PERFECTLY DISTILLING THE BAJA WAY OF LIFE
Hotel California Tequila, a small-batch spirit inspired by the lifestyles and landscape of Todos Santos, in Baja Mexico, is best known as the house tequila for the legendary hotel of the same name. A gathering place for rogue artists, existential travelers, and passionate expatriates alike. Crafted by hand with the finest ingredients and most advanced techniques, Hotel California Tequila is humbly made in their honor.
Cultivated in the Highlands of Jalisco, only organic, 100% Weber Blue Agave makes the cut with this award-winning tequila. It’s at the higher elevation that warm days give way to cooler nights, winters run colder, and each agave plant is blessed by a bounty of pure highland rain. This unique climate also means the agave takes longer to mature. And holding off on harvesting the piñas until they’re 8-10 years old allows them to produce a much higher sugar content. Ultimately, that makes for tequila with a smoother, more floral agave character.
Hotel California Tequila contains only the best water sourced from the same highlands as the agave,. Arriving free of virtually all impurities, the pristine water that goes into each batch guarantees and preserves the unique flavors of the tequila.
And instead of commercial yeast blends engineered in a laboratory, Hotel California Tequila uses yeast straight from the agave plant itself — a level of detail not shared by other tequilas. This natural yeast requires constant supervision in the distillation process, but results in a much more complex taste profile.
Another step that sets it apart is the second distillation process Hotel California Tequila goes through. During this process, the temperature is lowered to -6°C — removing all organic impurities from the tequila. It may take longer, but there’s no hurrying perfection.
After distillation, the Blanco has reached perfection. And to achieve the complex flavors of Hotel California Tequila’s Reposado and Añejo, each is rested in oak barrels formerly used to age bourbon. Then time takes its course — the Reposado is matured for a minimum of six months and the Añejo for at least 28, or as long as it takes to reach the perfect balance. Of course, a sip is always the best measure of maturity.
The level of dedication and craft that goes into every bottle of Hotel California Tequila has led to a number of awards and recognitions. At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, each variety — Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo — was awarded a gold medal or better. It is also one of the only tequilas whose entire line is scored 90 points or higher by The Critico.
To learn more about the house tequila of the legendary hotel, visit their new site at HotelCaliforniaTequilaUSA.com.
