The Process

  

Once the blue agave plant reaches full maturity usually around 8-10 years it is harvested manually (called jimar). Harvested plants look like pineapples (pinas). These pinas are split into 3 to 4 pieces, then stacked in a stone oven and cooked for 3 days. Once cooked they are shredded and placed in tanks (tinas) for fermentation. The slow fermentation process can take up to 10 days. We use this old natural process to keep the traditional flavor. We do not add any sweetener at fermentation, because at harvest time only the fully matured plants are selected. An agave plant at full maturity has natural high sugar content. Once fermented it is distilled, a process where it’s cooked in a cooper pot (olla de cobre). The vapors are transferred to a holding tank and produces Destilado de Agave. This slow pour of destilado de agave that comes out of the holding tank is called el chorrito. As a tradition in Tonaya it is tasted, but instead of using a cup we use a bull’s horn (cuernito). We then age in French oak barrels from 6-12 months for reposado and 12-24 months for anejo.

8 anos maduro:

Blue agave Tequilana Weber at full maturity 8 years.

 

Jimando 1:

A Jimador uses a baraton which is sharpened to cut the Agave pina from the root and all the leaves thus leaving the pina ball.

Pina jimada 2:

Pinas are gathered for easier loading on trucks.

 

Pinas Taberna 3:

Pinas are dropped off at factory to start process.

 

Pinas partidas 4

Pinas are split into 3 to 4 pieces in order stack and cook evenly in oven.
 

Comodan horno 5:

Agave pieces are stacked in oven in order to fit 20 tons for cooking.

Horno cerrado 6:

Stone oven is closed and cooked for 3 days. Furnace sends hot steam to oven.

Agave cocido 7:

After 3 days oven is opened to air out.
 

Agave saca del horno 8:

After  the Agave has cooled down it is taken out to shredding room.

Agave se muele 9:

The Agave pieces are put into a shredding machine. Preparing for fermentation 

 
 

Se llena Petaca 10:

All shredded pieces are put in a basket (petaca) it is used to measure the correct amount of Agave for fermentation.
 

Se llena tina 11:

Basket (petaca’s) filled with shredded Agave is put into tanks(tinas) for fermentation process.
 

Levadura12:

Natural agave juice is used to ferment, no chemicals are added.

Tina fermentando 13:

Tanks are full of Agave fermenting for 7-10 days.  

Destilacion 14:

Once fermented all the Agave is transferred to a underground copper pot for distillation. The copper pot’s burner is turned on and the steam that comes out of the pot is transferred to a holding tank where the steam cools down and converts to liquid. The result is the delicious drink Destilado de Agave.
 

Llenando bariles 15:

After the distillation process, the Destilado de Agave is held in stainless steel tanks, then transferred to oak barrels. 

Barriles lleno 16/ French oak lleno 17:

Barrel is full and will rest for a period of  6-8 months for Reposado and 12-18 months for Anejo.

Botella llena 18:

After the resting period the Destilado de Agave is tasted and if ready, is bottled and labeled.