Distilleries in Tequila, Jalisco: Which Ones to Visit and How to Choose
Hola Tequila Tour •
In and around Tequila town there are dozens of distilleries, from century-old houses with polished tours to family operations that still crush agave with a stone wheel. The best way to choose is to decide first what you want to see: a big operation with history and a shop, or the process at human scale. If you can, visit one of each.
This page explains the difference, lists the best-known distilleries and walks through the process so you understand what you are looking at. To plan the rest of the day, see the complete guide to Tequila town.
Big houses or artisanal distilleries
The big houses run tours on a fixed schedule, with guides, well-staged tastings and a shop. You see a modern operation inside buildings with a lot of history. They are comfortable and work very well for a first visit.
Artisanal distilleries are smaller and smell of cooked agave. There you see the ovens, the milling, the fermentation vats and the stills up close. Less polished, but you learn more about the process.
Best-known distilleries in Tequila town
- La Rojeña (José Cuervo): right downtown, considered the oldest operating distillery in Latin America. Tours start from Mundo Cuervo, facing the main square.
- Casa Sauza: the La Perseverancia distillery, acquired by Cenobio Sauza in the 19th century. It offers distillery tours and an agave garden.
- Fortaleza: a small distillery run by the Sauza family that still uses a stone tahona and masonry ovens. Tours require a reservation.
- La Cofradía: a tequila house known for its ceramic bottles, with tours and lodging on the property.
Distilleries near town
- Casa Herradura, in Amatitán: the old Hacienda San José del Refugio, with the ruins of its original distillery next to the modern one.
- Tequila Cascahuín, in El Arenal: a family distillery highly regarded by tequila lovers.
Hours, prices and booking rules change often, so confirm them directly with each house before you go.
What you see on a tour: how tequila is made
Tequila is made from blue agave (Agave tequilana Weber, blue variety). The process has six steps:
- Jima: agave takes several years to mature. The jimador cuts off the leaves with a coa and keeps the piña, the heart of the plant.
- Cooking: the piñas are cooked in masonry ovens or autoclaves, turning starches into sugars.
- Milling: the juice is extracted. Traditional distilleries use a tahona, a stone wheel; modern ones use a shredder.
- Fermentation: the juice, called mosto, ferments in vats for several days.
- Distillation: the mosto is distilled, usually twice, in copper pot stills or columns.
- Aging: the tequila is bottled as blanco or rests in oak barrels.
The types of tequila you will taste
- Blanco: little or no time in barrel. The most direct agave flavor.
- Reposado: at least two months in oak.
- Añejo: at least one year in oak.
- Extra añejo: at least three years in oak.
Look for "100% de agave" on the label. Tequila without it is called mixto and can contain up to 49% sugars from other sources.
Tips for visiting distilleries
- Book the big houses ahead on weekends and in high season.
- Eat something before the tastings.
- Buy at the distillery shop: that is where you find editions that rarely reach other cities.
- If you are flying home, ask the shop about packaging for checked bottles.
Distilleries on the tour from Guadalajara
The tour from Guadalajara you can book here combines both worlds: a guided tasting of blanco, reposado and añejo at Tequilera Don Valente, and a visit to the Tres Mujeres artisanal distillery and its underground cellar. It also includes an agave field with a jima demonstration, free time in the Magic Town and cantaritos in Amatitán. It leaves daily at 11:30 AM and starts at $490 MXN per person. The tour is guided in Spanish. The tour is operated by Guatequi Tours; bookings are handled by Hola Tequila Tour.
If you have not decided how to get there, compare the options in how to get to Tequila from Guadalajara.