UNIQUE REGION

THE SOUTH OF JALISCO

There are two major tequila producing areas in Jalisco, namely Los Altos (the Highlands) with its famous red clay soil, and El Valle (the Lowlands) with rich dark soil. We have chosen to do something different. Azul Imperial - one of the only brands to do this - explores tequila production in the south of Jalisco, a region fertilized by the Colima volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in all of Mexico. The ash spewed out by the volcano enriches our soils with minerals and nutrients, creating a hearty environment for our agave to grown in, resulting in agave rich in sugar. 

SINGLE ESTATE TEQUILA

At Azul Imperial, we believe crafting tequila is an art form, one that we take immense pride in. While many tequila brands source their agave from various fields across Jalisco, we stand apart by sourcing each batch from a single field at a time. This unique approach allows the local climate and soil to leave a distinct imprint on the flavors of our tequila.

FIELD NAME: LA BOLSA

OUR CURRENT BATCHES ARE SOURCED BROM "LA BOLSA", A FIELD WITH RICH DARK SOIL, ABUNDANT IN VOLCANIC ROCK. THE TERRAIN IS SURROUNDED BY HILLLS, AND IS BORDERED BY A GENTLE STREAM

FIELD NAME: EL PLATANAR

UPCOMING BATCHES WILL COME FROM "EL PLATANAR", A FLATTER FIELD IN COMPARISON TO "LA BOLSA" 

TERROIR IN TEQUILA

OUR PROCESS

STEP 1 - THE HARVEST

STEP 2 - THE COOKING PROCESS

​STEP 3 - CRUSHING

After growing for 7 years in our fields, the agave is ready to be harvested by skilled jimadores , armed with generations of knowledge. With precision and care, they expertly cut away the sharp agave leaves, known as "pencas", revealing the heart of the agave.

Once harvested, our agave is ready to be steamed slowly in our stainless steel autoclave. This step converts the complex carbohydrates into fermentable sugars, turning the agave sweet and giving the agave a deep brown color.

Following the cooking process, our agave piñas are crushed in our roller mill, where all the liquid stored inside of the agave piñas are released and separated from agave fibers.

STEP 4 - FERMENTATION

The liquid released in the roller mill then undergoes a 3 to 4 day fermentation process - which is when sugars are converted into alcohol. At this stage, our distiller is filled with fruit like aromas, and many of the notes found in our tequila can be detected at this point of the process.

STEP 5 - DISTILLATION

Once fermented, the liquid then goes through a double distillation process in small artisanal copper alambiques, sometimes called copper pots, removing unwanted impurities. The process is slow but it leads to higher quality spirit meant to be sipped.

STEP 6 - THE AGING PROCESS

We age our tequila in lightly charred American white oak barrels for a period of a few months to a few years depending on the expression. The aging process gives our tequila a golden color and introduces notes of vanilla and spice. For our more aged varieties more complex notes such as dried fruit and oak begin to develop. 

THE HARVEST

At Azul Imperial, our commitment to crafting exceptional tequila begins with our agave plants, which spend seven years maturing under the sun-drenched skies of southern Jalisco. When the time is right, skilled jimadores step in, armed with generations of knowledge and a deep respect for tradition. With precision and care, these experts harvest the agave, expertly cutting away the sharp agave leaves, known as "pencas", revealing the heart of the agave.

SLOWLY STEAMED

Once harvested, our agave is ready to be steamed in our autoclave. Cooking the agave is a very important step in tequila making, because it is here where the natural complex carbohydrates, known as inulin, are converted into simple fermentable sugars. Once steamed, our agave hearts, or pinas, take on a dark brown color. At this point the agave is edible, and its taste is reminiscent of molasses and honey.

AGAVE PIÑAS

AUTOCLAVE

COOKED AGAVE HEARTS​

CRUSHING, FERMENTING, DISTILLING

Once cooked, our agave pinas are crushed in our roller mill, where all the liquid inside of the agave hearts are released, and separated from the agave fibers. These fibers are given to local ranchers who use them as supplemental feeding for their livestock. The liquid that was released by the agave then undergoes a 3-4 day fermentation process, which is when the sugars found in the liquid is converted into alcohol. Many of the notes later found in our tequila can be detected in this stage of the process. At this stage our distillery is filled with a sweet fruit like aroma that attracts local bees. Once fermented, the liquid then goes through a double distillation process. 

AGAVE FIBERS AFTER BEING CRUSHED

BARREL AGED

We age all of our reposado, anejo, and extra anejo expression in American white oak barrels for a period of a few months to a few years depending on the expression. Some tequilas age their tequila in barrels that have previously aged whiskey, but we chose to use new barrels for a purer taste of tequila. As our tequila rests in these barrels, they begin to develop a beautiful golden hue, and they begin to take on notes of vanilla, nuts, and spice, and more complex notes like dried fruits and tobacco for our older expressions. 

AMERICAN WHITE OAK BARRELS

AGED TEQUILA