GLOBAL BEVERAGE TEAM
AZTECA AZUL
In keeping with a name as bold as its taste, Azteca Azul is produced by one of the finest tequila makers in the world, Tequila Supremo, aka Gran Dinastía (fka Casa Camarena). The Tequila Supremo fabrica is owned and operated by the revered Camarena family, in the iconic distilling town of Arandas, Jalisco. Founded by Augustin Camarena in 1938, the Camarena family – today led by the family matriarch, Doña Elena – has built Gran Dinastía into one of the largest and most successful producers of tequila in Mexico.
The tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave grown in the Los Altos region of Jalisco; this highland plateau, around 7,000 above sea level, is widely regarded as one of the top agave producing environments in Mexico by virtue of its iron- and clay-rich red soil, hot days of sun exposure and cooling breezy nights. Production is vertically integrated, as the Camarena family owns 18 fields of agave. The agave is cooked and cooled in traditional brick furnaces and fermented in wooden vats and distilled twice in traditional copper pot stills.
Rare among Jalisco distillers, the Camarena family have also prioritized sustainability. Tequila Supremo has developed and patented a process known as Zero D, which ensures that the distillery emits no waste charges, as well as irrigation techniques to combat erosion – a common thread in agave cultivation. Tequila Supremo was the first tequila producer to be recognized as 100% “environmentally friendly,” with net zero carbon impact from production.
MARACAME
Maracame is produced by one of the finest tequila makers in the world, Tequila Supremo, aka Gran Dinastía. The Tequila Supremo fabrica is owned and operated by the revered Camarena family, in the iconic distilling town of Arandas, Jalisco. Founded by Augustin Camarena in 1938, the Camarena family – today led by the family matriarch, Doña Elena – has built Gran Dinastía into one of the largest and most successful producers of tequila in Mexico. Distinct among Gran Dinastia’s brand lines, Maracame is named for the spiritual guide of the indigenous Huichol people from which the Camarena family are descended. More than just a medicine man, the Maracame serves as priest, historian and civil servant within the community. In order to become a great Maracame, long years of intense physical, mental, and spiritual preparation is required. This premium tequila pays homage to the spirit of such effort and cultural importance.
The tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave, harvested at maturity after more than 8 years growth in the Los Altos region of Jalisco; this highland plateau, around 7,000 above sea level, is widely regarded as one of the top agave producing environments in Mexico by virtue of its iron- and clay-rich red soil, hot days of sun exposure and cooling breezy nights. The agave is cooked in a 100-year-old volcanic oven and fermented in wooden vats using Champagne yeast, before finally being distilled twice in traditional copper pot stills.
Rare among Jalisco distillers, the Camarena family have also prioritized sustainability. Tequila Supremo has developed and patented a process known as Zero D, which ensures that the distillery emits no waste charges, as well as irrigation techniques to combat erosion – a common thread in agave cultivation. Tequila Supremo was the first tequila producer to be recognized as 100% “environmentally friendly,” with net zero carbon impact from production.
XICALA
XICALA is a spin on the word “Cigarra” or the Cicada (insect). Xicala is produced in the traditional method of Mezcal from Oaxaca, MX. NOM – 001 Made from 100% Espadin Agave or maguey then roasted over wood fire in an earthen pit for three to five days. The agave is then broken down under a horse drawn tehona wheel and then transferred to one of two small stainless steel stills to heat the roasted agave releasing the moisture and resulting mash to be fermented. The mash is then transferred to open top wooden vats where spontaneous fermentation begins.
Fermentation can take up to several weeks. Unlike tequila, the agave fibers are left in the mash to be fermented and distilled for maximum flavor.XICALA is a spin on the word “Cigarra” or the Cicada (insect). Xicala is produced in the traditional method of Mezcal from Oaxaca, MX. NOM – 001 Made from 100% Espadin Agave or maguey then roasted over wood fire in an earthen pit for three to five days. The agave is then broken down under a horse drawn tehona wheel and then transferred to one of two small stainless steel stills to heat the roasted agave releasing the moisture and resulting mash to be fermented. The mash is then transferred to open top wooden vats where spontaneous fermentation begins.
Fermentation can take up to several weeks. Unlike tequila, the agave fibers are left in the mash to be fermented and distilled for maximum flavor.