San Nicholas distillery was the second stop of the day and after a long trek down the red dirt road, surrounded by a vista of crimson and indigo, the spectacular structures came into sight. Hospitality is an understatement and does not do justice to the wonderful people there. San Nicholas is the home of Tequila Corazón and the modern, open-air facility with charro charm produces one of the finest tequilas I have ever tasted.
Before reaching the distillery itself the adjacent red dirt fields lined with tall, rock walls were an invitation to explore the colorful landscape. A planting demonstration, in which each young agave is planted by hand with care, was enlightening and furthered the appreciation I had for the grueling work of the jimadores that I gained the day before at Tequila Sauza. Once again, the feat of the harvest was shown with a few of the mature plants of the field. The sizes of the agave in this area are noticeably larger than those in the low lands and as the hard leaves were removed with the sharp, round coas the true size of each piña became overwhelmingly apparent.
The care that is taken through the entire distillation process, from choosing select fields for each of their tequilas to the “not classical music, not rock-n-roll, but a nice instrumental” that the fermenting yeast is treated to is apparent in every sip of Tequila Corazón. The process is adorned with sunlight that shines through every window, highlighting each polished steel tank and the beautifully sterile atmosphere of each building that contributes to the premium spirit.
Last, and certainly not least, was Casa Pedro Domecq, home of Tequila Tezón. Probably the most distinct and impressive tequila on my trip, Tezón is a must-try for any tequila connoisseur and will convert the most hardened vodka lover to appreciate Mexico’s prized spirit.
Here I saw the traditional method of crushing the baked agave by use of the tahona wheel. It takes two hours of non-stop labor for the giant stone wheel and one man armed with a hoe-like tool to properly grind one ton of agave in preparation for the distilling process. In the background the modern process of a series of conveyer belts with mechanized crushing tools processes agave used for the distilleries other tequilas including the popular Olmeca brand. The difference in the final spirit between these two methods is significant and the time and effort is certainly worth every drop.
This care and the subsequent quality control used through the entire process marks a distinct difference for this wonderfully warm distillery. The attention goes straight from the careful monitoring of temperatures, pressures, time and even the speed the distillate is transported from one stage to the next through the tangle of pipes that wrap through the buildings.
There can also not be enough said for the passion and knowledge of Tezón’s Maestro Tequilero, Don Jesus Hernandez, a soft spoken man with a true palate for tequila. Each of the small batches of tequila are tested for consistency in the modern laboratory and tasted by Hernandez and his tasting partner, Sergio, for a personal quality assurance that only the trained human palate can attest to.
Like many of the other tequila brands, Tezón’s bottles are a work of art. Adhered to each bottle are two metal plates engraved with symbols for the elements that are essential to the quality of the tequila: Agave, Fire, Tahona and Spirit. Each plate is affixed by hand before the bottle is filled and once the spirit is inside the bottle, it is corked with a stopper crowned with a volcanic stone-like material, reminiscent of the tahona wheel. The symbolism is deep and just another sign of the heart and soul every one of these tequileros puts into their tequilas.
Images from Tequila Country:
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