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“Herradura has some great stories to tell which we are certain travelling consumers will enjoy discovering.“ |
Jim Perry Vice President and Managing Director for Travel Retail Brown-Forman |
US/MEXICO. Ever since US spirits giant Brown-Forman Corp acquired Casa Herradura for US$876 million in January 2007, liquor-watchers and drinkers have had even higher hopes for what is already Mexico’s best-selling tequila brand.
Earlier this month, the brand – whose symbol is a lucky horseshoe – literally galloped onto the world scene. The venue for its international debut was the Kentucky Derby, the world-renowned horse race held on Brown-Forman’s home turf in Louisville, Kentucky. This year was the tenth year that the company’s Woodford Reserve held the accolade of ‘The Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby’. But Herradura was not an also-ran at this year’s event, taking the title of ‘Official Tequila of the Kentucky Derby’.
Jim Perry, Brown-Forman’s Vice President and Managing Director for Travel Retail, told The Moodie Report: “We had a lot of fun emphasising the horseshoe on the label as a good luck charm in betting on the Derby. And Tim Laird, our Chief Entertaining Officer, went on radio and television shows talking about Herradura.”
There certainly seems to be a lucky streak running through this brand, as Wine Enthusiast magazine selected Casa Herradura as “Distiller of the Year” at its 2007 Annual Wine Star Awards competition. Casa Herradura is the first tequila distillery to win this prestigious award.
Speaking about the accolade at the time, Herradura Brands Managing Director John Hayes enthused: “We are honoured that Wine Enthusiast has selected Casa Herradura as the 2007 Distiller of the Year. At Brown-Forman, we will be toasting the eight generations of the Romo family, the founders of Tequila Herradura, and everyone at Casa Herradura for making us so proud.”
Casa Herradura was selected for its outstanding contributions to the world of spirits, with special attention to achievements gained in 2007, when Casa Herradura received multiple medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Tequila Herradura and el Jimador, its sister brand.
Casa Herradura’s debut at the Kentucky Derby – it’s so high profile that Hillary Clinton placed a bet on the only filly in the competition – is a long way from the brand’s humble roots.
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Left: The four-strong Casa Herradura product range features horseshoes on the labels. Herradura created the first Reposado and Extra Añejo tequilas. Right: A Mexican jimador prepares to cut an agave plant in the fields | |
Founded by Ambrosio Rosales and Aurelio Lopez in 1870, Casa Herradura is one of the oldest producers of tequila. Located and produced in the heart of Mexico’s tequila region, in the tiny town of Amatitan, Jalisco, near Guadalajara, Tequila Herradura is 100% blue agave tequila hand-crafted using traditional methods, such as cooking the agave in clay ovens and fermenting naturally with wild yeast.
Tequila Herradura is all-natural and estate bottled, and the sophisticated process is designed to produce a rich, smooth taste.
The Moodie Report visited the estate last month to see the brand makers in action and was struck by the calm atmosphere of the location, which was originally founded by a priest. The only evidence of the workers, called jimadors, toiling in the agave fields were their lunch-boxes swinging from the fences inside the estate.
How Herradura is made
The key to producing fine 100% blue agave tequila begins with the most fundamental aspects, Herradura believes. The all-natural process begins from the ground up, as blue agave springs from the rich soil, offering a colourful landscape. After seven to eight years of meticulous care, only the most mature and healthy agaves are harvested and production begins.
At Casa Herradura, tequila production is described as an art form. Traditional methods are respected and are considered keys to the brand’s success. By deviating from accelerated methods and showing a willingness to digress from established techniques, Tequila Herradura has been able to distinguish itself as one of the best tequilas in the world.
Tequila Herradura slowly steam-cooks the harvested agaves in traditional stone clay ovens, allowing the starches to convert into sugars. After a cooling period, the cooked agaves are ready for fermentation.
The agave juices are then extracted using an all-natural fermentation process, unlike other tequilas that use commercial yeasts to speed up fermentation. Only naturally occurring airborne yeasts within the distillery and nutrients influence the process, giving Tequila Herradura its distinct flavour. After fermentation, Tequila Herradura distills the remaining agave juice twice, cutting the heads and tails during both distillations to leave only the purest possible tequila for ageing.
As industry innovators, Tequila Herradura experimented with ageing tequila after a trip to Cognac in the 1960s, where they learned of the effect that barrel contact had on the taste of fine spirits. Tequila Herradura introduced the first Reposado in 1974 and several years later the first Extra Añejo. Today Tequila Herradura is the largest barrel holder in Mexico, using the finest American oak barrels.
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Left: The harvested agaves are slowly steam-cooked in traditional stone clay ovens; Right: Tequila Herradura is the largest barrel holder in Mexico, using the finest American oak barrels for ageing | |
Product range
Tequila Herradura’s pioneering history is marked by several noteworthy product firsts: Casa Herradura introduced the first Reposado to the commercial market in 1974 and then produced the first ever Extra Añejo (extra old), Selección Suprema, in 1995. Today the portfolio of ultra-premium products comprises:
Herradura Silver: Aged for 45 days in American oak barrels, the oak gives a light straw colour and hint of vanilla with a warm finish. Described as ideal for margarita cocktails, Herradura Silver is smooth with a rich flavour of agave. SRP: US$38 for a 750ml bottle.
Herradura Reposado: Aged for 11 months, nine months longer than required by Mexican law, Herradura Reposado is deep in colour with a cinnamon and oak aroma for a rich, smooth and mild taste. It can enhance various meals and can be enjoyed mixed or neat. SRP: US$42 for a 750ml bottle.
Herradura Añejo: Aged for 25 months, 13 months longer than the industry standard, the spirit has a deep copper colour hinting at its oaky, spicy taste. Enjoyed like a fine Cognac or bourbon, Herradura Añejo is billed as one of the world’s finest ultra-premium spirits. SRP: US$49 for a 750ml bottle.
Herradura Selección Suprema: Aged for more than 49 months in American oak barrels, Casa Herradura introduced the first Extra Añejo, Selección Suprema, in 1995. Very dark copper in colour with an intense aroma of brown spice and floral notes, this tequila gives a creamy, soft finish with a long aftertaste. The result is a complex, world-class sipping tequila. SRP: US$350 for a 750ml bottle.
Casa Herradura in travel retail
Speaking of the brand’s travel retail plans, Brown-Forman Vice President and Managing Director for Travel Retail Jim Perry explained: “Herradura has a very strong franchise with Mexican consumers and we will continue to build upon it during 2008. Of course, we will continue targeting US consumers travelling to and from Mexico and we are very excited with our plans to establish a presence for Herradura in selected domestic markets like Greece, for example.”
On the brand’s major markets, Perry added: “The key travel retail markets for Herradura are Mexico and US duty free. However, as the whole premium tequila category continues to grow and consumers become more aware of the superb quality and taste of premium tequila, we see excellent opportunities in the European markets.”
New brand marketing initiatives in airports are still being finalised. “We are focusing our marketing efforts in 2008 on cementing and improving the already great displays we have for Herradura in Mexican airport locations,” said Perry. “Herradura has some great stories to tell which we are certain travelling consumers will enjoy discovering. We are currently working on the best ways to bring these stories and brand experiences to life so that our strategy of delivering memorable and captivating brand experiences at the point of purchase is achieved in the way we market Herradura.”
About Casa Herradura
Casa Herradura is one of the oldest and most respected producers of tequila. Founded by Ambrosio Rosales and Aurelio Lopez in 1870, Tequila Herradura is located and produced in the heart of Mexico’s tequila region, in the tiny town of Amatitan, Jalisco, just outside Guadalajara. Tequila Herradura is 100% blue agave tequila hand-crafted using traditional methods, such as cooking the agave in clay ovens and fermenting naturally with wild yeast. Tequila Herradura is all-natural and estate bottled.
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MORE STORIES ON CASA HERRADURA
Brown-Forman closes Herradura deal – 30/01/07
Brown-Forman buys Herradura in US$876 million deal – 29/08/06
