Tequila ArteNOM presents regional tequila selections of distinct altitude, heritage, agave cultivation, and distillation technique. These specially-curated expressions represent the unique, personal craft of their master distillers: truly making an ART of their NOM.

The Selecciónes


Provenance
At 6,788 feet above sea level in the remote mountain town of Jesús María, Felipe Camarena masterfully crafts this bright, aromatic Blanco Clásico tequila from stressed hillside agave plants grown in tequila’s highest-altitude agave region. Felipe’s Destilería El Pandillo is arguably one of the most forward-thinking, innovative and sustainable distilleries in the business. After select harvesting, the agave plants are slowly roasted in brick ovens and macerated intact with their fibers for a richer, fuller flavor. Following fermentation with rainwater, Felipe slowly distills this selección in small copper pot stills and aerates the spirit prior to bottling.

Tasting Notes
Color: pure and clear with rich agave viscosity
Nose: rising pastry dough, spring rain, mint, bold roasted agave
Palate: velvety, wine-like texture with fresh chile tingle, white pepper, spearmint candies

Data
Master Distiller: Felipe Camarena
NOM: 1579
Altitude: 6,788' / 2,069 m
Proof: 81.4
ABV: 40.7%
Brix: 28° - 29° from Tequilana Weber Agave grown at 6,200’ in municipio of Jesús‐María, Jalisco

Process

  • Halved & quartered (cogollo‐removed) agave steam‐roasted without pressure in brick kiln ovens
  • 30hr roast including 6hr pre‐roast to melt‐off bitters and 6hr cool‐down
  • Juice extraction with gear‐spindle roller-crusher (aka "Frankenstein")
  • Double‐distilled in copper‐pot stills to approx. 56% ABV and reduced with reverse‐osmosis demineralized water
  • Water for proof adjustment is half rain water and half filtered water from on-property well
  • Aeration prior to filling, bottled at 40.7% ABV


 

Provenance
The Rosales family produces ArteNOM Blanco Histórico 1123 in El Arenal, Jalisco at their renowned Destilería Cascahuín from lower-brix valley agave that are the hallmark of the Lowland tequila style: earthy, vegetal, herbaceous, and slightly peppery. This selección is made from those valley plants which, once distilled into tequila, are barrel-conditioned for 21-28 days in brandy casks that previously held Oaxacan mezcal, such as high-end blanco tequilas from the Tequila Valley were sometimes prepared in the early 1900s. For this reason, this expression is referred to as a “Blanco Histórico.”

Tasting Notes
Color: straw, autumn meadow
Nose: roasted pineapple, warm butter, baking spices, smoked pepper, cider
Palate: viscous hot cinnamon, black pepper, sweet potato, vanilla, licorice, almond, hardwood smoke

Data
Master Distiller: Salvador Rosales Torres
NOM: 1123
Altitude: 4,199' / 1,280 m
Proof: 86
ABV: 43%
Brix: 24°  from Tequilana Weber Agave grown at 4,200’ in municipio of El Arenal, Jalisco

Process

  • Halved & quartered (cogollo‐removed) agave steam‐roasted without pressure in brick kiln ovens
  • 30hr roast including 6hr pre‐roast to melt‐off bitters and 6hr cool‐down
  • Juice extraction with gear‐spindle roller-mill
  • Double‐distilled in pot stills to approx. 56% ABV and reduced with reverse‐osmosis demineralized water
  • Barrel-conditioned 28 days in used mezcal barrels from Oaxaca, bottled at 43% ABV

Tasting notes courtesy Remy Newland


Provenance

The Vivanco family began cultivating highland agave during Mexico’s tumultuous post-revolutionary period of 1919-1929. In Don Feliciano Vivanco’s hometown of Arandas, Jalisco, subsequent generations of Vivancos have remained devoted to expanding the family’s agave plantations, and in 1994, the family dream of acquiring their own distillery was finally realized with the purchase of Destilería El Ranchito. With approximately 2,000 acres of estate-grown agave at their disposal, Sergio & José Manuél Vivanco have become renowned for producing rich, well-balanced tequilas. For ArteNOM Selección de 1414, the family brings back their unique and extraordinary tradition of fermenting the agave mash with field-extracted wild yeast for an unparalled display of agave terroir.

Tasting Notes
Color: very pale straw
Nose: vegetal chapparal, roasted sweet potato
Palate: salted vanilla cookie, allspice, mild chile heat

Data
Master Distiller: Sergio Cruz
NOM: 1414
Altitude: 6,709' / 2,045 m
Proof: 82.4
ABV: 41.2%
Brix: 27° - 28° from Tequilana Weber Agave grown at 5,400’ in municipio of Arandas, Jalisco

Process

  • Halved & quartered (cogollo‐removed) agave steam‐roasted without pressure in brick kiln ovens
  • 36hr roast including 6hr pre‐roast to melt‐off bitters and 6hr cool‐down
  • Juice extraction with gear‐spindle crusher
  • Fermented in stainless steel vats using indigenous yeast strains with field presence of lime, orange & pomelo citrus pollens
  • Double‐distilled in copper‐pot stills to approx. 56% ABV and reduced with reverse‐osmosis demineralized water
  • Four month aging in third‐fill American White Oak formerly used for Bourbon Whiskey, bottled at 41.2% ABV


Provenance
At Tequileña in the eponymous town of Tequila, Jalisco, home to a range of celebrated tequilas, Master Distiller Enrique Fonseca distills agave predominantly grown in and around his highland hometown of Atotonilco el Alto. For this añejo expression, Enrique ages select tequilas initially in used Cabernet Franc wine barrels from the Loire Valley of France for a minimum of 14 months. The tequila is then extracted from the French oak and laid into toasted American white oak previously used to age either Canadian whiskey or Tennessee rye whiskey, for a minimum of 14 additional months, for a truly masterful balance of oak and agave flavors.

Tasting Notes
Color: rich amber
Nose: butterscotch, citrus, baking spices, vanilla
Palate: toffee, walnut candy, custard, orange zest, dark chocolate

Data
Master Distiller: Enrique Fonseca
NOM: 1146
Altitude: 5,541' / 1,689 m
Proof: 82.6
ABV: 41.3%
Brix: 26° - 27° from Tequilana Weber Agave grown at 4,600’ in municipio of Atotonlico el Alto, Jalisco

Process

  • Halved & quartered (cogollo‐removed) agave steam‐roasted without pressure in steel oven
  • 30hr roast including 6hr pre‐roast to melt‐off bitters and 6hr cool‐down
  • Juice extraction with proprietary screw press method
  • Fermented in stainless steel vats using Mendoza wine yeast strains
  • Double‐distilled in copper‐pot stills to approx. 53% ABV and reduced with reverse‐osmosis demineralized water
  • 60% 2‐year Loire Valley French Oak blended with 40% 3‐year Loire Valley French Oak, then moved to age
    one additional year in American White Oak formerly used for Bourbon Whiskey, bottled at 41.3% ABV