The Legendary Bañuelos Family Honors Tradition with a Modern Masterpiece Rested in Naturally Seasoned, Air-Dried French and American Oak Casks
SANTA ROSA, Calif., Sept. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, Tequila El Mexicano announces the nationwide release of its reposado expression, the second additive-free offering from the Bañuelos family. Crafted in the Highlands of Arandas at Hacienda El Mexicano (NOM 1588), Tequila El Mexicano Reposado represents another milestone in the family's legacy and the pioneering work of tequila legend Master Tequilero Don Félix Bañuelos, the distilling artist behind the original Tequila CAZADORES®.
For nearly a century, the Bañuelos family has upheld a tradition of patience, craftsmanship and dedication. Today, third generation Willy and León Jr., together with their father, Master Tequilero León Sr., follow in their ancestor's footsteps. With Tequila El Mexicano Reposado, they honor traditional tequila-making and create tequila in its purest form.
The Bañuelos family insist on a deliberate approach, rooted in the conviction that agave, water and yeast are the sole ingredients needed to produce an exceptional tequila, free from any artificial enhancements.
Working closely with trusted growers, the family crafts Tequila El Mexicano Reposado from full, mature agaves. Hand-harvested 100% Tequilana Weber Blue Agave aged a minimum of six years are selected from the rich Highland terroir, where volcanic soil and a cooler climate yield a naturally sweeter, more complex and robust flavor profile.
Devoted to a slower, more purposeful process, the family employs a meticulous two-stage, "low and slow" cooking practice in stainless steel autoclaves for up to 24 hours. A unique seven-day, open-air fermentation process—one of the longest in modern tequila production—is enhanced by classical music, stimulating the natural yeast development vital for a truly memorable distillate. While most tequila is distilled in copper stills, León Sr. custom-built stainless steel pot stills to double distill El Mexicano, preserving the pure agave flavor without copper's influence.
Tequila El Mexicano's Reposado acquires its signature character from the use of naturally seasoned, air-dried American and French oak barrels. Oak trees, cultivated for 80-100 years in temperate forests, undergo a 24- to 36-month open-air seasoning process. This exposure to rain, wind and sun gently removes harsh tannins and encourages the development of desirable aromatic compounds, paving the way for a richer, smoother expression.
To achieve this nuanced flavor profile, a distinctive combination of 80% American oak and 20% French oak barrels are used to rest the reposado for 90 days. Bottled at 80 proof, Tequila El Mexicano Reposado yields a silky, well-integrated tequila with notes of vanilla, warm spice and softened oak.
On the nose, El Mexicano Reposado opens with aromas of cooked agave, bolstered by vanilla, maple and a touch of ripe blueberries and apricot. On the palate, the cooked agave continues to shine, mingling with warm woodsy notes and a touch of soft spice and ripe fruit, culminating in a long, clean and buttery finish. With a brilliant straw-yellow hue, accented by a bright silver rim, El Mexicano Reposado is ideal for sipping neat, over ice or used as a refined base in elevated cocktails that showcase the Reposado's natural warmth.
"El Mexicano is more than a tequila brand—it's the living legacy of one of Mexico's most influential tequila families, ushering in a new era of tequila drinkers," said Jason Daniel, CMO at Foley Family Wines & Spirits. "Recently, we're seeing a shift in consumer preferences toward reposado tequilas," he adds. "It's gained considerable share in the U.S. on-premise channel and is now the fastest-growing tequila style globally. No one is more poised to lead the charge than the Bañuelos family, who have a specific and credible place in the reposado history books."
Tequila El Mexicano Reposado is available for purchase nationally (SRP $45). The Tequila El Mexicano US portfolio also includes a Blanco (SRP $40) and Blanco 90 (SRP $50). Tequila El Mexicano is also available online at Home - Tequila El Mexicano.
Tequila El Mexicano is a flagship brand in the global portfolio of distilled spirits from Foley Family Wines & Spirits that includes High Ground Estate Vodka, Minden Mill (single estate whiskeys), Charles Goodnight Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Evil Bean Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur, Lighthouse Gin from New Zealand, the Loch Lomond Group portfolio of Scotch and spirits, Two Stacks Irish Whiskey and Killowen Distillery.
About Foley Family Wines & Spirits
Established by Bill Foley in 1996, Foley Family Wines & Spirits (FFWS) is a portfolio of highly acclaimed wines and spirits from some of the world's greatest estates. The company owns more than 24 wineries and a distillery, each with its distinct style, legacy, and approach to hospitality. FFWS has expanded its portfolio significantly since its founding, now including such storied brands as Chalk Hill Estate Winery, Sebastiani, Roth, Banshee, Ferrari-Carano, Chateau St. Jean, Lancaster, and Sonoma Coast Vineyards in Sonoma; Merus, Silverado, Foley Johnson and Swanson in Napa Valley; Lincourt, Firestone, and Foley Estates in Southern California; Chalone Vineyard and Cosentino in central California; and Four Graces and Acrobat in Oregon. FFWS's import wines include Lucien Albrecht in France, Nieto Senetiner in Argentina, and 14 wine brands spanning three of New Zealand's most acclaimed winegrowing regions: Marlborough, Central Otago, and Martinborough. The growing global spirits portfolio includes domestic brands Minden Mill Whiskeys, High Ground Estate Vodka, Charles Goodnight Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Evil Bean Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur, and Ampersand. International spirits include New Zealand's Lighthouse Gin, El Mexicano Tequila, the Loch Lomond Group portfolio of Scotch and spirits, Two Stacks Irish Whiskey and Killowen Distillery. FFWS also imports SABÉ canned cocktails. To learn more about Foley Family Wines & Spirits, visit FFWS.com.
Media Contact
Dave Karraker, Foley Family Wines & Spirits, 1 4157100245, [email protected], https://ffws.com/
SOURCE Foley Family Wines & Spirits
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