After two-and-a-half years, 177 batches and 27 bottle iterations, the team behind Volcan De Mi Tierra tequila is ready to unveil their spirited creation. Offered in two expressions, Blanco and Cristalino, the tequila is a 50/50 joint venture between Moët Hennessy and the Gallardo family in Mexico. “We have to break the mold,” says Trent Fraser, President and CEO of Volcan De Mi Tierra. “It cannot be a corporate juggernaut, and it’s not going to be that. It’s small and family.”
The brand is tied to the land of its origin: Fraser meticulously chose the property after scouting the Jalisco region, researching and touring properties both physically and virtually. The name (which translates to “land of the volcano”) was chosen after he settled on a space located in the lowlands at the base of Tequila Volcano. “It took a long time to find what we really wanted,” he says. “We wanted to do this the right way; to get something really small, humble and modest that we could build into exactly what we want. It’s a beautiful little property that can make exceptional tequila. Not only is [the land] in our name, it’s in our DNA, it’s in our story.”
Volcan De Mi Cristalino
The agave used to produce Volcan De Mi Tierra Tequila is grown in rich volcanic soil, which covers the land from an eruption over 200,000 years ago. This is what gives the tequila the color and flavor it develops. Fraser teamed up with tequila expert and industry leader Maestra de Tequila Anna Maria Romero Mena to take the reigns in creating the perfect tequila formula. Her 25 years in the tequila making industry and vision of blending the strong, curvaceous flavors from the lowlands with the citrusy, elegant floral flavors of the highlands was key.
“It was my hope to create a spirit that is truly committed to expressing the heart of the agave and terroir from which it came,” says Romero Mena in a press release. She adds, “This is why – unlike many distilleries – we combine agave from the low- and high-lands and embrace the nuances from each region to create a unique style. The result – an authentically complex yet elegant and balanced liquid.”
Both expressions are made of the same blend of lowland and highland agave flavor spectrums, but the Cristalino is aged in oak for 12 months. Although Anejos are typically a dark caramel color, the color is extracted from the Cristalino version, leaving a spirit that looks clear but tastes of caramel, vanilla and hints of coffee. Volcan De Mi Tierra Blanco boasts a more fresh, brighter flavor palette of citrus and floral notes. “[Blanco] might feel a little bit more cocktail or lifestyle party,” says Fraser, “versus this one [Cristalino] you can certainly sip before, during and after dinner.”
Fraser’s passion and pride in the liquid are evident in his mannerisms as details about the process it takes to make such an authentic product continue to flow out of him. He’s not ashamed to admit, with a laugh, that his attempt to help out with hand placing labels onto each bottle was a fail. “I was really bad and they got rid of me,” he admits. It’s okay. Leave that part to the experts, Fraser.
Volcan will soon be available in seven cities across the United States and in five cities across Mexico.
