The original factory, known as Taberna, was built in 1870 and stayed in full operation until 1963. The agave, trees, and other plants on the Casa’s grounds naturally produce the yeast that ferments Herradura’s tequila. Each plant adds its own unique piece to the un-replicable signature the valley’s flora leaves on the tequila. As the early sun rises, a group of men known as jimadors, trained by those who came before them, head out into the fields surrounding Casa Herradura with one single tool: the coa. GIANT OVENS MADE OF BRICK AND STONE LINE AN AREA OF THE CASA. EACH DAY, WORKERS CRAWL THROUGH THE OVENS’ DOORS AND CAREFULLY HAND-STACK THE HARVESTED AGAVE TO FILL EACH OVEN.
After fermenting, the mosto (agave juice) is heated at lower temperatures than modern production dictates. This allows it to reach a lower proof so that the complex flavor elements of the juice are preserved. The mosto is distilled twice reducing it to a point where only the best alcohol is preserved. All of Herradura’s expressions with the exception of Blanco which is only available in Mexico, are aged in charred American White Oak barrels to provide more robust flavor with each and every sip. The longer the tequila is aged the more warm and oaky the flavor.