The Full Story for GREAT Tequila Involves a Volcano

Tahona Wheel Courtesy of Patron: A post on how the crushing technique can influence flavor

How do you make great tequila?  No, I mean REALLY great tequila?  Here is a quick recipe: Get a few donkeys, find a volcano, excavate a huge volcanic rock, chisel that rock into a round shape, grow some perfect blue agave and then carefully distill it in a traditional process developed over generations. Well, sort of.  Let’s explain that recipe.  It will surprise you.

The donkeys are used to slowly rotate a huge volcanic stone that has been chiseled into a round shape. The stone, or what is called a “tahona”, is the name of the stone wheel. The name originates from the Nahuatl language of indigenous Aztecs.  This approach of using a tahona is referred to as the “tahona-style” of tequila-making. The stone is slowly rotated, crushes blue agave and slowly releases the juice and sugars.  It is an incredibly old and traditional method of producing tequila. It is also quite different compared to many current tequila manufacturing facilities found throughout the world. Most “modern” tequila makers use industrialized machines, some using chemicals to release the sugars, conveyor belts and the rest.  Yet, its not just the tahona stone process that is different. It is the resulting taste.

Patron produces a tahona style line of tequila called the Roca line. It is 100% tahona made. They do this like other boutique tequila distillers despite the cost and effort because of the incredible flavor it produces. To understand what the line of Roca Patron tequila is all about, look no further than the name. Roca in Spanish means “rock”.

So, does anybody know where there is a local volcano? Call me crazy. As most know on Maui, the idea/potential of Maui-made tequila is not new.

Meanwhile… are there other available tahona tequilas?  Sure are.  Here are just a few.

Tequila Fortaleza is made the way tequila was made 150 years ago. The Fortaleza brand and tahona approach represents over 5 generations.  They use old-world machinery and their tahona process create a unique tequila experience. Polli’s has many types of tequila…including Fortaleza. Check out the labels on a Fortaleza bottle.

Siete Leguas is one of the few tequila brands made in its own dedicated distillery located in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco. They have been in production for 65-years and still use old school methods. They crush their agave with a tahona. Then, they ferment the juices and cook it in a traditional stone/brick ovens to achieve their flavor profile.

Suerte It’s the way they “roll” that sets their tequila apart. Being 100% Tahona means every piña from the oven gets crushed under their two-ton stone, slowly and repetitively, for 16 hours to release all the juices. Others use shredders to process the piñas. (piñas are the part of the agave plant that produces tequila) But, just like a mortar and pestle, the process of crushing releases the true essence of the agave and creates nuances of flavor you can’t achieve otherwise.

G4 The Camarena Family has been making tequila since 1937, crafting some of the world’s best tequilas for generations. This includes Tapatio Tequila. This is the place where Felipe and his sons established El Pandillo Distillery. It is a place where they honor their family’s proud tequila tradition and quality standards while innovating for today. The name of the distillery, El Pandillo, was the name of Felipe’s grandfather’s favorite bull.

Here is a short video demonstrating the process at Siete Luguas in Jalisco, Mexico.