OUR
PROCESS
PLANTATION
The agave selected for the Prefiero Tequila portfolio is cultivated and matured in mineral-rich volcanic soils in the Jalisco highlands. Care is taken to ensure that the piñas mature for at least seven, sometimes nine, years before jimadores harvest them. This brings the piñas to peak sugar content, imparting a naturally sweet flavor to every Prefiero expression.
JIMA
The process of separating the unusable leaves and stalks from the agave once it has reached proper maturity, in preparation for cooking.
COOKING
Cooking a batch of agave piñas in the brick ovens takes approximately 24 to 36 hours, depending on the size of the oven and the number of piñas.
MILLING
Once cooked, the roasted agave is milled to extract the sugars from the fibers.
EXTRACTION
The diffuser allows us to extract sugars from the agave gently. Before extraction, the raw material is prepared such that the agave fiber is fully exposed, ensuring that when it comes into contact with water, we can extract as much sugar as possible.
FERMENTATION
In this phase of the process, the sugars present in the musts are transformed by the action of the yeasts into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. At this stage, other compounds will also be formed that will contribute to the final sensory characteristics of tequila.
FILTRATION
The filtration of a tequila itself is the process of separating solid particles present in the tequila.
DISTILLATION
The first distillation is carried out in distillation columns. In this step, water is removed and the alcohol is concentrated from the fermented must. Depending on the brand, the second distillation is done in stills to obtain a tequila with an alcohol range between 55-65%.
AGING
Añejo must age strictly in barrels, most commonly American white oak. Maturation must be no less than 12 months and up to 35 months in barrels.
BOTTLING
100% agave tequila must be bottled by the manufacturer within the area protected by the Denominación de Origen.
