Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/116044
TEQUILA More than a Beautiful Bottle: Clase Azul O nce upon a time, Clase Azul tequila perplexed bartenders. The tall, curvy bottle looked more likely to contain a genie than tequila. With silver agave etched in the heart and floral patterns throughout, the handmade bottle is quite simply a piece of art. Unfortunately, bartenders initially said the handcrafted decanter was too cumbersome. "The original idea was to create a bottle that the consumers could keep and reuse after they drink the tequila," says Arturo Lomeli, master distiller for Clase Azul. "My vision was to create something decorative that you'd love to see around your home. Consumers adapted to the idea and raved about the bottles. Retailers and bartenders, on the other hand, had difficulty handling it." Since then, bartenders and retailers have acquiesced to consumer demand and realized the attractive Clase Azul bottle gets the customer's foot in the door, but it's the tequila that hits the homerun. Using only nine- to 10-year-old organic agave grown in the Jalisco highlands, the region's cooler temperature brings out the "inulina," which turns into sugar after the agave is cooked in the brick ovens. After a thorough cooking, the agave cools down for seven hours, where the sour juices are extracted. "This is a piece of the process that gives Clase Azul such a distinct flavor," Lomeli says. "The average person will tell you that tequila will always have a burn when it hits your palate. I've broken that tradition or expectation of the consumer by creating tequila that is enjoyable to drink." This distinction doesn't come without hard work and dedication, though. Lomeli explains, "Developing the flavor profile for Clase Azul has been a labor of love, requiring patience and undying passion for something unique. From the agave we select to the extended cooking time in brick ovens, to our proprietary yeast used during fermentation, we stay true to our values of making tequila that is different and simply tastes better." It's not all about appearance. Clase Azul is so much more than just a pretty bottle; it's a tequila made for sipping. 23