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51-553: It is the location of “La Hacienda de San José del Refugio”, a distillery which makes “ Tequila Herradura ” and “Tequila Jimador” and is the main source of employment for the residents of the town and surrounding communities. The Town of Amatitán is the administrative center for the " Municipio de Amatitán" which also includes the surrounding communities of Santiaguito, Villa de Cuerámbaro, Chome, La Mata, La Conchilla, El Amarrilo, Agua Fría, Santa Rosa and several other smaller settlements. Amatitán can be visited from Guadalajara by taking

102-612: A club and later eloping with him in Las Vegas after having had too much to drink that night, Cuervo tequila is referenced in the line "So I'll blame it on the Cuervo". Cuervo Silver is shown to be enjoyed on multiple occasions on the Showtime series Dexter (2006–13). A moody 2013 ad campaign for Cuervo Especial starred actor Kiefer Sutherland . Beyoncé references Jose Cuervo on her 2016 song " Formation ", from her album Lemonade , with

153-640: A delicate balance between tradition and innovation. In 1979, Jose Cuervo became beach volleyball 's first major sponsor. After the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tour folded in 2010, the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series was launched in 2011 by IMG and USA Volleyball with three events across the US, and upped the number to seven in 2012. With the return of the AVP tour in 2013,

204-589: A golden hue. There are three variations of gold tequila. Reposados have a pale amber color, as they typically spend 2 to 12 months in oak barrels. Añejos have a darker gold color and more flavor contributions from the barrel, as they are typically aged 1 to 3 years in oak barrels. Extra añejo, which has an even darker color and richer flavor, is 100% blue agave and aged more than three years. The occasionally smoky flavors of extra añejo tequilas have been compared to those typically found in brandy and scotch. The extra añejo designation for tequilas aged more than three years

255-605: A list of the 18 best tequilas in the world in Men's Journal in 2013. Cuervo offers several pre-made margaritas . The Authentic Margarita and Light Margarita varieties contain Cuervo Gold and are 9.95% alcohol by volume. Golden Margarita contains Grand Marnier liqueur along with Cuervo Gold, and is 12.7% abv. The Margarita Mix does not contain any alcohol. 1800 Tequila , owned by Jose Cuervo and previously labeled Cuervo 1800 before being distributed by Proximo Spirits starting in 2008,

306-403: A water-retaining plant found in central Mexico that is fermented then distilled to create tequila. The first Vino Mezcal de Tequila de Jose Cuervo was made in 1795, after Don José Antonio de Cuervo's son José María Guadalupe de Cuervo was granted a permit from King Carlos IV of Spain to produce tequila commercially, following a time of prohibition under King Carlos III. This was the birth of

357-814: Is 100% agave tequila. It is currently the best-selling tequila in Mexico, with a twelve percent market share. New Mix is a canned tequila and grapefruit soda drink with five percent alcohol. It is also the best-selling product of its type in Mexico. Herradura, in 2013 under the sub-label "Colección de la Casa," released in limited areas (Mexico, United States, El Salvador, and Australia), two new Reposado Tequilas partially aged in non-traditional barrels. One Aged in oak than in Port barrels and another partially aged in Cognac barrels as well as traditional oak. Since its acquisition by Brown-Forman, Herradura has had many promotional efforts in

408-481: Is a 100% agave tequila, available in various silver, reposado and añejo varieties. Maestro Dobel Tequila is a family owned, single estate, ultra-premium Tequila, named after creator Juan Domingo Beckmann Legorreta (DOBEL), an 11th generation Tequila producer, and chief executive officer of the Tequila Jose Cuervo empire. Maestro Dobel Tequila is carefully controlled and managed from farm to bottle, and strikes

459-577: Is also a source of immigrants to the United States, most of whom settle in California. Tequila Herradura Tequila Herradura (officially Grupo Industrial Herradura ) is a tequila distillery located in Amatitán , Jalisco , Mexico . It was formally founded in 1870 by Aurelio López and the business remained in the family for over 125 years. Today it is owned by US beverage maker Brown-Forman , but

510-409: Is classified as an extra añejo tequila, meaning it is 100% agave aged over three years in an oak barrel, giving it a deeper golden color with a richer flavor more typically tasted in scotch or brandy. It would become Cuervo's first extra añejo offering after the high-end distinction was created in 2005. It was named on Bloomberg Businessweek' s 2009 list of the world's 20 best-tasting tequilas, and on

561-609: Is more expensive. The Jose Cuervo Express train was opened to visitors in February 2012 to help promote tourist development in the Jalisco area. The train travels 60 kilometers from Guadalajara to Tequila, taking two hours to journey through the agave fields and past volcanoes. Upon arrival in Tequila, guests are able to take a tour of the Jose Cuervo factory and La Rojeña distillery. Tequila

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612-400: Is naturally clear after fermentation and distillation are complete. This type is called “blanco” or “white”. “Plata” or “silver” on the other hand, despite its color being the same as “blanco”, is an aged version of tequila which got decolorized after being kept in barrels for months or years. After the fermentation and distillation processes, tequila can then be aged in oak barrels, giving it

663-900: Is part of the tourism sector of the area's economy as well, with the Tequila Express train arriving at it and Amatitán from Guadalajara . Herradura produces tequila and tequila-based beverages under the Herradura, Hacienda de Cristero, Grand Imperio, El Jimador, and New Mix names. Herradura brand tequilas are 100% blue agave. As an authentic tequila, bottles bear certification from the Mexican government. Herradura brands include Herradura Blanco (46% alcohol), Herradura Blanco Suave (40%), Herradura Reposado (40%), Herradura Antiguo (38%), Herradura Añejo (40%) and Selección Suprema (40%). The best-selling varieties are Reposado, Añejo, and Selección Suprema. Herradura introduced their first Reposado tequila in 1974 and

714-511: Is produced at the La Rojeña distillery in the state of Jalisco in Mexico. The distillery was officially founded in 1812. It is the oldest active distillery in Latin America. After Ana González Rubio married José Cuervo Labastida in 1900, he renamed the distillery La Rojeña, and was the first to call the tequila produced there Jose Cuervo. After the death of Don Vincente, Jesús Flores (owner of

765-472: Is the best-selling brand of tequila , selling a fifth of the tequila consumed worldwide. As of 2012, Jose Cuervo sells 3.5 million cases of tequila in the US annually, accounting for a third of the US tequila market. Jose Cuervo is family-owned and is run today by the Beckmann family, descendants of Don José Antonio de Cuervo. Juan-Domingo Beckmann is the sixth-generation leader of the company. In July 2013

816-506: The Tequila Herradura Express , a train which runs on Saturdays from Guadalajara to Amatitán, there tourists are offered tours of the local distilleries and the nearby city of Tequila , located 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) north of Amatitán. Amatitán can also be reached from Guadalajara by car driving north on Mexican Federal Highway 15 , it is a drive of about 45 minutes and the road is kept in fairly good shape. The economy of

867-454: The Billboard country songs chart in 2002. Other country songs that mention the liquor are "The Dope Smokin' Song" by Hank Flamingo and "Drink Canada Dry" by David Allan Coe . In the 2004 MMORPG game World of Warcraft , there are some items referencing Jose Cuervo, like "Cuergo's Gold" and "Hozen Cuervo". In Carrie Underwood 's 2008 song Last Name describing a woman meeting a man at

918-416: The #1 seller in Mexico. New Mix, a ready-made tequila cocktail, was introduced in 1997 and also became the best-selling beverage of its kind. In the 1990s, there was conflict over sales of shares in the company by some members of the family as well as agave growing land. Part of the legal problems stemmed from selling shares to non-Mexican entities. In 2004, Herradura bought back foreign-owned shares, making

969-459: The Beckmann family's Proximo Spirits took over distribution of Jose Cuervo from Diageo , following Diageo's failed attempt to buy the company. In 1758, Don José Antonio de Cuervo was issued a land grant by King Ferdinand VI of Spain in the town of Tequila, Jalisco . Here his family founded the Taberna de Cuervo, the farm where they would cultivate and harvest the flowering blue agave plant,

1020-524: The Cuervo Series was not continued. Cuervo Gold is referred to in Steely Dan 's song " Hey Nineteen ", on their album Gaucho , released in 1980. The lyric is, "The Cuervo Gold / The fine Colombian / Make tonight a wonderful thing." In 1978, after a stint as a poster girl for Jose Cuervo Tequila, Cindy Jordan wrote a country song titled " Jose Cuervo ", the first song she ever wrote. The song references

1071-548: The Extra Añejo Selección Suprema in 1995. Reposado is aged for eleven months in wood barrels. Selección Suprema is aged for 49 months in oak barrels. In 2012, the company redesigned the package of the Selección Suprema to reflect the traditional nature in which the extra-aged tequila is made. Another important brand is el Jimador, launched in 1994 and named after those who harvest agave plants. el Jimador

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1122-573: The United States and Mexico. Herradura was promoted as the "Official Tequila for the Kentucky Derby " in 2008. In 2010, it created a program called "Buy-the-Barrel" in the United States aimed at tequila connoisseurs to purchase an entire barrel of Reposado, which yields about 240 bottles. In 2011, the company began the "Arte en Barricas" (Art in Barrels) competition, inviting artists to use tequila barrels to create artwork. For its 142nd anniversary in 2012,

1173-430: The United States, including inviting artists to use tequila barrels as the bases for art pieces, which are then displayed and auctioned off for charity. The first known owner of the tequila-producing property was Feliciano Romo in the early 19th century. The official history of Herradura begin with Félix López, who began as the distillery administrator under then owners Josefa Salazar and her sons. In 1870, López took over

1224-482: The agave to bottling the final product. Herradura brand tequilas are still made with agave hearts roasted in clay ovens and fermented with wild yeast. In the late 2000s, the company invested about US$ 15 million in water treatment plants, the Amatitán distillery, new laboratories, and other facilities. The plant has an ISO 9001-2000 ranking from AENOR México and produces eighteen million liters annually. The hacienda

1275-399: The border in 1873. In order for a spirit to be called tequila, it must come from the blue agave plant, a species found only in Jalisco and four nearby regions in central Mexico. All Jose Cuervo tequila continues to be made in the town of Tequila in the state of Jalisco in Mexico. The blue agave plant has spiked leaves and a round, fleshy core (the piña). The leaves are chopped off and

1326-459: The business was inherited by Aurelio López. The construction of railroads in the late 19th century allowed for easier shipping to other parts of Mexico and increased tequila's popularity in the country. By this time, the hacienda's tequila was well known, with Aurelio giving it the name of Herradura. The name, which means horseshoe in Spanish, is a said to have come from the finding of a horseshoe on

1377-499: The business. Part of Cuervo was owned by Distribuidora Bega, and, starting in 1979, the other part was owned by Grupo Cuervo, made up of Beckmann, his son Juan Beckmann Vidal , José Luis Campos, and Heublein Inc. Along with Sauza , Cuervo began to dominate the tequila industry in the 1940s. Tequila first made significant inroads into the United States during the Prohibition era , when it

1428-499: The company 100% Mexican owned again. At this time, the company controlled thirty percent of the Mexican tequila markets behind Jose Cuervo ’s forty percent share. However, in 2007 all assets of the company were sold for $ USD 776 million to the US-based company Brown-Forman, which produces other alcoholic beverages such as Jack Daniel's , Southern Comfort , Finlandia Vodka and Korbel California Champagne . That same year Herradura

1479-553: The company invited 142 artists, forty-four of them well-known, such as José Luis Cuevas and Sebastián . The artists participated in Arte en Barricas for three prizes of 20,000 pesos and one prize of 10,000 pesos. The resulting works were displayed in various museum in the country then auctioned off with the proceeds going to four charities: Bécalos, the Museo de Arte Popular , Sólo por Ayudar and Hogar Cabañas. Jose Cuervo Jose Cuervo

1530-440: The core is cooked and crushed to create juice, which is fermented and distilled to make tequila. The resulting unaged, clear tequila is then diluted with water to bring the alcohol content down to around 40%. Pure tequila is distilled 100% from the sap of the blue agave plant, while mixto tequilas only need to be at least 51% blue agave in order to legally be called tequila. In 1964, tequila makers were allowed to obtain up to 30% of

1581-411: The death of Don Jesús, his wife, Ana González Rubio, inherited La Rojeña and in 1900 married José Cuervo Labastida, head of La Constancia. From then on, the brand became Jose Cuervo Tequila. After Ana Gonzélez Rubio's death in 1934, the estate was left to her niece Guadalupe Gallardo, who died in 1966 and left the estate to her sister, Virginia Gallardo. One of her sons, Juan Beckmann Gallardo, would manage

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1632-462: The distillery and agave fields and registered it as a tequila producer under the name of Hacienda San José del Refugio. Félix López married Carmen Rosales, and they had two children, Aurelio and María de Jesús. The couple modernized tequila production at the hacienda, building a facility that remained in use until 1963. López died in 1878, and Rosales took over the business along with her brother Ambrosio Rosales and his wife, Elisa Gomez Cuervo. Later,

1683-410: The distillery now known as La Constancia) took over management of La Rojeña. He was the first to package the tequila into damajuanas (rope-encased jugs), where previously they had been stored only in wooden barrels. The damajuanas were later replaced with individual bottles, making it easier to transport the tequila across the border to America. The company shipped its first export of three bottles across

1734-479: The facilities are still based in Amatitán. Jalisco is run by Grupo Industrial Herradura under manager Randy McCann. The hacienda is the setting of several legends and ghost stories. These include sightings of old conquistadors , and stories related to the various tunnels that were dug on the hacienda property during the Cristero War. Over its history, the company has run all aspects of tequila production from growing

1785-480: The finished product to give it the gold color, also known as joven tequila. In 2013, Proximo launched Jose Cuervo Cinge, a cinnamon-infused 35% abv version of Especial Silver. It is one of many cinnamon-infused liquors on the market. See Fireball and discussion therein. Cuervo's Tradicional has been produced since 1795. Its varieties, Silver and Reposado, are 100% agave tequilas. The reposado achieves its amber color through six months of barrel aging. Silver

1836-467: The hacienda property. Stories vary, but the one told by the company's website says that it was found in the early 1900s by Aurelio while inspecting the agave fields. It gleamed like gold, and the horseshoe was kept for luck, then naming the tequila after it. In the 1920s the Cristero War broke out, with both Aurelio and his sister María de Jesus as sympathizers. At one point, government troops surrounded

1887-555: The hacienda, but the siblings were able to escape. However, Aurelio never returned to the hacienda again. The hacienda passed into the hand of Aurelio's cousin David Rosales, who kept the tequila 100% agave despite the trend towards blending to cut costs. In 1928, he registered the Herradura brand in Mexico City with a horseshoe as its logo. María de Jesús was able to return to Herradura and distinguished herself with charitable works to

1938-401: The municipality of Amatitán, like that of the surrounding areas, relies heavily in the production of tequila beverage. Its agriculture is dominated by the cultivation of the agave plant, which is used to produce the tequila. The climate in Amatitán is hot and dry which suits the agave plant well. There is usually one rainy period during the year that lasts from June through September, when most of

1989-484: The residents grow their other dominant crop, corn, which requires significantly more water. There is virtually no artificial irrigation in the area and most farmers still depend on rainwater for the irrigation of their fields. Some residents also raise cattle and other livestock, mainly for regional consumption. The lifestyle of its inhabitants is mostly of a rural nature and the residents are mostly Catholic. Some commute daily or weekly to Guadalajara for employment. The area

2040-409: The sugars in tequila from sources other than the agave plant. During a blue agave shortage in the 1970s, Mexican regulations were further revised to require that tequila contain only 51.5% agave. Agave plants take 10 to 12 years to mature and become ripe, while sugarcane can be harvested every year, so blending the agave spirit with sugarcane spirit is a cheaper method, while using 100% blue agave plant

2091-468: The tequila in the lyrics, "Jose Cuervo, you are a friend of mine." Recorded by Shelly West in 1983, it was named Billboard magazine's 1983 Country Song of the Year after reaching number 1 on the Billboard country songs chart. The song " Ten Rounds with Jose Cuervo " by country music artist Tracy Byrd documents a man's night drinking Cuervo after his girlfriend breaks up with him. It reached number 1 on

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2142-422: The tequila industry. By 1880, the Cuervo family had begun individually bottling tequila for commercial distribution. Cuervo was the first distiller to bottle tequila, at a time when other distillers were still using barrels. Tequila was known as "mezcal de tequila" until 1893, when tequila makers and the Mexican government dropped " mezcal " from the name. Cuervo's first bottled tequila was sold in 1906. Upon

2193-415: The tequila is still made in the same place and facilities under a Mexican subsidiary. Tequila products sold under the Herradura name are 100% agave . The company makes other tequila products, such as El Jimador, which is the best-selling tequila in Mexico, as well as New Mix, a tequila and grapefruit soda beverage. Since its acquisition by Brown-Forman, Herradura has had many promotional efforts in Mexico and

2244-401: The town of Amatitán, including the building of wells in an area with little water. The hacienda and the Herradura brand remained in the family for over a century. In the 1960s, the old factory was shut down in favor of a new one but kept as a museum. During this time, Herradura Añejo Tequila was introduced with Reposado introduced in 1974. In 1994, the el Jimador brand was introduced and became

2295-567: The world's largest liquor maker, was in talks to acquire Jose Cuervo from the Beckmann family for in excess of $ 3 billion. After it was unable to acquire the brand, Diageo announced in December 2012 that it would end the US distribution deal. In a deal first announced in March 2013, Proximo Spirits, a company owned by the Beckmann family, took over Jose Cuervo's distribution beginning in July 2013. Jose Cuervo

2346-504: The years, with 12 million cases shipped to the US in 2012, a 54% increase as compared to a decade earlier. The fastest-growing segment has been super-premium blue agave spirits. In 1989, the Beckmann family sold 45% of Jose Cuervo to International Distillers and Vintners (IDV), a division of Grand Metropolitan PLC . In 1997, Grand Metropolitan merged with Guinness plc to become Diageo which would be Jose Cuervo's main distributor outside of Mexico until 2013. Starting in 2011, Diageo,

2397-406: Was approved by Mexico's National Committee on Standardization in 2006. Cuervo Especial products are mixto tequilas. Especial Silver is an unaged white tequila containing at least 51% agave, with the remainder being made up of sugarcane spirit. Especial Reposado (commonly referred to as "Cuervo Gold") is a blend of reposado and younger tequilas of at least 51% agave, with caramel coloring added to

2448-413: Was launched in 2011. Cuervo Black was a mixto añejo tequila that included sugar cane spirit, aged one year in oak barrels. It was named on Bloomberg Businessweek ' s 2009 list of the world's 20 best-tasting tequilas. It is no longer available. Platino is 100% agave, handcrafted using a proprietary process in which the steam is recaptured to bring in more flavor before the tequila is chill-filtered. It

2499-561: Was named "best distillery of 2007" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine . Since 2007, the brand has slowly become more internationally recognized. When Brown-Forman bought it, the brand was sold in fifty-three countries. Today, it is sold in 136 countries through the Brown-Forman network in Europe, South America, North America, and Asia. Its market share in the United States and other countries has been growing as well. Although owned by Brown-Forman,

2550-546: Was named on Bloomberg Businessweek ' s 2009 list of the world's 20 best-tasting tequilas, and awarded the Beverage Tasting Institute 's highest rating, Superlative. Reserva de la Familia was introduced in 1995 to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the distillery. Reserva de la Familia is a high-end offering of 100% blue agave tequila, matured in the La Rojeña distillery's private cellars. Its first edition sold out weeks after its release. Reserva de la Familia

2601-482: Was smuggled from Mexico into southwestern US states. Tequila made further advances in the US during World War II , when many US distilleries switched to war-related production and there were restrictions on European imports. Then, in the 1980s, more American tourists visited Mexico, discovering tequila. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States , the US demand for tequila has risen over

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