El Espolòn is a brand of
tequila
Tequila (; ) is a liquor, distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, Jalisco, Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands (''Los Altos (Jal ...
from
Campari America
Campari America, formerly known as Skyy Spirits, is an American spirits maker that is part of the Campari Group, the family of companies also known as Davide Campari-Milano N.V., a publicly traded company on the Milan stock exchange. Founder Maur ...
. The tequila is produced by the Casa San Nicolas brand in the
Los Altos (Highlands) region of
Jalisco
Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...
,
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
. It has four products which are Blanco, Reposado, Añejo and Cristalino tequila. Each one is 80 proof or 40% ABV.
El Espolòn (or simply Espolòn) is made from 100% Blue Weber Agave and was first produced in 1998. It is currently distributed in Mexico, United States and select markets globally.
History
Cirilo Oropeza (1940 – October 5, 2020) began his distilling career in 1965 at the Ingenio Potrero Distillery. In 1995, he established the Casa San Nicolas Distillery where Espolón is produced. Espolón was purchased by the Campari group in 2009, with Cirilo Oropeza staying on as master distiller until his death in October 2020. In January 2019,
Giancarlo Moreira-Salles was name
Chair of the Board
The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
of
Campari Group
Davide Campari-Milano N.V., trading as Campari Group, is an Italian company active since 1860 in the branded drink industry, beverage industry. It produces Distilled beverage, spirits, wines, and non-alcoholic apéritifs. From its signature produ ...
and is majority owner of El Espolón tequila brands. Moreira a billionaire attorney, business magnate and investor in the coffee, wine, rum, and bourbon industry as
Chair of the Board
The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
of
JAB Holding Company
JAB Holding Company S.à r.l. (JAB or Joh. A. Benckiser) is a German conglomerate, headquartered in Luxembourg, that includes investments in companies operating in the areas of consumer goods, coffee, luxury fashion, animal health, and fast food, ...
.
All Espolón Tequila is made from 100% Blue Weber agave and water from the natural well underneath the brand's distillery in Mexico.
Distillery
The Casa San Nicolas Distillery is located among the agave plantations of the Jalisco Highlands. The distillery was built to Oropeza's specifications.
The distillation process utilizes #2 char American oak barrels, with each agave piña (heart) cooked for 20 – 22 hours and distilled for hours. The water is sourced from 250 meters beneath the Highlands of Jalisco and is unfiltered.
Currently, the four marques of Espolòn are Blanco (silver), Reposado (aged up to 6 months) and Añejo (aged up to 12 months) and Añejo X (aged up to 6 years).
Branding
Espolón's name comes from the "spur" found on the back of the rooster's leg. Espolón has a rooster icon named Ramón, whose image can be viewed on the Blanco and Añejo X marque.
Espolón's overall label art features a
woodcut
Woodcut is a relief printing technique in printmaking. An artist carves an image into the surface of a block of wood—typically with gouges—leaving the printing parts level with the surface while removing the non-printing parts. Areas that ...
illustration. There is variation between the artwork used in the brand's domestically and internationally distributed bottles. Labels are inspired by
José Guadalupe Posada
José Guadalupe Posada Aguilar (2 February 1852 – 20 January 1913) was a Mexican political printmaker who used relief printing to produce popular illustrations. His work has influenced numerous Latin American artists and cartoonists becaus ...
, a 19th century artist. Each image displays important detail of Mexican history.
Espolón's Tequila Blanco pays tribute to Mexico's Independence Day, Tequila Reposado displays a marketplace, a place that "holds special importance in Mexican history," Añejo Tequila displays the
Jarabe Tapatio
The Mexican hat dance, also known as ''Jarabe Tapatío'', is the national dance of Mexico. It originated as a courtship dance in Guadalajara, Jalisco, during the 19th century, although its elements can be traced back to the Spanish ''zambra'' and ...
, a form of protest shortly after the Mexican Revolution, and Extra Añejo Tequila keeps "with the traditional Mexican belief that will all death comes a celebration of renewed life" with a display of a burial ground.
Awards
Blanco
* 2016
International Wine and Spirit Competition
The International Wine & Spirit Competition is an annual wine and spirit competition founded in 1969 by the German/British oenologist Anton Massel. Each year the competition receives entries from over 90 List of wine producing countries, countrie ...
: Bronze
* 2016
San Francisco World Spirits Competition
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition was founded in 2001 by Anthony Dias Blue as an off-shoot of the San Francisco International Wine Competition. It assesses hundreds of entrants annually (1,407 in 2013 from 63 countries) with tastings i ...
: Silver
* 2016 Ultimate Spirits Competition: Strong Recommendation
* 2012 International Wine and Spirit Competition: Silver
[Espolón Tequila - Login Page]
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* 2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition: Double Gold - "Best Silver Tequila"
References
{{reflist
Campari brands
Tequila
Mexican brands
Products introduced in 1998