Sauza Tequila
Encyclopedia
Sauza Tequila Import Company is a producer of tequila
located in Tequila, a municipality of the state of Jalisco
, Mexico
. It was founded in 1873 when Don Cenobio Sauza
started La Perseverancia distillery. Sauza Tequila Import Company is owned by Beam Inc.
, headquartered in the Chicago
suburb Deerfield, Illinois
, USA. Their products include: Sauza, Conmemorativo, Hornitos, Tres Generaciones
.
founded Sauza at La Perseverancia distillery. He was the first distiller to call the spirit produced from blue agave plant "tequila" and the first to export the drink to the United States.
was born in Tequila in 1883. When he was old enough to continue the family tradition, he expanded the family business by opening branches in Monterrey
and Mexico City
and a concession in Spain
.
took over the business to keep the family legacy by broadening distribution and its reputation as one of the highest-quality tequilas in the world.
was formed. The brand was purchased by Fortune Brands
on July 26, 2005, which spun off various other product lines to form Beam Inc.
in October, 2011. Sauza tequila products are still distilled at La Perseverancia (NOM
: 1102).
competitions. Its best showing was for its Hacienda Reposado tequila, which won a gold rating at the 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2006. Its extra gold tequila has not performed particularly well, winning only a bronze at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and scoring an 81 from the Beverage Testing Institute in the same year.
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
located in Tequila, a municipality of the state of Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It was founded in 1873 when Don Cenobio Sauza
Don Cenobio Sauza
Don Cenobio Sauza , known as the "Father of Tequila," was one of the earliest and longest lasting distillers of the tequila spirit – founding the Sauza Tequila distillery – La Perseverancia – in 1873....
started La Perseverancia distillery. Sauza Tequila Import Company is owned by Beam Inc.
Beam Inc.
Beam Inc. is a spirits company established on October 4, 2011 from the remainder of the Fortune Brands holding company after it sold and spun off various other product lines to form a business focused exclusively on spirits and directly related products...
, headquartered in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
suburb Deerfield, Illinois
Deerfield, Illinois
Deerfield is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States and is located approximately 25 miles north of Chicago, Illinois. A portion of the village is in Cook County, Illinois, United States...
, USA. Their products include: Sauza, Conmemorativo, Hornitos, Tres Generaciones
Tres Generaciones
Tres Generaciones is an award-winning super-premium tequila produced in Tequila, a municipality of the state of Jalisco, Mexico. It was created in 1973 by Don Francisco Javier Sauza to honor the three successive generations of tequila makers of the Sauza family since 1873: Don Cenobio, Don...
.
Don Cenobio Sauza
In 1873 Don Cenobio SauzaDon Cenobio Sauza
Don Cenobio Sauza , known as the "Father of Tequila," was one of the earliest and longest lasting distillers of the tequila spirit – founding the Sauza Tequila distillery – La Perseverancia – in 1873....
founded Sauza at La Perseverancia distillery. He was the first distiller to call the spirit produced from blue agave plant "tequila" and the first to export the drink to the United States.
Don Eladio Sauza
His son, Don Eladio SauzaDon Eladio Sauza
Don Eladio Sauza ran the Sauza Tequila business from 1909 to 1946.- Early life :Eladio Sauza was born June 16, 1883 in the city of Tequila, Mexico to Don Cenobio Sauza and Doña Margarita Madrigal Navarro...
was born in Tequila in 1883. When he was old enough to continue the family tradition, he expanded the family business by opening branches in Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
and a concession in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Don Francisco Javier Sauza
In 1931, his son, Don Francisco Javier SauzaDon Francisco Javier Sauza
Don Francisco Javier Sauza ran the Sauza Tequila business from 1946 until leading Mexican brandy producer Pedro Domecq purchased it in 1988.- Early life :...
took over the business to keep the family legacy by broadening distribution and its reputation as one of the highest-quality tequilas in the world.
Business Acquisition
By the 1970s, demand for tequila was increasing worldwide. Sauza distillery formed a partnership with the leading Spanish brandy producer, Pedro Domecq. This relationship eventually led to Pedro Domecq's complete purchase of Sauza distillery in 1988. When Allied Lyons acquired Pedro Domecq in 1994, Allied DomecqAllied Domecq
Allied Domecq PLC was an international company, headquartered in Bristol, UK that operated spirits, wine, and quick service restaurant businesses. It was once a FTSE 100 Index constituent but has been acquired by Pernod Ricard.-History:...
was formed. The brand was purchased by Fortune Brands
Fortune Brands
Fortune Brands was a holding company founded in 1969 as American Brands and later renamed in 1997 and split apart in 2011. The corporate headquarters was in Deerfield, Illinois in the United States. The company historically had a significant diversity of product offerings...
on July 26, 2005, which spun off various other product lines to form Beam Inc.
Beam Inc.
Beam Inc. is a spirits company established on October 4, 2011 from the remainder of the Fortune Brands holding company after it sold and spun off various other product lines to form a business focused exclusively on spirits and directly related products...
in October, 2011. Sauza tequila products are still distilled at La Perseverancia (NOM
Norma Oficial Mexicana
The Norma Oficial Mexicana is the name of each of a series of official, compulsory standards and regulations for diverse activities in Mexico. They are more commonly referred to as NOM or normas.-Tequila:...
: 1102).
Sauza Tequila
- Sauza Blanco – double distilled, unaged
- Sauza Extra Gold – double distilled, unaged
- Sauza Blue Silver - 100% agave, double distilled, unaged
- Sauza Blue Reposado - 100% agave, double distilled, rested in oak casks
Conmemorativo
Sauza Conmemorativo – aged 18 months in oak Bourbon casks - long enough to be called añejoHornitos
- Hornitos Plata – 100% blue agave, double distilled, unaged
- Hornitos Reposado – 100% blue agave, double distilled, rested two months in 10,000 gallon oak vats
- Hornitos Añejo – 100% blue agave, double distilled, aged at least 12 months in American oak barrels
Tres Generaciones
- Tres Generaciones Plata - 100% blue agave, triple-distilled, unaged.
- Tres Generaciones Reposado - 100% blue agave, triple-distilled, aged at least four months in American oak barrels
- Tres Generaciones AñejoAñejoAñejo, Spanish for "aged", can refer to:* Añejo cheese* Añejo tequila* various blends of Havana Club rum...
- 100% blue agave, triple-distilled, aged at least 12 months in toasted American oak barrels
Awards
Sauza's offerings have met with modest success at international spirit ratingsSpirit ratings
With a growing number of microdistilleries and an expanding number of offerings from large corporate entities, a number of institutions have arisen to provide professional evaluations of individual spirits...
competitions. Its best showing was for its Hacienda Reposado tequila, which won a gold rating at the 2006 San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2006. Its extra gold tequila has not performed particularly well, winning only a bronze at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and scoring an 81 from the Beverage Testing Institute in the same year.