According to the Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT), the governing body for all things tequila, extra añejo must be aged for a minimum of three years. That’s the baseline—the starting line where the magic truly begins.
While three years is the legal floor, many premium producers push far beyond it. Some of the most celebrated extra añejos spend four, five, or even ten years in oak barrels, coaxing out flavors that feel more like a fine whiskey or cognac.
A Spectrum of Time
Think of aging as a spectrum: blanco is fresh and fiery, reposado rests for two months to a year, and añejo spends one to three years in wood. Extra añejo is the slow-motion, contemplative cousin, taking its sweet time to mellow into something utterly unique.
Fun fact: some distilleries release "ultra-aged" expressions that are aged for over a decade. These bottles are rare, expensive, and often treated like liquid art—collectors will hoard them for special moments.
