Two hundred years ago, the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico served as a key battlefront in the Mexican War of Independence. During the struggle, Maria Higinia Gomez served as a consigliere to the Mexican revolutionaries as they fought for their independence against Spanish colonialists. After their victory, the revolutionaries awarded her 10,000 acres of land for her service, most of which she then gave away to other rebels. The remaining 620 acres were handed down from generation to generation and virtually untouched until her great grandson, Iaki Orozco, the founder of Riazul Tequila, inherited the land in the late 1990s. Orozco recognized the the land's high elevation, cool climate and red volcanic soils or tierra roja would give rise to a blue agave that was more aromatic and sweeter than other agave being grown in Jalisco. In addition, Orozco learned that the baby blue agave plants he intended to use known to have higher sugar contents than traditional blue agave plants would release additional nectar when exposed to the plantation's cool climates, resulting in an even more flavorful tequila. After planting 100 initial blue agave shoots, which confirmed his hypothesis, Orozco worked tirelessly to plant another 175,000 shoots. Today, thousands of baby blue agave plants are being harvested on Orozco's plantation at their peak of maturity by expert jimadors. After harvesting the agave, the jimadors steam-bake their pias, or hearts, in ovens for 36 hours before crushing the pias and fermenting the extract. Following fermentation, Riazul Tequila is distilled twice in stainless steel pot stills. Riazul Extra Aejo is made from 100% blue agave, aged for four years, rested in American Oak for three years and finished for an additional year in Oloroso Sherry casks, allowing the tequila to develop opulent, harmonized flavors and aromas. With its lovely amber color, the Riazul Extra Anejo has vanilla aromas jumping from the glass. On the palate sweet agave flavors give way to ripe fruit and spice on the finish.
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