The Tasting Panel magazine

I n today's environmentally conscious world, storied brands and companies are trading up to modern tech- nologies and strategies that allow them to compete in a newly-spawned green marketplace. But for one historic tequila brand, success in the green category has come by sticking to what they've been doing for the past 200 years: organically farming and cultivating blue agave in the growing fi elds of Jalisco. Welcome to the world of Casa Noble tequila, a fam- ily-owned company founded over two centuries ago in a hacienda surrounded by fi elds of blue agave. By the early 1800s, Casa Noble's "vino mezcal" was popular in Mexico's cosmopolitan areas, transported by mules in wooden bar- rels to places like Mexico City and Guadalajara. Fast for- ward to 2009; modern technology has relieved the mules of their loads, but Casa Noble is still bottling the same bal- anced spirit with a ritualistic deference to tradition that has helped place the brand at the top of the tequila category. Casa Noble still sources all of its agave from the fi elds surrounding the former hacienda—which has been replaced by a state-of-the art distillery—and the brand is unique in its start-to-fi nish overseeing of the harvest-to- bottle process, occurring entirely on the 1,500-acre, pri- vately owned Casa Noble family estate. Through centuries of careful oversight, Casa Noble has remained committed to farming and production practices that have made them a longtime favorite. Now, these traditions have earned the brand a chic new title: Certifi ed Organic. For 200 years, Casa Noble's rich volcanic soil has been cultivated without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, and the brand has relied on a chemical-free fermentation process (thanks to a wild natural yeast culti- vated at the distillery) to ensure that the tequila maintains its authentic, aromatic qualities. But with modern times and technologies, Casa Noble has extended its green prac- tices to include careful monitoring of water sources and using only organic cleaning products on all estate vehicles and tools, steps that have helped the brand expand upon its legacy of success. Although Casa Noble has a strong tradition of . . . well, tradition, the brand is not resistant to change. Casa Noble's portfolio, which features Crystal, Reposado and Añejo expressions, has recently undergone a packaging facelift, with newly-created hand-blown sculpted glass decant- ers and a distinctive new logo, bringing the classic brand into the 21st century with a bang. Furthermore, 2009 has marked the fi rst releases of Casa Noble's ultra-premium Single Barrel Reposado and Single Barrel Añejo; each bottle is numbered, labeled and signed by its makers and possesses a distinctive fl avor profi le unique to its batch. It is changes like these—and long-deserved recognition for time-honored organic traditions—that have helped keep Casa Noble current for over two centuries; more importantly, these modern updates have kept Casa Noble at the top of a very competitive tequila market. The ultra- premium spirit is currently exported to high-end hotels and restaurants in 23 countries and 39 states in the USA, with more markets set to be reached in upcoming months. With a legendary history, a time-perfected product and hip new Organic label, one thing's for sure: for Casa Noble, the best is yet to come. www.casanoble.com The Casa Noble barrel house stands on the family-owned 1,500-acre estate where Casa Noble has been made for over 200 years. september 2009 / the tasting panel / 47 Casa Noble's new super-premium Single Barrel Reposado and Single Barrel Añejo expressions (far right), join the core line: Crystal, Reposado and Añejo.

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