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Tres Agaves
Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Lounge
Towns and Distilleries
Amatitan
Most Tequila aficionadas consider Amatitan to be the indigenous home of the Blue Agave. Located a few kilometers down the road from the town of Tequila, Amatitan is the home of the following brands:
Cabo Wabo Tequila is the brainchild of Sammy Hagar. The Tequila is produced at Rancho Miravalle.
Don Eduardo is named after the patriarch of the Orendain family, Don Eduardo Orendain. The product is triple-distilled and aged in used Tennessee whisky barrels.
Tequila Herradura is the world’s largest producer of 100% agave Tequilas. Founded in 1870, the distillery is located at the spectacular Hacienda San Jose del Refugio. Herradura is responsible for many innovations and its distiller, Bill Romo, has been called the Robert Mondavi of the Tequila industry.
El Jimador, Herradura’s second brand, is the #1 selling Tequila in Mexico.
Partida Tequila is a new brand with a great history. It was created when the Partida family connected with San Francisco financier Gary Shansby. Don Enrique Partida remains at the helm of this family business. The Partidas have been growing agave in the valley of Amatitan for many, many generations, so Partida will be around for a long time!
Atotonilco
Atotonilco is often considered to be the most charming of all of the Tequila towns. At the heart of the town is a cozy, quaint zoccolo that comes alive every evening around dusk. You will have a great time getting lost in the twisting, narrow, and very steep streets. The following Tequilas call Atotonilco home:
Tequila Don Julio was founded by Don Julio Gonzalez in 1942. He was only 17 years old at the time and has since become a true legend in the business. His sons, Eduardo and Francisco, “introduced” Tequila Don Julio to the world in 1992 when they created a Tequila named for their father in honor of his 60th birthday.
Patrón Tequila is the brainchild of the late Martin Crowley and John Paul Mitchell, and they deserve much of the credit for making 100% agave Tequila the fastest growing category of distilled spirits. Patrón produces their Tequilas in a state-of-the-art new facility.
Siete Leguas was founded in 1957 by Don Ignacio Gonzales Vargas and is now run by Fernando Gonzalez. They have two distilleries and have the capability to produce Tequila using both the traditional method (tahona) and the much more common roller mill. Family owned and operated, Siete Leguas uses only estate grown agaves for their Tequilas.
Arandas
Though not a large town, Arandas has more distilleries than anywhere but the town of Tequila. There are two town squares — one of which displays a church bell imported from Spain that is too big to fit in the church. Arandas is beautiful, rustic and very down-to-earth. It also has some of the best food to be found in Jalisco. The following Tequilas hail from Arandas:
Tequila Cazadores is one of the larger 100% agave brands. Cazadores, meaning “hunters,” started out producing exclusively reposado, but today they produce a full line. It is rumored that Cazadores has the happiest working yeast in the business as they play classical music all day long in their fermentation areas! Cazadores ages only in new American oak barrels.
Tequila Centinela was founded in 1904 and is today the largest producer of 100% agave Tequila in the Los Altos region. The Centinela brand is family-owned and operated by Don Pepe Hernandez. Don Pepe has some of the oldest aging cellars in the Tequila industry.
Corzo is a relatively new luxury brand of Tequila created by the folks at Cazadores. The bottle was designed by world-renowned product designer Fabian Baron, who was influenced the famous Mexican architect Baragan. This is the only triple distilled Tequila that sees aging after the second distillation.
Corazon de Agave Tequilas are made at Destiladora San Nicolas. The “heart of agave” Tequilas are aged in brand new charred American oak barrels and are packaged in distinctive long-necked bottles. Corazon is a Highland producer, but the añejo has a characteristic Lowland flavor due to the char on the barrels.
El Charro is one of very few Tequila distilleries that age their reposado in one kind of wood and their añejo in another kind of wood.
El Tesoro Tequila is produced at a distillery that was founded in 1937. Master Distiller Carlos Camarena says they are so steeped in traditional methods that he can operate the entire distillery without electricity! They are the only producers in the world who distill every drop of their production to proof.
Tequila Espolon is distilled in Arandas at the San Nicolas facility. Espolon means the blade or knife that is put on the spur of a fighting cock. Distiller Ingeniero Cirilo makes great Highland style Tequilas, using new American oak barrels for ageing. Espolon’s principal owner, Don Raul Plascencia, retired from the furniture business to make Tequila. We should all be so lucky!
Ocho Tequila is a new brand that was released in March, 2008 in Europe and August, 2008 in the U.S. Tres Agaves was the host of their Northern California launch party. Ocho bottles distinct vintages, emphasizing that each year’s agave harvest has different flavor properties.
Tequila Tezon is being made in a beautiful distillery originally built for Patron. Interestingly, they use a new tahona to crush their agaves. Their facility is right around the corner from Cazadores.
Arenal
When travelers set out west from Guadalajara, Arenal is the first Tequila town they reach, located on the road to Amatitan and Tequila. It is where visitors will begin seeing agave fields. Its distillers include:
Penca Azul is produced at La Parreñita distillery and only one batch is produced per year, which is why the year of production is always listed on the bottle. Penca refers to the leaf of the agave plant -- hence the hand-blown glass agave in the bottle. Penca Azul ages in barrels that give it very little color and wood flavor, producing Tequilas that emphasize the fruity flavor of the agave.
Gonzalez
Gonzalez, located in the state of Tamaulipas near the Gulf of Mexico, is one of the few areas outside Jalisco that have been approved for Tequila production. This may or may not have something to do with the political families that have long been invested in Gonzalez’s distilleries! Politics notwithstanding, there’s no denying that this town is responsible for some amazing Tequila.
Chinaco Tequila is produced at the legendary La Gonzaleña distillery. Founded by Don Guillermo Gonzalez, the Gonzalez family has always been contributing to Mexico’s history with their involvement in national politics. Chinaco currently sources its agave in the Highlands of Jalisco and ages in used Scotch barrels.
Guadalajara
The capital of Jalisco, Guadalajara is a city of about 6 million residents. It is home to one of the largest markets in Latin America, as well as beautiful examples of old Mexican architecture. While it isn’t as quaint as the smaller Tequila towns, Guadalajara contains excellent distilleries, including:
Gran Centenario is the pride of Cuervo owner Juan Domingo Beckman. This brand is a leader in using only brand new French oak to age Tequilas. Gran Centenario uses a proprietary production method called Seleccion Suave, blending various ages of Tequilas to come up with the Gran Centenario profile.
Reserva del Señor is from Tequilas del Señor, one of the oldest distilleries in Guadalajara. The facility’s heritage dates back to 1943 and is owned and operated by fourth generation of the Garcia family to produce Tequila. Tequilas del Señor is the fifth largest agave grower in Mexico.
Penjamo
A small farming community located in the state of Guanajuato, Penjamo is best known as the birthplace of Mexican revolutionary Miguel Hidalgo. Interestingly, Penjamo has one of the few remaining bottle factories in North America. We only carry one brand from Penjamo, but it’s a good one:
Tequila Corralejo is located at Ex Hacienda Corralejo in Penjamo, Guanajuato. This is the site of the first ever Tequila distillery and was also the birthplace of Mexican revolutionary and priest Miguel Hidalgo. Steeped in history and beauty, Corralejo is definitely worth a visit even though it is the only large distillery in Guanajuato. Quita Penas is a second, contracted brand from this distillery.
Tepatitlan
This blue-collar town in Los Altos is way off of the beaten path, and therefore rarely visited. In addition to Tequila, ‘Tepa’ produces more eggs than any other town in Mexico. The following distilleries are located in Tepatitlan:
Tequila Leyenda del Milagro is produced by Industrializadora San Isidro. The triple-distilled “Legend of the Miracle” has two lines, regular and the Barrel Select. Barrel Select uses older agaves and longer times in the barrel.
Tequila San Matias is one of two Tequila distilleries owned by a woman. Señora Carmen has been at the helm of her distillery since 1996 and she continues the tradition of her late husband who championed bottling all Tequila at origin. Their 100% agave brand is Pueblo Viejo, a Tres Agaves favorite and an unbelievable value.
Tequila
Tequila is the home of the big guys, Cuervo and Sauza, plus many other smaller producers. It attracts more tourists for distillery visits than all of the other towns combined. A dormant volcano is located directly behind the town. The town of Tequila gives Tres Agaves the following products:
1800 Tequila was originally released in the United States in 1997 and is owned and operated by Jose Cuervo. 1800 Coleccíon, their top-of-the-line product, is the world’s rarest and most expensive Tequila. In terms of aging, the reposado spends most time in new American oak with some French while the Reserve Añejo is aged mostly in French oak with some American oak.
Arette Tequila is family owned and operated by our friends Eduardo and Jaime Orendain. Eduardo is the former Mayor of the town of Tequila and Jaime is the Master Distiller. We are proud to use Arette Blanco as our house Tequila. The brand is named after the first Mexican horse to win a gold medal at an Olympic Games (London, 1948).
Casa Noble Tequila is produced at the charming gravitational distillery La Cofradia, owned by Don Carlos Hernandez and his son Carlos. Located in the city of Tequila, “Noble House” is another great example of Lowland style Tequila. Packaged in stunning decanters, all Casa Noble Tequilas are triple distilled.
Don Fulano is one of two brands we carry from Tequileña. Though the distillery is in the Lowland town of Tequila most of proprietor Enrique Fonseca’s plants are in the Highlands. In fact, he is the second largest agave producer and he is an innovator in aging Tequila in different woods.
Jose Cuervo is the world’s largest producer of Tequila. Amazingly, the Cuervo company is still Mexican family-owned and operated, and is the oldest continuously operating business in all of Latin America! Although most of the world knows Cuervo for their mixto products, they also make 100% agave Tequilas.
La Fortaleza is the heart and soul of Guillermo Sauza, grandson of the Sauza patriarch and a stubborn champion of old-school methods. Guillermo’s charming distillery and aging caves are located on the outskirts of town. The distillery was once being used as a museum, but Guillermo refurbished it and today it produces excellent Tequila. La Fortaleza recently changed its name from Los Abuelos due to a trademark issue.
Pura Sangre is one of two brands we carry from Tequileña. Though the distillery is in the Lowland town of Tequila most of Enrique Fonseca’s plants are in the Highlands. Mr. Fonseca is the second largest agave producer and he is a leader in aging Tequila in different woods.