G4 Anejo Tequila 100% Blue Weber Agave El Pandillo Distillery Felipe Camarena NOM 1579 24 Months Ex-Bourbon Barrels Additive Free Rainwater Distillation 40% ABV 80 Proof 750ml

The Camarena family is to Mexican tequila what the Mondavis are to Napa Valley — a dynasty whose different branches have produced some of the most celebrated and respected spirits in the category's history. Felipe Camarena of El Pandillo founded El Tesoro and Tapatio through the second generation, establishing the Camarena name as synonymous with honest, traditional, agave-forward production. His son, also named Felipe Camarena, launched G4 — named for four generations of tequilero mastery — at El Pandillo Distillery in Jesús María, Los Altos de Jalisco, and built it into one of the most admired cult tequila brands in the American market. Beverage Testing Institute named the G4 Blanco the top tequila in its category. Esquire praised G4 for "pure agave flavor and rich minerality." 88 Bamboo called it "a cult producer in its own league."

The G4 Añejo is the expression that demonstrates what patience achieves in the Camarena philosophy. At 24 months in ex-bourbon barrels — double the legal minimum for the añejo designation — this is notably longer-aged than most premium añejos at its price point, and the extended barrel contact is measurably evident in the glass. The Tequila Report found "oak, agave, yes agave forward añejo, vanilla and pepper start the show — a pleasant mix of cinnamon, minerals, citrus, cherry cola and butterscotch." The nose: "oak, vanilla, agave, and cherry — a melody of cinnamon, fruits, minerals, earth and white pepper." The finish: "hints of mint, cream and orange zest."

What distinguishes the G4 Añejo above all other aged expressions at its price point is that the agave never retreats. Despite 24 months in American oak, the cooked Blue Weber agave remains the dominant voice — supported by the barrel rather than obscured by it. That is the Camarena philosophy in its purest form, and the reason why the G4 Añejo has earned its reputation among the most serious agave enthusiasts in the category.

Origins & Craftsmanship

The Camarena family's relationship with agave cultivation in the Los Altos de Jalisco begins not in the 20th century but in the 19th — the first generation having brought Blue Weber agave to the Jalisco Highlands, where the iron-rich red clay soils and elevated altitude produce the brighter, more citrus-forward and aromatic agave character that distinguishes Highland tequilas from their Lowland counterparts. Felipe Camarena — the fourth-generation distiller behind G4 — operates El Pandillo Distillery (NOM 1579) in Jesús María with his sons Alan and Luis, sharing the facility with Terralta, Pasote, ArteNOM 1579, Torai, and Volans — each brand differentiated by its specific water source and production specification.

G4 stands for four generations — a name that carries the full weight of the Camarena dynasty's accumulated knowledge, and a promise that every bottle is produced to the same standard that has built that legacy. The production philosophy is built on four founding commitments: estate-grown agave, traditional cooking methods, the house's distinctive rainwater-and-spring-water blend, and absolute freedom from additives.

The process from field to bottle is deliberate and unhurried. Estate-grown 100% Blue Weber Highland agave is slow-cooked in one of two stone ovens on site for 22 hours — a traditional brick oven program that extracts the full, complex sweetness of cooked piña without the bitterness of autoclave processing. The cooked agave is crushed using the Felepestein — the family's proprietary modern tahona, a mechanized stone wheel named in affectionate tribute to both Felipe and Frankenstein — before fermentation in open wooden vats using the family's own proprietary agave yeast. The most distinctive production element is the water: a 50/50 blend of rainwater collected on the property and natural spring water — a combination that Felipe Camarena credits with giving G4 its distinctive mineral clarity and clean, earthy freshness that distinguishes it from every other expression produced at the El Pandillo facility. Double distillation takes place in copper pot stills.

The Añejo ages for 24 months in ex-bourbon American oak barrels — a full year beyond the legal minimum for the añejo designation, and a deliberate choice that allows the cooked agave character to fully integrate with the vanilla, caramel, and oak spice of the used bourbon staves without the agave being overwhelmed. No additives of any kind. No glycerin, no caramel coloring, no oak extract, no sweeteners.

Critics Reviews

Beverage Testing Institute — Top Tequila (G4 Blanco) Confirming the house's quality standard at the highest level across the range.

Tequila Report (April 2026) "Nose: First notes are oak, vanilla, agave and cherry. A melody of cinnamon, fruits, minerals, earth and white pepper. Taste: Oak, agave, yes agave forward añejo, vanilla and pepper start the show. A pleasant mix of cinnamon, minerals, citrus, cherry cola and butterscotch. Finish: Hints of mint, cream and orange zest."

Esquire praised G4 for "pure agave flavor and rich minerality — a top pick for those who want real tequila without additives." The Bourbon Concierge described the Añejo as adding "smooth character — vanilla and agave notes present in both the aroma and taste, slight pepper, soft floral notes as well as smoky highlights." There are no widely published numeric scores from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, or Whisky Advocate available for the G4 Añejo specifically.

Tasting Profile

Nose Inviting, layered, and unmistakably agave-forward despite 24 months of barrel influence. Oak, vanilla, and cherry arrive first — the ex-bourbon barrel's immediate contribution — before the Highland cooked agave asserts itself with genuine force: cooked piña sweetness, earth, and the distinctive mineral clarity that the rainwater distillation consistently produces across every G4 expression. Cinnamon and fruits build alongside the agave and oak — a melody of complementary notes that are simultaneously warm and mineral. White pepper adds a spicy lift that confirms the agave's presence throughout. A soft floral note and a whisper of cream complete the nose. The integration of oak and agave on the nose is the G4 Añejo's defining quality — neither dominates, and neither retreats.

Palate Agave-forward añejo — the most consistent and most praised characteristic across every review of this expression. The cooked Blue Weber Highland agave arrives first and persists throughout: earthy, slightly sweet, and richly mineral. Vanilla and pepper from the 24-month bourbon barrel aging build steadily through the mid-palate alongside a pleasant mix of cinnamon, minerals, and citrus. Cherry cola — an unusual and entirely distinctive note identified by the Tequila Report — adds a slightly sweet, slightly dark fruit dimension that is entirely natural and genuinely memorable. Butterscotch and a light caramel depth complete the mid-palate picture. The mouthfeel is smooth, well-integrated, and appropriately viscous — the 24-month barrel contact and the copper pot still distillation together producing a texture that is more substantial than most Highland añejos at this age.

Finish Hints of mint, cream, and orange zest — an elegant and refreshing close that is more lifted and aromatic than the heavy oak and caramel finish typical of most añejos at this price point. The agave character persists into the finish as a final earthy, slightly mineral warmth before fading cleanly. Medium to long in length, with nothing heavy or cloying at the very end. The rainwater's mineral freshness is most apparent here — cool, slightly stony, and genuinely distinctive.

Quick Overview

Serving & Occasion

Best enjoyed neat in a quality tequila glass or wide-bodied snifter — the 24-month oak integration and agave-forward character are most fully expressed without ice or dilution. A few drops of water will open the mineral and citrus notes further and soften the oak spice into something particularly elegant. A single large ice cube works well for a slower, more contemplative pour where the cherry cola and butterscotch mid-palate notes deepen as the temperature drops. Outstanding alongside grilled lamb, carnitas, dark chocolate, aged Mexican cheese, mole negro, and any preparation where the earthy, mineral agave character complements rather than clashes with the food. An exceptional gifting bottle for the additive-free tequila enthusiast, the G4 collector, and any serious spirits buyer who understands what four generations of Camarena family craft delivers at the añejo level.

Cocktail Suggestions

G4 Old Fashioned (the natural home) 2 oz G4 Añejo · 1 tsp agave syrup · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · expressed orange peel. Stirred over a large ice rock. The agave-forward añejo's vanilla, cherry, and cinnamon character aligns naturally with the Old Fashioned format — agave syrup echoes the natural sweetness of the Highland piña, and the orange peel amplifies the orange zest note already present in the finish. A tequila Old Fashioned of genuine depth and character.

Highland Manhattan 2 oz G4 Añejo · 1 oz sweet vermouth · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · Luxardo cherry. Stirred over ice, served up in a chilled coupe. The 24-month bourbon barrel aging makes G4 Añejo an outstanding Manhattan base — sweet vermouth's botanical complexity amplifies the vanilla and cherry cola notes, and the mineral agave character adds a dimension that bourbon cannot replicate. A genuinely distinctive Manhattan.

Añejo Margarita 2 oz G4 Añejo · 1 oz fresh lime juice · ¾ oz Cointreau · agave syrup to taste · half-salted rim. Shaken over ice, served in a rocks glass. The 24-month barrel depth and cooked agave richness produce a Margarita of considerably more complexity and warmth than a blanco version — the vanilla and cinnamon notes adding dimension while the Highland mineral character keeps the whole profile focused and clean.

Tommy's Añejo 2 oz G4 Añejo · 1 oz fresh lime juice · ½ oz agave syrup. Shaken over ice, served in a rocks glass. The simplest format that showcases what the 24-month aging adds to the Camarena Highland base — lime mirrors the orange zest finish character, agave syrup echoes the piña sweetness, and the resulting stripped-down cocktail reveals the añejo's full quality without distraction.