🥃 Patrón

Patrón is a Mexican tequila brand produced at Hacienda Patrón in Atotonilco el Alto, Jalisco. According to the brand's website, the tequila is made from 100% Weber blue agave. Since 30 April 2018 Bacardi has been the sole owner of Patrón Spirits International AG, and the main expressions are bottled at 40% ABV.

History. The brand was launched in the late 1980s, reportedly in 1989. Bacardi bought a 30% stake in 2008 and, as the company announced, became the sole owner on 30 April 2018. According to Difford's Guide, the modern Hacienda Patrón has operated since 2006, and in 2018 its capacity was almost doubled by building a mirror copy of the existing distillery.

How it is made. The agave is baked in brick ovens, fermented in wooden vats and distilled in copper stills; in 2007, according to Difford's Guide, there were 78 copper stills, 10 tahona stones, 51 ovens and 169 wooden vats. The Roca range is made only with the tahona, a stone wheel, while Gran Patrón Platinum blends two tequilas: one made with the tahona, the other with a roller mill.

Range. Silver, Reposado, Añejo, Extra Añejo and Cristalino, as well as Gran Patrón, Patrón XO Cafe and Citrónge, which are tequila-based liqueurs.

Why this matters to you. The name "Tequila" is protected, and its zone covers 181 municipalities in five states. The "100% de agave" category means the sugars come only from blue agave. XO Cafe and Citrónge are not tequila but liqueurs. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.