El Jimador Tequila

Spanish

El Jimador Tequila

Tequila is only as good as the men who make it, the Jimadors.

Jimador is the name given to a master harvester of the agave plants

used to make tequila.These proud workers, whose skills have been

passed down for generations, are the heart of el Jimador Tequila. It is

their hard work and their proud dedication to craftsmanship - knowing

precisely the right time when the agave is ready to be harvested -

that is the inspiration. And, it's to them that every glass of el Jimador

Tequila is toasted. Salud

To know the story of el Jimador tequila, you must go back to the

origin of tequila in the time of the Aztecs. As with any legendary

creation, myths about tequila's true origin abound. And, while no myth

can be proven- that's what makes them myths- they are

entertaining.

One such myth revolves around Mayahuel, the Aztec Goddess of

Fertility. It was claimed that she was the source of the agave. She's

also credited with being the mother of the Centzontotochin, a group of

four hundred divine rabbits. Myths are funny like that.

According to the story, Mayahuel was the woman who discovered the

method of cutting the agave, collecting the aguamiel (sap,

sometimes known as "honeywater"), and fermenting it. One day,

Mayahuel, a farmer's wife, was chasing rabbits out of a field of agave,

which they were eating. As she was doing this, she noticed that one

rabbit didn't run and instead hopped in circles around her. Mayahuel

got the idea to chop up the agave hearts and collect some of the

aguamiel in a jar and let it sit in her house to ferment and later

become a variation on tequila. Because of this discovery, Mayahuel

was made the goddess of the maguey and is depicted by the Aztecs

sitting in the middle of a maguey plant, often with a rabbit nearby.

Another legend says the Aztecs discovered the fermented sap of the

agave plant after lightning struck an agave field. The plants burned

and out of their hearts flowed an aromatic, fermented nectar, a "gift

from the gods," which is believed to be the precursor to modern day

tequila.

It doesn't matter which mythical tale you believe, or if you believe any

of them. What does matter is that tequila was created and we can all

believe in great tequila.

While many legends exist surrounding the origin of tequila, what isn't

left to myth is that Casa Herradura was created in 1870. Casa

Herradura is the original distillery where el Jimador Tequila is

produced in Amatitán, Jalisco, México. The name Herradura came

from Aurelio Lopez Rosales, a young man who grew up working at

Hacienda San Jose del Refugio (which would later become Casa

Herradura) where the tequila made there helped provide for the

people. According to locals, one day Aurelio was out inspecting the

agave fields when he saw the glint of gold on the dusty ground in the

distance. When he picked up the gleaming object, he found that it

was simply a horseshoe that had caught the sunlight at the perfect

angle. It may not have been gold, but the horseshoe is a symbol of

luck. And Spanish for "horseshoe" is Herradura. So, as the story goes,

the distillery was justly named Casa Herradura.

And thankfully in 1994, Casa Herradura created a tequila inspired by

the people who live and work at the hacienda. That tequila was

named el Jimador. Its wide appeal made it the number one selling

tequila in México just five years after the first bottle was produced.

Production of all el Jimador tequilas begins in the agave fields where

the blue Weber agave plant grows. The soil in the area surrounding

the region of Amatitán where this particular agave plant grows, is

unique in that it's enriched with minerals from the Tequila Volcano.

When the agave has matured enough to be harvested (it takes

approximately 10 years), the skilled workers known as Jimadors slice

off the leaves using coas, special sharp cutting tools, to get to the

piñas, or "pineapples," which weigh an average of 75 lbs (34 kg) but

can get up to 250 lbs (113 kg) or more.

The Jimadors bring the piñas in from the fields, chop them up one-

by-one and strategically stack the pieces inside traditional, decades-

old ovens made of brick and stone, each holding 45 tons of agave.

The piñas are steamed for 24 hours, then cooled before being

crushed in huge mills to extract the sweet juices.

This rich juice, known as "mosto," is transferred to open-air tanks

where natural, air-borne yeasts from agave plants and citrus trees

located on the hacienda, spark the fermentation process.

After fermentation, the juice is distilled two separate times and rested

in white oak barrels for varying lengths of time, depending on

expressions, or types, of tequila.

Mexican government standards define Blanco as being aged no more

than 2 months; Reposado as being aged a minimum of 2 months in

oak barrels; and Añejo aged a minimum of 12 months.

It is this story of real tequila, the history, the dedication to processes

and the craftsmanship required of the Jimadors, that is the inspiration

of el Jimador tequila. Nice tribute, right?

HISTORY ICONS

Jimador. Agave harvester. His skills in the agave fields make el

Jimador tequila what it is.

The horseshoe, "Herradura" in Spanish, is the symbol of good fortune

and the name of the distillery, Casa Herradura, where el Jimador is

produced. It's also the name of the world's finest ultra premium

tequila available.

Paloma, or dove, is a symbol of prosperity. Paloma also happens to

be the name of the authentic tequila cocktail, the most popular way

it's consumed in México. Lucky cocktail.

are linked to Mayahuel, the goddess of agave, in Aztecan

myth. Aztec lore also says there were 400 rabbit gods, each

representing a different type of liveliness. Silly rabbits.

Snakes are symbols of power. They were also claimed to be protectors

of the agave and citrus fields that create the natural yeasts that

ferment tequila.

PROCESS ICONS

el Jimador tequila is made using only blue Weber

agave plants harvested in Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of

Jalisco, where Amatitán and Casa Herradura are located. See the rules

on being officially considered authentic tequila by the Tequila

Regulatory Council.*

*Spanish only. Lo siento.

Coa, the sharp, hoe-like tool used by Jimadors, agave farmers, for

harvesting agave plants.

The Heart is symbolic of the labor of love that goes into crafting el

Jimador tequila.

Boots are a common component of outfits worn by traditional

mariachis (originally from Jalisco, México) during Mexican-related

occasions, such as National Tequila Day and Cinco de Mayo, as well as

many others.

Working hand. This icon symbolizes the craftsmanship that goes into

every step of el Jimador's production.

White oak barrels give el Jimador Reposado its golden color. Other

"tequilas" use dyes. That's the difference between looking gold and

being gold.

CELEBRATION ICONS

Lime, or "Limón" in Spanish, is a key ingredient used in tequila

cocktails to add zest or simply as a garnish.

Guitarrón, or "little guitar," is the small acoustic bass used in

traditional mariachi bands. Ay ay ay!

Trumpets. One of the usual 8 instruments in a Mariachi band (3

violins, 2 trumpets, one Spanish guitar, one vihuela [a high-pitched,

five-string guitar], and one guitarrón).

Accordion. Also known as the squeezebox, the accordion is a

characteristic instrument in Norteño music, which is popular in México

and the US and has a Mexican country sound that has been

modernized with stronger beats and instrumentation.

Tuba. It's a deep wind instrument popularized in Banda style music,

which is a brass-base form of traditional Mexican music, that is even

more fun to enjoy with an el Jimador cocktail.

Sombreros. Sombrero comes from "sombre," which means shadow in

Spanish. Sombrero hats originated in México. They're designed to

cast a shadow over the head and protect from the sun.

Jimmy. Nickname for ordering el Jimador when you know Jimmy like a

friend.

Cuco. The real tequila-dispensing donkey who you'll meet if you visit

the Casa Herradura hacienda. He carries mini barrels of el Jimador

tequila to be sampled by visitors. Back in the day, donkeys carried

the harvested agave in from the fields