In the early 1800s, Don Felipe Camarena's ancestors began distilling tequila at their family farm, situated in the highlands region of Jalisco, Mexico. During the Mexican Revolution, Camarena's family was forced to abandon their farm, which was ultimately destroyed. Following the conflict, Don Felipe began growing and selling agave to other distillers in Jalisco. In 1937, after saving carefully and living frugally for many years, Don Felipe purchased a parcel of property in the mountains of Arandas in Jalisco, and opened the doors to La Altea Distillery. Situated just twenty miles away from the distillery that was destroyed during the Mexican Revolution, La Altea is serviced by a network of underground springs that serve as a constant source of energy for the blue weber agave growing on the Camarena estate. Today, Don Carlos Camarena, Felipe's grandson and La Altea's third-generation master distiller, pays homage to his family name by maintaining the standards of excellence set down by his ancestors. After expert jimadors harvest the blue weber agave plants from the Camarena estate at their peak of maturity, the hearts of the agave, or pias, are taken to the distillery where they are cooked in brick ovens for four days. After cooking the pias, Camarena crushes them in a pit using a large stone wheel known as a tahona. The tahona allows Camarena to extract the sweetest juice from the pias while discarding any unwanted impurities; were he to use a commercial shredder like larger distilleries, he might crush the smallest veins of the pia, out of which would come bitter and astringent compounds such as methanol. After crushing the pias, the remaining pulp is mixed together by foot, before being fermented in a wooden barrel for approximately four days. After fermentation, the tequila is twice distilled in a copper-pot still to 80 proof. While other producers distill tequila to a higher proof and then dilute the tequila with water in order to increase yields, Tapatio Tequila is distilled at 80 proof in order to create a more flavorful, robust tequila. Tapatio Tequila Aejo rests in first-fill, used bourbon casks for approximately 18 months. As a result, it has a complex, well-balanced flavor, with notes of honey, vanilla and caramel, that nicely balance out the spicy, citrusy flavors of the agave. Tapatio, which is a colloquial term used to refer to men from Jalisco, has had a cult following in Mexico for over 75 years. Be a Tapatio and get a bottle today!
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