversary, Das Lunas Grand Reserve, and Don Fulano, as well as Fuenteseca Reserva Extra Añejo 21, to name a few.
What Does The Last Drop No. 40 Extra Añejo Taste Like?
Spectacular. Upon nosing, the fresh agave shows brightly and cleanly on deeper inhales. Dark chocolate, salted caramel, vanilla buttercream, and orange zest all meld well. It has a deep, rich, and earthy aroma, with a balanced amount of oak spice, hinting at its extra aging.
On the palate, it has a nice density, perfectly coating your mouth. At first sip, it’s bright and citrusy, with dessert notes like caramel arriving first. Mid-palate brings fruity and earthy notes, such as baking chocolate flecked with flaky sea salt, and toasted oak. The proof point is optimal; there’s enough punch without overwhelming.
The lingering finish brings a satisfying blend of savory and sweet notes, with oak spice, dried fruit, and clean agave. The pour is immaculately balanced, round, and full, delivering precisely what you’d hope for from such a rare and elevated tequila. It commands your attention and rewards you with each sip.
How to Buy The Last Drop No. 40 Extra Añejo
A scant 435 bottles of The Last Drop No. 40 Extra Añejo will be available beginning this month, with a limited number offered for direct purchase on Legacy de Forge’s website. The $2,300 price reflects what’s in the bottle: a decade-plus of aging, master-level blending, and agave that tastes as clean and complex as it should.
