Hacienda Patrón – the historic building in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, where only Patrón is made – houses 2,100 employees, because the spirit is made the authentic way, never taking shortcuts and using only high-quality raw ingredients.
Master distiller David Rodriguez has been in the Patrón family for close to 20 years, ensuring that every signature bottle of Patrón maintains the brand’s high standards. Using just three ingredients: 100% Weber Blue agave, water, and yeast, he strictly follows a time-honoured process that adds nothing else to the taste, smell, or colour of the tequila. Patrón believes in zero additives and 100% tequila.
Agave ripens slowly – every eight years – so skilled Jimadors take great care to find and uproot only those agaves with optimal sugar content. Using a sharp tool called a coa, they strip away the leaves to reveal the heart of the plant, the piña. After being hand-chopped, the piñas are baked in small, brick ovens to ensure they’re cooked evenly. Then, they’re crushed by a two-ton volcanic stone Tahona wheel and a roller mill. The resulting mixture is fermented for three days, distilled in small-batch copper pot stills designed by original master distiller Francisco Alcaraz. The mixture, also known as mosto, is aged in handmade barrels, ranging from a minimum of two months for Patrón Reposado and all the way up to 10 years for Extra Añejo 10 Años, the oldest Patrón tequila.
Inspired by tradition
From the timeless and refined design of the Patrón bottles, which are one-of-a-kind and handcrafted, to the signature green ribbon, it is clear that Patrón’s design principles are inspired by the ancient Aztec. The bottles – created by experienced glass artisans using traditional and age-old glass blowing techniques – guide even the packaging of the spirit.
The tequila maker’s attention to detail extends to sustainably harvested fine Portuguese cork, an eco-friendly irrigation system and to the agave by-product that is recycled. Patrón has created a certification for the farmers, supporting them to make the right decisions for the ecosystem. The tequila brand constantly monitors the health of the plants they buy and how they have been treated.
