Article 1 of 3 – The Patron Way by Julia Shelton
Three days at Hacienda PATRÓN opened my eyes to a world of tequila-making rooted in strong ethics, traditional processes, and innovation that is equal to their best-in-class tequila.
The PATRÓN way, I call it.
Not just any tequila can be consumed straight out of the bottle despite having tried. High-end tequila is one that can be sipped whether you choose to or not.
The Hacienda Patrón Bar – From Barrel to Bottle
PATRÓN is made using 0% additives and 100% Weber Blue Agave.
The Hacienda was equipped with a PATRÓN bar that dedicated innovative cocktail recipes to some of PATRÓN’s finest lines of tequila. Here I explored the various flavour components of the tequila that make their way through a thoughtfully curated cocktail. When we weren’t enjoying a twist on a French 75 at the bar, we were on the Agave field or in the distilling facility to see first-hand how PATRÓN had dedicated itself to the fine art of artisanal tequila-making.
A Curation Rooted In Tradition
The process of making PATRÓN is a tradition passed down through family lineage.
El Jimador’s keep this craft close to home where the soils are red in their appearance, making the land distinct and influencing the compounds of the tequila. The skill is learned by watching and doing, and the process is unique to the farms in Mexico that produce exclusively PATRÓN.
The piñas, which are the pineapple-looking center of the agave that is revealed after the El Jimador strips the aloe-looking leaves, are slow roasted for 3-7 days.
PATRÓN El Jimador – From Barrel to Bottle
PATRÓN waits at least 25 weeks before they harvest the Agave, one of the three components in a bottle of PATRÓN Tequila. The volcanic rock in the tahona stone imparts flavour into the tequila. This method is seldom used to produce tequila and dates back to ancient artisan traditions.
Distilling happens in copper to elevate the flavour profile and minimizes sulfars. These small copper distillers are also integral to developing PATRÓN’s signature flavours.
Using Barrel Aging Instead of Additives
Few tequila brands use all natural ingredients for production.
Transport yourself to the world of wine-making as you conceptualize the process of synthetizing tequila with notes from vintage wine oak barrels. That is the only way PATRÓN creates their products expanding outside of their PATRÓN Blanco.
Have you ever tried a tequila with a smooth sweetness or a tasteful lasting compound? That is because the majority of shelf and celebrity tequila brands add in either glycerin, simple syrup, caramel colouring, or oak flavouring. To achieve this naturally, PATRÓN uses oak barrels for aging their tequila sourcing from European vineyards that produce some of the worlds best wine. Similarly, PATRÓN produces their Añejo with Bourbon barrels for 2-6 months. Mixes of Añejo and other aging processes create PATRÓN’s luxury lines.
PATRÓN Barrels – From Barrel to Bottle
GRAN PATRÓN Burdeos is a wonderful example of a ‘bordeaud-tequila’. Twice distilled, this Añejo finishes in vintage Bordeaux wine barrels and come in very limited quantities. The final product elicits notes of blackcurrant, vanilla, and slow-cooked agave.
The naturally occurring wood compounds found in any aged PATRÓN product are oftentimes additives put in at the final stage of production by other tequila brands, which notes the curation of PATRÓN products and it’s dedication to three ingredients only: blue agave, distilled water, and yeast.
A Unique Experience At The Hacienda PATRÓN
Everything happens on the grounds, and VIP gets sent invites for a once-in-a-lifetime stay.
Do you wonder how A-Listers may be experiencing the best in class spirits? Or where best-in-class research and development teams learn about spirits? The Hacienda PATRÓN is an invite-only Hacienda-style mansion with 20 unique rooms surrounded by courtyards, bespoke gardens, and with the Agave plants and processing facility just beside.
Hacienda PATRÓN – From Barrel to Bottle
The hospitality of PATRÓN is only made possible in conjunction with the confidence of a refined product. Nonetheless, you’ll need time to recharge at the Hacienda after touring the expansive grounds where PATRÓN exclusively produces, packages, and labels their high-end varieties.
With all of the inspiration, I’ve made a special PATRÓN cocktail recipe:
The Pink Herring
1 Oz PATRÓN Silver
6 crushed raspberries
.50 Grenadine
.75 ounce of lemon
In a cocktail shaker, crush 6 raspberries, and then add in ice and the remaining listed ingredients. Shake and pour dirty in a rocks glass. Top with more ice, a splash of sparkling water, a raspberry and sprig of mint.
Stick around next week for part 2 where we talk sustainability and exclusive PATRÓN lines!
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