Tequila Viva México

Our process

1.- Harvesting and "Jima"

Guided by the Vivanco Family's experience of more than five generations growing agave, we begin by harvesting blue tequilana weber agave plants between 6 and 8 years of maturity, carefully selected by our field team following the guidelines of Don Feliciano Vivanco. We select only high-quality agaves that will be harvested by the JIMA method, which consists of cutting the stalks with a tool called COA, leaving the agave´s core or "pineapple" ready to be transported from the field to the waiting yards, to then be cooked in masonry ovens. This is one of the steps within the production process most recognized and admired by tequila lovers, due to the respect that the "jimadores" have earned by turning their craft into an art, a most valuable contribution to the tequila industry. Our greatest respect for these extraordinary people.

2.- Cooking

Slow cooking of the pineapples will ensure even cooking of all plants, initiating the conversion of their carbohydrates into sugars and leaving them ready for fermentation, in addition to softening them to facilitate the extraction of sugars in the extraction tandem. The agave plants are cooked in the masonry ovens between 48 and 50 hours and then the cooked pineapples are removed to the extraction area.

3.- Extraction

In the extraction tandem, the cooked agaves are pressed and the bagasse is separated from the agave honey (fresh must). The bagasse is used for composting and the honey is poured into a stainless steel cistern where it will wait its turn for fermentation.

4.- Fermentation

In this very important and fascinating step, the must's sugars are transformed into alcohols. Small amounts of yeast and nutrients are used for this process. These microorganisms go to work capturing the surface oxygen and the must’s sugars to the rhythm of Baroque music. Depending on the weather, this transformation process can take up to 200 hours, spreading its aromas, which we will later enjoy in the glass.

5.- Destillation

Once the microorganisms and the classical music have done their job of converting the honey into alcohol, a double distillation process is carried out: first, all remaining residue is removed, and the resulting alcohols are then "rectified". In the first step, the must is distilled in copper stills producing a first distillate (the "ordinario"), which is separated from unusable alcohols. In the rectification or second step, the "ordinario" is distilled once more to finally obtain tequila in its purest expression.

6.- Aging

In this very important and patient step, the nascent White tequila is invited to rest in oak barrels under controlled conditions of humidity, temperature and light, so that, enhanced by the wood, its own essence may unlock a formidable number of aromas and tasting notes that can only be offered by tequilas produced under such a process.

7.- Bottling

All categories of tequila are then filtered, tasted, supervised for quality consistency and bottled according to different packaging options. Finally, they are ready to brighten the heart and delight the palate. CHEERS, AMIGOS!