About Tapatio:
Nestled in the Los Altos highlands near Arandas, Mexico, the La Alteña distillery is home to Tapatio tequila. Founded in 1937 by Don Felipe Camarena after the family's original distillery was lost in the Mexican Revolution, La Alteña is now helmed by master distiller Carlos Camarena, who also oversees the production of renowned brands like Ocho, El Tesoro, and Excellia.
Tapatio is a testament to traditional tequila craftsmanship. Made from 100% blue agave, the piñas are baked in stone ovens before the juice is extracted and fermented naturally in oak and pine vats. The resulting liquid is then distilled in copper and steel stills, producing a range of tequilas. While the blanco rests briefly in stainless steel tanks, the reposado, añejo, and extra añejo expressions undergo varying periods of aging in American oak barrels to develop their complex flavors.
| Distillery La Alteña, a 15 min drive from the town of Arandas, is a family owned production plant that spans over 3 generations. Traditional methods are still employed in every stage of processing which result in tequilas that represent the agave of the region and their over 75 year old house yeast culture. They have proved themselves in maintaining a high quality product profile, which has attracted interest of other producers to utilise their skills to process select agave and release these specialties under different labels. | |
| Master Distiller: | Carlos Camarena |
| Location: | Arandas, Jalisco |
| Nom: | 1139 |
| Elevation: | ~ 1800m |
| Oven: | Stone/brick, steam 36 hours |
| Milling: | Shredder/roller |
| Fermentation: | Open wooden vats, 7-10 days |
| Distillation: | Copper alembics, double distilled |
| Distillery La Alteña, a 15 min drive from the town of Arandas, is a family owned production plant that spans over 3 generations. Traditional methods are still employed in every stage of processing which result in tequilas that represent the agave of the region and their over 75 year old house yeast culture. They have proved themselves in maintaining a high quality product profile, which has attracted interest of other producers to utilise their skills to process select agave and release these specialties under different labels. | |
| Master Distiller: | Carlos Camarena |
| Location: | Arandas, Jalisco |
| Nom: | 1139 |
| Elevation: | ~ 1800m |
| Oven: | Stone/brick, steam 36 hours |
| Milling: | Shredder/roller |
| Fermentation: | Open wooden vats, 7-10 days |
| Distillation: | Copper alembics, double distilled |
| Maturation: | 4-6 months, American oak |