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Herradura Reposado (gold) tequila is aged for 11 months in white oak barrels |
MEXICO. Casa Herradura, the leading tequila producer in Mexico, is introducing new flavoured lines for younger drinkers while expanding its duty free distribution in Asia and the rest of the world.
Casa Herradura Duty Free Manager Alejandro Del Río Nicolau told The Moodie Report that the company had launched three flavours in the new Suave 35 range – citrus, mandarin and normal – targeted at 18 to 25 year olds.
The 35%abv, 100% agave product is presented in a round bottle in 750cl and 950cl sizes and will retail from US$18 to US$22. The subtly-flavoured lines are already sold in US duty free stores, thanks to the company’s US distributor Alexander James.
According to Del Río Nicolau, the law had recently permitted the production of flavoured tequilas and Casa Herradura was among the first producers to launch such products.
Casa Herradura in travel retail
Casa Herradura’s tequilas are sold in 56 countries, including a major presence worldwide in duty free. Among the leading travel retailers who stock the brand are Dufry, DFS Group, Aldeasa, Operadora Aero Boutiques, UETA, The Nuance Group and King Power Thailand.
Alexander James handles the brand in the US duty free market, while the company’s Caribbean agent is Stansfield Scott.
Military supply is a growing market for the brand. The company supplies AAFES in Germany and, from this year, it will begin supplying NATO air force bases in Canada with NATEX.
Del Río Nicolau has high hopes for the Casa Herradura brand in Asian duty free, where drinkers appreciate premium products such as fine wines and Cognac. The range is already sold in the Japanese, Chinese and Hong Kong domestic markets, as well as New Zealand and Australia.
The company is not yet present in Africa and is seeking distributors for that market.
The Casa Herradura product range
All Casa Herradura lines are double-distilled and made with 100% agave. The collection comprises:
Selección Suprema: Awarded Best Tequila at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2000, the limited-edition super-premium line is aged for five years and is described as the “XO of tequila”. It is presented in a Cognac-style bottle. Retailing at about US$250, it is carried in duty free stores operated by Dufry, Aldeasa and Aero Boutiques.
Hacienda del Cristero: The 40%abv tequila blanco is dubbed “the most refined Silver Tequila in the world” and is presented in a French-made frosted bottle. Launched in 2000, the product was created as a tribute to a member of the Romo de la Peña dynasty who took part in the Cristero Revolution at the beginning of the last century.
El Jimador Añejo: Launched in 1998, the naturally coloured brown tequila is 38% and 40%abv, presented in a square bottle with a metal label. The el Jimador brand is the best-selling tequila in Mexico.
Herradura Añejo: Introduced in 1962, the 40%abv Herradura Añejo is aged for two years in white oak barrels. The dark amber spirit comes in a square bottle and is one of Casa Herradura’s best selling lines worldwide.
Herradura Reposado: Casa Herradura created the first ever Reposado (gold) tequila. The 40%abv amber-coloured spirit is aged for 11 months in white oak barrels and comes in a round bottle.
Antiguo de Herradura: Described as a premium, soft Reposado, the 40%abv spirit is aged for four months. The product is available in cylindrical bottles, harking back to the distillery’s original presentation.
Herradura Blanco 46°: Dubbed the connoisseurs’ tequila, the product was created in 1870, making it the oldest in the range. It is the only white tequila with 46%abv in the Mexican and international market.
Herradura Silver: Herradura Silver is the only white tequila aged in oak barrels for 40 days, achieving a light amber colour. It has an international presence.
Jimador Reposado: The amber-coloured product, aged for two months, is a sales leader in Mexico and has an international presence.
Jimador Blanco: The accessibly priced 40%abv white tequila, said to be ideal for mixing, targets young, trendsetting consumers seeking a high quality, high value proposition, according to the company.
About Casa Herradura
Founded in 1870, family-owned Casa Herradura began its tequila production in the Amatitan Valley in the foothills of Tequila Mountain. The company name derives from the word “horseshoe”, as horseshoes were considered to bring good fortune. The Herradura brand was registered as a trademark in the early 1920s; now Casa Herradura is the leading tequila company in Mexico. The company combines traditional processes and modern technological production systems and has been a pioneer in producing the first aged tequila, the first extra-aged limited-edition tequila and the first ready-to-drink tequila-based beverages. Herradura tequila is double-distilled for filtration and for creating its aromas.
Some 20 million litres are produced by the distillery each year, with 80% of sales in Mexico. Export sales are made to 56 countries. Alexander James handles the brand in the US duty free market, while the Caribbean duty free agent is Stansfield Scott. In domestic markets, the company’s products are popular in Russia, Greece, Italy and Spain, among others.
Casa Herradura has won many awards for its products, including the Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2005 and 2004 for Selección Suprema and a Double Gold Medal at the same competition for Herradura Reposado in 2001 and 2003. El Jimador Añejo took Silver at the 2004 San Francisco contest.
For details, contact Alejandro Del Río Nicolau, Duty Free Manager, Casa Herradura, Comercio 172-1 Col Mexicaltzingo, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico 44180, tel: +52 55 1940 0389, fax: +52 33 3942 3956, e-mail alejandrodelrio@herradura.com.mx Visit www.herradura.com
