My Travels to Casa Herradura by Andrew Desrochers
Liquor Manager – Table & Vine
In searching for the best tequila on the planet, I recently traveled to the heart of the tequila region. Guadalajara, the capital of the state of Jalisco is a tequila lovers paradise! Agave decorates the landscape and limitless expressions of tequila can be found everywhere, from high end bars to roadside stands. Guadalajara is one of my favorite cities in the world. The art, history, culture, food and most importantly TEQUILA are extraordinary.
On this particular quest, we set out to the rural farming community of Amatitan, about an hour outside of Guadalajara and home to Casa Herradura. The hacienda dates back hundreds of years and produces the world’s finest tequila. We toured the agave fields and every facet of production that goes into making Herradura Tequila. We even toured the “old factory,” which dates back hundreds of years and is basically a museum of tequila production and methods. For an agave dork like myself it is an opportunity to really geek out!
The product I was selecting was a barrel of Herradura Double Barrel Reposado Tequila. We have built up such a loyal following of this item that it sells out every year. I couldn’t believe this was the 7th full barrel that Table & Vine will have sold through! This item is the most popular non-bourbon item in our Table & Vine Barrel Series.The product itself is aged for a few days shy of one year. The first 11 months are spent in a used whiskey barrel. The product is then transferred into a new lightly toasted oak barrel for the final 30 days of maturation. That is where the “Double Barrel” moniker is derived from. This year’s expression had a beautiful creamy texture and buttery mouth feel. The very light oak notes were accented with a faint hint of pepper and even fainter sweetness that lent balance to this beautiful creation. One sip and you will be hooked! This is not your mundane margarita tequila, this is an exquisitely complex expression.
This barrel will yield approximately 240 bottles and we expect it to arrive in mid-April, just in time for Cinco de Mayo.
Salud – Andrew
Table & Vine Liquor Manager
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