Fortaleza Anejo Tequila

Añejo. Fortaleza — an añejo tequila produced by one of Mexico's most traditionally minded distilleries, using production methods that predate modern industrial tequila by a century: stone/brick oven cooking, 100% tahona stone crushing, copper pot still distillation, and aging in American white oak barrels in the Tequila Valley appellation.

Fortaleza Distillery (NOM 1493) was founded by Guillermo Sauza IV — great-great-grandson of Cenobio Sauza, who founded the original Sauza tequila operation in 1873. After the family sold Sauza to a multinational corporation, Guillermo IV restored the original historic La Perseverancia distillery and returned to the traditional production methods his ancestor used. The result is one of the most process-transparent and authentically traditional tequilas available at any price point.

The tahona wheel — a massive volcanic stone wheel pulled in a circular track to crush the cooked agave pinas — extracts juice more gently and completely than modern roller mills, preserving more agave fiber character in the fermentation. The copper pot stills add additional agave complexity that stainless column stills remove. Together these traditional choices produce a Fortaleza añejo that is richer, more texturally complex, and more agave-forward than industrially produced extra añejos at similar price points.

Specs

• Distillery: Fortaleza (NOM 1493), Tequila Valley, Jalisco, Mexico
• Agave: 100% Blue Weber, Tequila Valley lowland
• Style: Añejo Tequila
• Cooking: Stone/brick oven
• Crushing: 100% tahona stone wheel
• Distillation: Double distilled, copper pot stills
• ABV: 40%
• Size: 750ml

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a tahona wheel? A massive volcanic stone wheel, typically weighing 2–3 tons, pulled in a circular track by a mule or tractor to crush cooked agave pinas. It extracts juice more gently than modern roller mills, preserving more agave fiber character in fermentation and producing a more complex, textured spirit.
• How does Tequila Valley agave differ from Los Altos highland agave? Tequila Valley (lowland) Blue Weber agave grows at lower elevation in volcanic soil and tends toward more herbaceous, earthy, vegetal agave character. Los Altos (highland) agave grows at higher elevation with more mineral content, producing sweeter, fruitier character. Fortaleza's Tequila Valley appellation gives it a distinctly earthier, more traditional tequila profile.