GUYS! I am so excited about today’s post and hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. My trip to Guadalajara Mexico with the Patrón family was nothing short of spectacular. I thought I would share a snippet of the photos I took while I was there and some of the cool stuff I learned!

So, first off this was a dream partnership since Trevor and I are both lifetime fans of Patrón. We always have Silver in our bar and have been trying out the Reposado and a few others lately. So, when they reached out I jumped at the chance.

After visiting the distillery, spending time at the Hacienda and meeting all the amazing people there I am just shocked at how I never thought about everything that went into that bottle of Silver I was opening.

Touring the distillery was eye opening because they automate NOTHING. You read that right. Every table, tissue paper, cork, and number is hand assembled in their distillery! It makes you realize just how much the brand cares about the product and what pride they take in their brand.

I learned so much from chatting with the team, touring the distillery, visiting the Agave fields and speaking to the hospitality at the Hacienda. I figured listing my highlights out would be most helpful and give you a peek into what I found so amazing!

 

• Patrón has the highest standards when it comes to how their Agave Pina’s are harvested and trimmed. We watched the process and were able to see the two techniques side and side. Patrón requires a much closer cut to the Pina which reduces the amount they will extract. For that reason, Patron compensates their farmers 10% more than market for each!

• They invest in the local family farmers and their products. Most of their contracts are for 6 years and they continue to invest in those same people. We also met a Jimador that walked us through the harvesting process and their efficiency is wild. It’s also interesting that in order to be a Jimador you must be born into a family of them. It’s a very respected profession and one everyone is not allowed to pursue.

• Nothing about the harvesting process is automated. They utilize donkeys to transport the Pina’s and once they show them the route once the donkey will transport them back and forth by memory. Crazy right?

• Each piña will provide enough agave for about 7 cases of tequila.

• In order for something to be considered Tequila it has to go through a double distilling process.

• Since bourbon barrels can only be used once, Patrón reuses them for their Tequila. It was awesome to walk through the distillery and spot so many from Kentucky! Heaven Hill, Maker’s Mark, you name it.

• Not only is Patrón committed to a quality tequila but they are committed to sustainability, the environment and the people who work there whom they consider family.

• There is a compost center outside the distillery that supplies to the surrounding community for trade.

• They also grow most of their own vegetables and greens which they use to create the food we ate at La Casona and the employees in the distillery.

• There is no plastic on the premises. We were all given stainless steel water canisters to use at the water stations while we stayed.

• We met employees 1, 2, 4, and 6 randomly while touring the distillery and it’s amazing to see so many of the original people still at the company and loving their job.

• The Hacienda and La Casona Guesthouse themselves are breathtaking and they don’t forget a thing. It’s not open to the public which made our trip was so intimate! I’ve been on a handful of press trips and this was such a lovely and relaxed group of people plus small enough that we all really got to know each other and the brand.

 

I had some questions via Instagram when I was heading there so I thought I would link this and this in case you want to read up on the location! If nothing else, I will never take for granted how much love, energy, precision and dedication goes into every bottle of Patrón tequila I see. I can’t wait to share some of the amazing recipes I picked up there soon! The Paloma is my new thing 😉

 

The center of La Casona where we stayed

Every turn was breathtaking 

Touring the agave fields was one of my favorite parts

Touring the distillery

Lunch after the tour was what all my dreams are made of!

We each received an engraved bee to hang on the Patrón family tree at La Casona

The cocktails they created in the bar were incredible!

Oscar is amazing at everything including making a killer spicy margarita 😉