Tequila Clase Azul is an ultra-premium and luxury Tequila brand distilled in Jalisco, Mexico with headquarters in San Francisco. The business was launched in 1997 by Arturo Lomeli who grew up in Guadalajara from which where tequila originates. After experimenting with a variety of ventures, Lomeli released the first Clase Azul to market in 2000.
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Production
Tequila agaves are grown in Lost Altos de Jalisco, in mineral-rich red-earth soils. The agave hearts are slow-cooked in masonry ovens and milled to extract the sugars.
Fermentation is carried out with a patented yeast which helps achieve signature flavors. The spirit is double-distilled in copper stills.
Portfolio
Today, a collection of Tequilas and mezcals are produced by the company from selected varieties of agave including Maguey Cenizo and the rare Papalote variety. Post distillation, the Añejo and Reposado styles of Tequila are matured in a variety of different oak barrels, including old bourbon and sherry casks.
Regular Tequila expressions are as follows:
- Plata (Silver).
- Reposado: Aged for 8 months in American whiskey casks.
- Añejo: 25 months in American whiskey casks.
- Ultra: 5 years maturation, first in American whiskey casks, then Sherry casks.
- Gold: A combination of the Plata, a speial reposado in new French oak casks, and an extra añejo aged in American whiskey casks then finished in Sherry casks.
The core mezcals are:
- Mezcal Guerrero: Made from Papalote Agave, a rare variety grown in the mountains of Guerrero.
- Mezcal Durango: Made from Cenizo Agave, a rare variety from Durango in Northern Mexico.
Unique decanters
All Clase Azul liquors, be they core releases or special editions, are bottled in hand-painted and hand-sculptured decanters.