Clase Azul honours Día de Muertos

Luxury Tequila Clase Azul has unveiled the fourth instalment in its annual Nuestros Recuerdos collection, which celebrates Día de Muertos.

As one of Mexico’s most emblematic holidays, Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a celebration that honours departed loved ones, and is observed during the first two days of November. Over the two days, Musicians across Mexico enliven the time with drums, trumpets, guitars and accordions, in a bid to ‘joyfully’ remember those who have passed. As ‘guardians’ of Mexican culture, Clase Azul México aims to highlight and share the elements of the celebrations through ‘captivating’ stories that showcase the magic of ‘an exquisite Mexico’. To mark the fourth year of its celebratory collection, Clase Azul has released Día de Muertos Edición Limitada Música, which consists of 10,000 decanters, and celebrates the sounds and rhythms that embody the festive spirit of Día de Muertos. The Tequila underwent a ‘unique’ 26-month ageing in process that began in American whiskey casks before being split into two batches: one finished in Scotch whisky casks from the Isle of Skye, and the other in casks from the Speyside region. The batches were then recombined to create the limited edition spirit. The result is a Tequila that features aromas of honey, peat smoke, nutmeg and dried plum, along with flavours of peat smoke, honey and cinnamon with hints of chocolate that linger in a smoky finish. “For this edition, I wanted to reinterpret music into sensorial chords to evoke nostalgia, since during Día de Muertos we remember the great moments shared with our loved ones,” explained master distiller Viridiana Tinoco. “Seeking to achieve a harmony of notes with different nuances through the casks, for one part I included smoky notes, which are reminders of candles and incense of this festivity and, for the other, sweet notes [that are] suggestive of the delicacies placed on ofrendas [a table or altar that is decorated and covered with offerings to welcome deceased loved ones during the Day of the Dead celebration].” The Tequila is presented in a plum-coloured one-litre decanter that was designed by Clase Azul Mexico’s creative team and handcrafted at the Milagros de Latón artisan workshop in Tesistán, a community in the state of Jalisco. It has been designed to embody the ‘soft and calming cadence of  Día de Muertos melodies’. On the back of the base, Mexican illustrator David Espinosa, known as ‘el  Dee’, has imagined a gold and lilac scene that represents an eclectic musical ensemble, with skeletal characters and others wearing allegorical masks, who are depicted to be parading to the sound of trumpets, drums, tambourines and bandolóns (a Mexican instrument), in a bid to reflect the diverse musical traditions that are said to resonate throughout Mexico on Día de Muertos. An ornament bathed in 24-karat gold with a fine patina finish, sits upon the decanter as ‘the finishing touch’. Each ornament is composed of almost 40 individual parts cast in 10 separate moulds. Each was assembled and finished by hand in a process which required a week and a half of work. Clase Azul Tequila Día de Muertos Edición Limitada Música is bottled at 40% ABV.

The retail price is US$1,500. A limited number of decanters will be available in the UK via Hedonism on enquiry.