Alma del Jaguar Tequila has unveiled its second release, a handcrafted 100% Blue Weber Agave Tequila Reposado that is sustainably produced and confirmed additive-free. Alma del Jaguar was developed with the mission to protect wild jaguars in partnership with Master Distiller Sergio Cruz, tequila expert Adam Fodor and the Vivancos, fifth generation tequila family of Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico.
To craft the Reposado, the base Alma del Jaguar Tequila Blanco is aged in a double barreling process. The tequila is first aged for two months in American white oak bourbon barrels before being rested for an additional month in toasted French oak wine casks. The bourbon barrels were procured from Tennessee and Kentucky, and the French oak wine barrels were procured from a Chardonnay winery in Santa Barbara, California.
Alma del Jaguar Tequila Reposado offers a nose of vanilla, banana, honey, caramel, fruit and orange zest followed by a long finish.
The mission behind Alma del Jaguar was conceived by spirits entrepreneur McCauley Williams, who was inspired by his uncle Rick Williams’ commitment to wild jaguar conservation in northern Mexico. As a wildlife photographer who moved to Mexico in the ‘90s to study wild jaguars, Rick co-founded the Northern Jaguar Project (NJP), a bi-national effort between conservationists from the U.S. and Mexico to preserve and recover the world’s northernmost population of endangered wild jaguars and their unique habitats.
“Tequila is one of Mexico’s most symbolic exports, and it is now the fastest growing spirit in the U.S. due to recent surges in consumer demand,” said McCauley. “We want to use our tequila brand, Alma del Jaguar, to do good and inspire change. Therefore, we will donate a percent of our proceeds to conservation groups like NJP. The jaguar is our cause, not our mascot.”
McCauley and Rick set out to create a tequila that was worthy of their cause. They needed a special producer, one who could make not only great-tasting tequila, but also a tequila that was made using sustainable production practices in line with their conservation mission. Eventually they found the perfect partner in Vivanco, patriarch of the fifth generation Vivanco tequila family, owners of the highly regarded distillery Feliciano Vivanco y Asociados, S.A. de C.V., better known simply as NOM 1414.
Sergio’s production process holds true to his family’s mantra: “True flavor comes from the earth.” Crafted using traditional methods designed to respect the agave and the land, using only mature Los Altos agave, brick ovens, roller mill extraction, well water, and copper pot stills, Alma del Jaguar uses a unique blend of tequilas made from natural wild yeast and subtlety sweet champagne yeast. During the fermentation process, the Vivancos–in what they describe as their “Mozart” method–play classical music beside the open-air tanks to encourage the yeast to “dance.”
Alma del Jaguar uses 100 percent recycled Mexican glass bottles, agave fiber labels, repurposed cork closures, and recycled cardboard cartons. These materials are sourced from suppliers within an 85-mile radius of the distillery, reflecting the company’s desire to support local businesses.
In advance of the first bottles being sold, the company donated approximately $15,000 worth of trail cameras, computer hardware, and work gear to support the biologists and staff of the Northern Jaguar Project and Northern Jaguar Reserve.
Alma del Jaguar Tequila Reposado is currently available throughout AR, CT, FL, GA, KS, MO, TN and TX and online nationwide via seelbachs and SIPtequila for $59.99 per bottle. For more information, please head over to the official website.