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Pernod Ricard USA brand Olmeca Altos has launched Añejo, the latest product in the Altos Tequila line.

Aged for 18 months in oak barrels, Añejo is expected to provide bolster the brand’s position in limited markets across the US, and will complement the other two products in the Altos Tequila family, Plata and Reposado.

Altos was initially created by bartenders for bartenders through a partnership with UK mixologists Henry Besant and Dre Masso, alongside master distiller Jesús Hernández.

Añejo was also developed by Hernández in collaboration with US bartender Charles Joly and UK Altos brand ambassador Matthias Lataille.

Añejo is crafted in the same artisanal production methods as its predecessors, Altos Reposado and Altos Blanco.

"It is crafted with the same traditional techniques revered by Altos drinkers, while enhancing the flavour range for an original and complex taste."

The brand claimed that ripe, handpicked blue agave is slow cooked at low temperatures. It is then gradually extracted with the 500-year old Tahona method, where a volcanic millstone rolls over the cooked agave to crush the pinas to expose the juice and fibre of the plant.

The extracted juice and fibre are added to the fermentation and distillation process to deliver the rich, sweet taste and citric aroma.

Pernod Ricard USA vice-president for white spirits and export Clare Kanter said: "As tequila continues to grow steadily in the US, Añejo is a long-awaited and exciting addition to the Altos family.

"It is crafted with the same traditional techniques revered by Altos drinkers, while enhancing the flavour range for an original and complex taste."

Altos Añejo is available on-premise in selected markets, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Florida, New York and Texas, at a suggested price of $34.99 for 750ml.

Image: Olmeca Altos has launched Añejo, the third product in the Altos Tequila line. Photo: courtesy of Pernod Ricard USA.