About Us
Our History
The Q in Querendón represents Quality over Quantity. Our passion as artisans and creators was to change the face of the Tequila industry. Our foremost goal is to create an ultra premium Tequila that transcends expectations. We pay respect to the Tequileras of Old, without their rich history and knowledge we could not exist. Our goal is to create such a sensational experience that you, our friend, are overcome with joy and happiness with every taste.
FROM THE FARM TO THE BOTTLE
Most do not realize that Tequila is made from fruit. The rich Piña of the Agave tequilana, commonly called blue agave (agave azul) or tequila agave provides the base for which all Tequila is made. All great spirits that are made from fruit, begins in the field. We take great pride in the selection and harvesting of our fruit. Much like viticulture, the Terroir is all important in growing the best agave. Which is why on every bottle we identify the specific region for our agave on the bottle, similar to viticulture associations, like Napa Valley or Bordeaux. We are the first to employ this as we feel it is important to showcase the diverse Terroir and to provide as much information to our consumer. To educate and to separate Quality Tequila's from all others. Our Estate Grown Agave comes from Amatitán.
HORNO - STONE OVEN
Following the traditions of old, we knew that a traditional horno would be ideal for the quality that we are achieving. A horno is a stone oven that is filled with agave. We then cook our Estate grown agave from Amatitan for 24 hours at 176 degrees. This allows us to graciously soften the piña, caramelize the sugars and enhance and preserve the flavors. Slow-Cooking our Estate grown agave is key to creating an Ultra-Premium Tequila.
EXTRACTION
We often hear about the use of the "Tahona" a large ancient wheel used to mill the cooked agave to release the aguamiel (agave sugary juice). However, this method is primarily for tourism and is not a viable practice for maximizing extraction. We are able to maximize extraction through the use of a "molino", or roller mill, which is very similar to an oversized food juicer. We will pass the agave through the molino 3 or 4 times to ensure we have released all of the nectar and then it is gravity fed into large vats to begin fermentation.
FERMENTATION & DISTILLATION
This is where the magic happens! Our Master Distiller Mr. Nestor Hernandez, a true artisan. His skills are legendary. He has the unique ability to inoculate with a proprietary yeast derived from viticulture (wine grapes). In doing so, he can from his incredible sense of smell create the profile that separates Querendón Tequila from the rest. A true Master. After fermentation and blending we then distill twice(all tequila is distilled twice), first distillation creates the "ordinario", roughly around 20-25% abv. The second distillation creates the "tequila" and is halted at 55% abv, which preserves the flavor and the profile unique to Querendón.
BOTTLING AND AGING
After the second distillation we have our soon to be famous "Blanco" Tequila. This soft, flavorful, smooth Tequila is the base for our exquisite "Reposado" and "Añejo" Tequilas. We then age or rest the Blanco in only French White Oak barrels to accentuate the profile and create a lingering, spicy finish. Reposados are in barrel for a minimum of 3 months up to 12 months. Our Añejo is in barrel for 1-3 years. Please understand that the longer you age Tequila is not necessarily ideal and is often promoted as better or higher quality, which is simply inaccurate. This is where the experience and artistry comes in to play. We begin to sample after 3 months for Reposado until we feel it has reached maximum potential for the profile we know you will love. The same holds true for Añejo. Finally, we bottle at 28.4 degrees Fahrenheit to lock in all of the time, care and patience we have put into each bottle.