IL - Spirits Portfolio

AGAVE TEQUILA

EL DESTILADOR MEXICO Triple distilled, 100% blue agave. Established in 1946 by Senor Enrique Guillermo Newton Alexanderson, it has grown into one of the most respected Tequilerias in the region. El Destilado Silver 80PF / 1.0L El Destilador is triple distilled 100% pure blue agave tequila. Its pleasant flavor recalls wood and raw agave notes. El Destilado Tequila Blanco High Proof 99PF / 1.0L High proof Blanco, amazing for cocktails. Exceptional quality, premium tequila. Clean aroma and pleasant flavors of cooked agave and fine wood. El Destilado Reposado 80PF / 1.0L Aged in fine white oak casks, clean nose, pleasant flavor, full bodied with legs. ELVELO TEQUILA MEXICO, JALISCO ElVelo Tequila celebrates the distinctive character of the Tequila Valley – 100% Puro de Agave, sourced entirely from its Volcanic-Rich soils. Conceived in collaboration with second-generation Master Distiller Carlos Hernandez Ramos of La Cofradia and thought-leading craft cocktail bartenders, with the goal of producing a Tequila that makes the very best cocktails – from the Margarita to the Paloma, to the Rosita, and beyond. ElVelo comes in both 750mL and 1L bar-friendly formats, higher proof at 44.5% ABV, traditionally produced (no diffusers, autoclaves, additives, etc…), unadulterated, BIG and BOLD Valley profile Tequila. Confirmed Additive Free, by Tequila Matchmaker. ElVelo Tequila Blanco 89PF / 750ML / 1.0L 100% Puro de Agave, sourced entirely from the Tequila Valley, Unaged and bottled at 44.5% ABV. ElVelo Tequila Reposado 89PF / 750ML / 1.0L 100% Puro de Agave, sourced entirely from the Tequila Valley, matured for at least 2 months in Ex-Jack Daniels barrels, and bottled at 44.5% ABV.

CAZCANES TEQUILA MEXICO, JALISCO Cazcanes Tequila is named after the Caxcan ― the last indigenous Mexicans to be conquered by the Spaniards. Their lineup of tequila is based on an old recipe found in a moonshine still in the jungle. It’s crafted with traditional methods, using artesian well water from deep underground and ripe blue Weber agaves that grow in volcanic soil. After the agave hearts are cooked and crushed, they are left to ferment naturally. Then, the juice is distilled using alembic stills. Cazcanes No. 7 Blanco Organic 80PF / 750ML Cazcanes Tequila Blanco No.7 is an 80-proof version of our award-winning tequila produced using lowland agave (Valle agave). Cazcanes No. 7 Reposado Organic 80PF / 750ML Crafted by Cazcanes Tequila Master Distiller Collin Edwards, this expression is made from mature blue Weber agaves and artesian well water from deep underground. After being rested in oak, the award-winning tequila is bottled at 80-proof. Cazcanes No. 7 Añejo Organic 80PF / 750ML This tequila is based on an ancient recipe found in a jungle still. After the ripe blue Weber agaves are harvested, they are cooked, crushed, fermented, and distilled using traditional methods. After resting for an extended period of time in American white oak casks, the tequila is bottled at 80-proof. Cazcanes No. 9 Blanco Organic 100PF / 750ML This tequila was the first Blanco to be crafted by Master Distiller Collin Edwards. It’s distilled from ripe blue Weber agaves and has won some of the most prestigious awards and medals, including a Double Gold Medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Cazcanes No. 10 Blanco Still Strength Organic 108PF / 750ML Cazcanes No. 10 Still Strength Blanco Tequila is a mouthwatering 108-proof spirit in its handmade glass bottle.

TECHNICALLY ALL TEQUILA IS A TYPE OF MEZCAL, BUT NOT ALL MEZCAL IS A TEQUILA... TEQUILA: must be made in one of the 5 certified states in Mexico but is primarily made in Jalisco state. MEZCAL: can be made in one of 11 approved states in Mexico.

WHY ARE THEY DIFFERENT?: 1) They’re made with different kinds of agave.

Mezcal can be made from more than 30 varieties of agave. According to spirits writer Chris Tunstall, the most common varieties of agave used for mezcal are tobalá, tobaziche, tepeztate, arroqueño and espadín, which is the most common agave and accounts for up to 90% of mezcal. 2) They’re distilled differently. Both tequila and mezcal are made from the harvested core of the agave plant, otherwise known as the “piña.” However, that’s where the similarities in production end. Tequila is typically produced by steaming the agave inside industrial ovens before being distilled two or three times in copper pots. Mezcal, on the other hand, is cooked inside earthen pits that are lined with lava rocks and filled with wood and charcoal before being distilled in clay pots. While some large-scale mezcal producers have adopted modern methods, artisanal mezcal makers continue to use this more traditional method, which is the source of the smokiness commonly associated with mezcal. — Food & Wine

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